Day of Prayer and visit to Coron

Coron is a city of 50,000 people located on Busuanga Island in the Province of Palawan. The city is about 275 miles south-west of Manila. Coron is most noted as a vacation destination for snorkeling and scuba diving. They boast of some of the best reefs for snorkeling and there are sunken WWII Japanese warships for scuba adventures. In addition to the water adventures, the area has many islands for exploring. The resorts provide a destination for many in Asia.

Dan and I flew out of Manila arriving in Coron Sunday afternoon. Jonathan Dabuit, a seminary alumnus, met us at the airport and hosted us for the time we were in Coron. Jonathan is an assistant to the mayor of Coron and works in a church in Coron. As one can imagine, being a government official provides some benefits for his guests. We visited the government center and met some town officials. We were met at the airport by the chief of security who escorted us through the security. I finally experienced more winding roads than are found in southeastern Kentucky while here in Coron (see picture below).

Our primary reason for visiting Coron was to investigate the feasibility of an institute and seminary extension and participate in a day of prayer with pastors in the Association of Christian Churches of the Philippines (ACCPHIL). On Monday, I preached on Ephesians 6:18-20, which tells us we should pray for each other in every occasion especially in our trials because we are to be bold proclaimers of the gospel even in our trials. It was encouraging to see both young and older pastors praying together and sharing each other’s burdens. Monday night we went to another fellowshipping church for supper and worship. They served us traditional Filipino cuisine and presented their ministry. The final event of the evening was a foot washing of the attending pastors by the young people and lay leaders of the church.

Tuesday we visited the island of Coron and other sites around the city of Coron. When returning from the island of Coron, we stopped at the Balinsgasayaw Resort for lunch. After returning to the city of Coron, we met with alumni about the opportunities and challenges of an extension in Coron. These conversations are valuable in assessing what’s next for the institute and seminary.

I am writing this entry from a hotel near the airport in Manila. We return to the U.S. on Thursday traveling from Manila to Hong Kong to Newark to Tampa. Please pray for our travels on Thursday. This trip has provided a much-needed perspective for me of the work in the Philippines and the many possible ministry opportunities.

Saturday men’s Bible study and library visit

Saturday began early here with a men’s Bible study. Pastor Bill led us through a study in the book of Colossians while we shared pandesol (“bread of the sun”) and coffee. After our Bible study Dan and I visited the library.The library has about 8,000 books as well as several journal subscriptions. They also have a recently updated computer workstation room that has about twelve stations for students to write papers. As you can see from the picture below, it is very well kept and houses great resources for the students.

Academic meetings at the institute and seminary

I met with leadership of the institute and seminary to discuss their recent recognition by CHED (Commission on Higher Education) to grant a bachelor degree. The institute grants a bachelors degree with concentration in Christian Education, Church Studies, and Biblical Literature, while the seminary offers a Masters in Biblical Studies. This meeting was an important step for us to assess where we are at in light of the anticipated journey through accreditation with Asia Theological Association. Both these accreditations will allow graduates to further their education with fewer obstacles in the Filipino educational system as well as other international educational systems.

I also took in a great view from the “tower.” The breeze was as wonderful as the view. I was told that sometimes the church here has had Easter sunrise services in this location. I’m sure the view on those mornings were spectacular.

Asia Theological Association Consultation, Days 3-5

I attended the Asia Theological Association’s Consultation in downtown Manila with alumni  from the Center For Biblical Studies and Seminary. For those familiar with Evangelical Theological Society, this conference is similar. The conference started on Tuesday and concludes on Thursday. The topic of the conference was, “interdisciplinary approaches to doing theology in Asia.” The scholarship was outstanding but just as important was networking opportunities for the institution. We were also able to better understand requirements to become an accredited member of ATA.

Our trip from Antipolo to downtown was eleven miles, this short distance took us two and a half hours. I am told this is not abnormal for this morning trip. Along the way we encountered an army of “Jeepny” (pictured below). These colorful vehicles were originally constructed from Jeeps left behind after WWII. They were modified to carry people and materials, a sort of taxi. It may be the earliest form of Uber! The Jeepny vehicles are everywhere on the streets of Manila jockeying for passengers. These vehicles added to the already exciting driving style found in the Philippines that is not for the faint of heart.