Friday, August 24, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Update from the Mission Field!
Just a missions update regarding our missions trip here in General Santos City and Saranggani Province. Currently, we are at the highlands of Saranggani Province ministering to the B'Laan Tribe. Mostly tribal pastors, church members and their families are coming to our meetings.
I have been visiting this tribe for the last twenty (20) years and I am always excited to see what God is doing in the lives of this people. Since most of them are becoming christians and churches are being planted in the area, the muslim community have started to reduce in the area which also resulted to the less trouble and persecution amongst our B'Laan brothers. Praise the Lord!
Our missions trip will be visiting other tribal community in the area until August 20, 2007. Please continue to be in prayer for us. When we come back we will be travelling to Zamboanga City and Basilan. I will be keeping you posted on our travel and meetings.
Thank you for your prayers and support.
God bless!
Ptr. Gary & Grace Visitacion
Sunday, August 05, 2007
BUD STANLEY SCHAEFFER
During my trip with the Ventures for Victory/Sports Ambassadors last July 13-26, 2007 at Quezon Province, I had the chance to worked with the living legend Bud Stanley Schaeffer. Bud was a member of the first Ventures for Victory/Sports Ambassadors team that went to the Philippines last 1952 under Coach Don Odle of Taylor University. He was the only non-Taylor University player that joined the team.
Since then, Bud has been coming with the Ventures team to the Philippines almost every year to play our Olympic teams and commercial teams in Manila. One of the players he could not forget was Caloy "The Big Difference" Loyzaga of the Philippines. Bud said that every time Caloy would play his team would always win.
It was really a great experience for me working with Bud. His passion for the game and love for the filipino people encouraged me a lot. I was always excited to hear from Bud the many stories he shared to me during our trip. Bud now is 80 years old and I am not sure if I will have the chance to work with him again. But those thirteen days was very precious to me and I was thankful to the Lord for the time I spent with Bud.
To Bud, thank you so much for coming and most of all loving the filipino people. I would always treasure the time we spent together during the trip.
I salute you Bud & Alice Schaeffer...
God bless you!
Since then, Bud has been coming with the Ventures team to the Philippines almost every year to play our Olympic teams and commercial teams in Manila. One of the players he could not forget was Caloy "The Big Difference" Loyzaga of the Philippines. Bud said that every time Caloy would play his team would always win.
It was really a great experience for me working with Bud. His passion for the game and love for the filipino people encouraged me a lot. I was always excited to hear from Bud the many stories he shared to me during our trip. Bud now is 80 years old and I am not sure if I will have the chance to work with him again. But those thirteen days was very precious to me and I was thankful to the Lord for the time I spent with Bud.
To Bud, thank you so much for coming and most of all loving the filipino people. I would always treasure the time we spent together during the trip.
I salute you Bud & Alice Schaeffer...
God bless you!
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Quezon Province Tour
July 13-27, 2007 together with the Ventures for Victory/Sports Ambassadors Basketball Team we headed towards Quezon Province. Our first stop was Real, Quezon which we played ten (10) games in five (5) days. Our second and final stop was Atimonan, Quezon which included Gumaca, Plaridel and Alabat island. We played fourteen (14) games in seven (7) days. We played a total of twenty-four (24) games in thirteen (13) days. We distributed close to nine (9) thousand gospel tracts and seven (7) thousand Book Of Hope.
We worked with around twenty (20) pastors and churches in the area. A lot of these churches that we worked with are planting churches in the different communities and towns. We are so blessed with the response given by the local people. We look forward for more churches to be planted in Quezon Province.
Please continue to pray for the success of the follow-up being done right now by the pastors and church workers in the area.
We worked with around twenty (20) pastors and churches in the area. A lot of these churches that we worked with are planting churches in the different communities and towns. We are so blessed with the response given by the local people. We look forward for more churches to be planted in Quezon Province.
Please continue to pray for the success of the follow-up being done right now by the pastors and church workers in the area.
Cebu Province Tour
Last July 01-09, 2007, we had another sports trip in the Visayas. Together with my two (2) boys Brian & JJ and the Buhay Sports Basketball Team, we had a trip to Northern Cebu Province. We played eighteen (18) games. We distributed almost seven (7) thousand gospel tracts and gave away six (6) thousand Book Of Hopes.
There was really a great response from the Pastors and churches in the area. Brian and JJ had the chance to share their personal testimonies in some of the games and even distributed gospel tracts and Book Of Hope.
After the trip, together with the boys, we had the chance to visit my mother for two (2) days in Bacolod City. It was a great trip for the three of us because we had the chance to visit my family and Grace's family also.
There was really a great response from the Pastors and churches in the area. Brian and JJ had the chance to share their personal testimonies in some of the games and even distributed gospel tracts and Book Of Hope.
After the trip, together with the boys, we had the chance to visit my mother for two (2) days in Bacolod City. It was a great trip for the three of us because we had the chance to visit my family and Grace's family also.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Quezon Province Tour...
Last June 17-22, 2007, the Buhay Sports Basketball Team composed of 12 American players mostly from Kansas, Missouri, USA and myself went to the province of Quezon. We played some ministry games in the towns of Real, Infanta and General Nakar.
We played ten (10) games and ministered to schools and gave away gospel tracts and Book Of Hope to around 10,000 people. The local people responded very well to the gospel, some of them wants to be part of a bible study group and they are also interested to be visited by a pastor of church leader.
A lot of the pastors and local churches were really encouraged by the visit of the Buhay Sports Basketball Team, a ministry of First Love International.
We went home very excited and blessed of what God is going to do in the province of Quezon.
It was another memorable trip for me.
Please continue to pray for the pastors and churches who will be doing the follow up during this time.
We played ten (10) games and ministered to schools and gave away gospel tracts and Book Of Hope to around 10,000 people. The local people responded very well to the gospel, some of them wants to be part of a bible study group and they are also interested to be visited by a pastor of church leader.
A lot of the pastors and local churches were really encouraged by the visit of the Buhay Sports Basketball Team, a ministry of First Love International.
We went home very excited and blessed of what God is going to do in the province of Quezon.
It was another memorable trip for me.
Please continue to pray for the pastors and churches who will be doing the follow up during this time.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Interview with Solar Sports...
During my ministry trip to Manila together with the Vanguard University Lady Lions, I had the chance to be interviewed by a local sports channel called Solar Sports. This channel is very popular here in the Philippines. They air sports events raging from basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, etc.
Mr. Jay Roa, sports reporter of Solar Sports asked me about our sports ministry. I personally shared to him regarding the ministry of Venture For Victory/Sports Ambassadors around the world and especially here in the Philippines.
It was a wonderful experience for me because I had the chance to share about VV/SA together with the sharing of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also the reason why we exist here in the Philippines for the last fifty-five (55) years.
More power to Solar Sports!
Book Of Hope distribution...
During my trip to Manila with the Vanguard University Lady Lions, the organization called Book Of Hope was the one responsible of providing us with materials for distribution during our ministry time with the other teams and people who came to watch our games.
I was really blessed with this ministry under the leadership of Pastor Wilbert Lojo, National Coordinator of the Book Of Hope together with his staff Pastors Bhong and James. We then discuss about the possibility that they can supply and help us with the distribution especially during our sports ministry trips and in line with our Chaplaincy Program. Pastor Wilbert gave us a commitment that we will be working together in the distribution of these materials.
In fact, during our ICBL Finals last May 19, Saturday we started distributing the Book Of Hope to the players and officials of our league. As long as we have the materials we will continue to be partners with them in saturating our country with the Book Of Hope.
Mabuhay ang Book Of Hope...
Vanguard University Lady Lions
The Vanguard University Lady Lions from Southern California, USA came to the Philippines last May 12-19, 2007 to play against top collegiate/university women's team in Manila. I was requested to join the trip and minister during our games.
The Lady Lions had a record of five consecutive Golden State Athletic Conference championship titles, eight total conference championship titles and nine NAIA Division I women's basketball national tournament appearances. Our record was 9-0 but what was important was the opportunity to share the gospel. Only half of the total line-up came but still they went home undefeated. They were led by their playing coach Liza "Playmaker" Faulkner, Jessica "The Matrix" Richter, Tiari "The Catwoman" Goold, Jaclyn "The Tank" Bleid, Lindsey "The Blur" Rinke, Lacy "The Fox" Burns, Laura "The Jewel" Job and Kelly "The Tower of Power" Schmidt.
A lot of opportunities for ministry and bible studies have been opened during our games and fellowship with the players and school officials. Praise the Lord!
The players had a great time and even the local church that we worked with were thankful for the partnership we had we them.
Mabuhay VU Lady Lions!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Neos Basketball Challenge...
May 01 is Labor Day in the Philippines, a special non-working holiday. But our Ventures for Victory/Sports Ambassadors team decided to go to Tagum City (one hour drive from Davao City) to join a one day basketball league.
Neos Basketball Challenge is organized by Mike & Valerie Boado. They are local missionaries based in this city. NBC is designed to reach out to the youth and use basketball as a tool to minister to them.
Our team lost during our first game, but we had the chance to minister and share the gospel during half-time of every game. This was really awesome!
Brian had the chance to share his personal testimony and even shared the gospel to the players.
We hope to see NBC continue their ministry to the young people in the area.
God bless NBC...
Ptr. Gary & Grace
Quezon Province...
Last April 26 & 27 Brian and I travelled from Manila for four (4) hours by land to Quezon Province. It was hard for Brian because he is not used to travel this far and going around the mountains. We had to stop a number of times because he was always throwing up. Poor Brian!
Quezon province has been known to have many communist guerillas around. That is why we hasd to pass by a number of military & police check points. Because of this insurgency problems the growth of the province has been affected.
This coming June & July we will be bringing another Sports Ambassadors team to the area to help the local churches evangelize their area. The local pastors and churches are excited and looking forward to this trip. We might be travelling also to the small islands of the province.
Please help us pray that the Lord of the Harvest will use our American players help evangelize the area together with the local workers who will be working with us.
Ptr. Gary & Grace
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
John Paul's Graduation Ceremony...
LAST MARCH 24, 2007 was a memorable day for everybody in the family. John Paul, our second son graduated BS Nursing at the San Pedro College. It was a very solemn moment for everybody us we witness another miracle in our lives.
Grace and I really thanked the Lord for sustaining us for the last four (4) fours that we have supported JJ in taking up Nursing course. We know that this is just the start of his long journey.
Becoming a nurse is more of a vocation and service rather than a career.
Right now, JJ is busy preparing for his board exam which will be this coming June, 2007. Please continue to pray for JJ.
To JJ, we are very proud of you son.
We love you very much!
Papa & Mommy Grace
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