Classes and That Man

I'm settling back into a pattern.  It seems like every few momths there is a change in my regular activities, but the past month has been pretty steady.  Classes continue strong with at least 50 if not 60 students every week.  The advanced classes started this month and although the groups are small I think it will be enjoyable.   I just did a document to track my attendance and I had 77 students last term and have had over 100 students already this term.  Total points of direct classroom contact is over 150 as only about 20 students have returned.  This time there are also a lot of Juagdan and Guintaboan community people instead of just from the church.  I'm excited to see where that goes in the future.

Now I'd like to share some about Kuya Jun.  He and I first met in 2004 the first time I visited Juagdan. Even then I thought he was handsome and fun to be around.
Unfortunately, at the time I was in a relationship.  He often wonders aloud what difference it would be if he had known then and started courting me when we first met.  Then he admits it wouldn't have been the right timing, but now is and God knew that truth.  There are lots of good things to share about him so it is hard to know where to start... two really big things include his family and education.
His parents had 10 children and he is the youngest of those.  Two of them passed away young.  Two of his sisters are students of mine :)  Other siblings live in Mindanao and Metro Manila.  His father passed away when he was only 12 years old.  His mom passed away when he was only 21.

Around the time his father died he graduated grade 6, but the family could not afford to continue his education.  Here even government schooling costs something.  About a year later he moved on his own to Mindanao to join the ECCU Bible school.  Due to some internal disputes he ended up changing to a different training program.  It was with this program (Christian Gathering Ministries International Inc.) that he spent another 3 years learning and one teaching.  He explains that they had to work to earn their shelter and food at the same time they were studying and that is why his mom chose to send him so he could continue getting an education.  Although he would deny being a pastor he is accredited with an ordination from Word International Ministries.  He served as pastor to a congregation in Leyte for a little over a year and realized he is not gifted in the administration skills it takes to be a lead pastor.  Last night I heard him "preach" for the first time.  It was more of an informal gathering and so it was a more interactive conversation style than regular preaching, but I enjoyed it and look forward to seeing him in action again someday.  He is really more gifted in mentoring and one on one pastoring.  We are talking about how that can become a part of our ministry in the future.  There are lots of ideas, but we are waiting on the Lord to know what comes next.

Coming back to the present day...
Aside from the time I am in classes Kuya Jun and I spend a lot of time together. Sometimes he even sticks around to help woth some of the classes.  He has a farm that he has planted a lot of banana trees on and some other things.  He regularly takes me there so it's a good chance for us to be away from the ever watching eyes and listening ears of the compound. It has given us the opportunity to have a lot of discussions.  We talk about our future and how we will continue to work at loving each other as well as how our family might look.  So far we have agreed on all the big things so keep praying for us that the big discussions keep coming out.  There have only been small things we disagree on and it's not life altering things.  The biggest discussion was about language difference.  It is something we both need to work on.  He has been studying and using my language for 50 years.  I have only been studying and using his for a few years.  He has a major advantage in that and I'm dependant on him for my translation needs most of the time.  It is something that frustrates me more than him.  Actually, I don't think it's frustrated him at all... He like to take advantage of it sometimes a d teases me by using Visayan he knows I don't understand!

Prayer Requests:
1. Students continue to return
2. Future expansion of ministry
3. Kuya Jun and I's relationship
4. Future building/projects
5. My furlough planning
6. Travel next month for his organizations annual Thanksgiving and meeting some additional family