Sports Ambassadors: Zamboanga del Norte

SA Team Picture
JJ sharing at half-time

Ptr Gary & Dr Robin Cook

Bert Pinsoy, Ptr Gary & Dipolog City Mayor Evenlyn T. Uy

Team SA with Dipolog City Mayor Evelyn T. Uy

Sports Ambassadors: Zamboanga del Norte

JJ with Kay, Ms. Dipolog Medical Center
Bud Schaeffer sharing during the pastors meeting in Dipolog City

JJ & Dr. Robin Cook, SA International Director

JJ together with the SA team crossing a hanging bridge

JJ sharing at half-time

Sports Ambassadors: Zamboanga del Norte

JJ sharing his testimony to the team
JJ making a jumpshot during the game @ Dapitan City

Don Magee giving his testimony during the game

Team SA singing under the rain

Eric Borton putting up the basketball nets

Sports Ambassadors: Zamboanga del Norte

Ptr Gary, Robin Cook & JJ Team SA in Dakak, Zambo del Norte

JJ sharing @ half-time

Ptr. Gary sharing @ half-time

Bud Schaeffer giving the message

Sports Ambassadors: Zamboanga del Norte

Bud Schaeffer giving a message
Dipolog Mayor Evelyn T. Uy welcoming Team SA

Team SA in Dipolog City

Ptr Gary giving the orientation

Team SA @ Dipolog City airport being welcomed

the Mayor's Office Staff

Sports Ambassadors in Zamboanga del Norte

Once again the Ventures For Victory/Sports Ambassadors basketball team will be coming to the Philippines on July 27 to August 14, 2009.

Our trip this year is scheduled to be played in Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. Thirty (30) games have been lined-up for this. Preparations have been made for the last six months. The team will arrived late monday night and will fly tuesday morning to Dipolog City. The local government of Dipolog City headed by Mayor Evenlyn T. Uy has organized a welcome ceremony and dinner for the members of the team on July 28, Tuesday.

The members of the team is headed by Head Coach Dr. Robin Cook , Team Chaplain Bud "The Cat" Schaeffer, Daniel Hann 6'6, Romey Coley 5'9, Donyelle Magee 6'1, John Eric Burton 5'11, Gabriel Brandel 6'1, Jerome Montalvo 6'1, Elliot Tan 5'8 and John Paul Visitacion 5'9.

Please remember to pray for us during this time as we play and share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ during halftime.

Highlights of our Aklan Province Tour

Together with the Mayor's team of New Washington, Aklan
Ptr Gary & Marcus Swartz

Atty Edgar Peralta, Mayor of New Washington, Aklan

Ceremonial Toss with Mayor of Ibajay, Aklan

Ptr Gary sharing about the gospel tract

Highlights of our Aklan Province Tour

Ptr Gary together with Alex Tan & family
Ptr Gary sharing at halftime

Ptr Gary & Christie Tan at the officials table

Game at the Kalibo City Plaza

Ptr Gary giving the briefing & orientation

Buhay Sports conquers Aklan Province June 20-27

This sports trip was one of the toughest experience we had. Having only seven (7) players left. One player had to fly back after joining us for four (4) days. Then the challenge began. Marcus Swartz from Leavenworth, KS broke his achilles tendon which had to be casted. His US doctor said surgery can wait till he comes back to the US. Then two (2) before we ended our trip, Quinn Cunnington, another player from Tennessee had a sprained ankle. The rest of the players had soar bodies and were getting tired. But we held on till the final buzzer. Won all our games and ended the trip in high spirit. Praise God!

A lot of churches and pastors were blessed by the presence of the Buhay Sports basketball team. We believe we were able to accomplish our mission against all odds. Thanks for all your prayers last week.

Remember to pray also for the pastors and church workers who are now starting the follow up in their areas.

Highlights of our Cebu City Tour

Team Buhay

Elliot Tan, Ptr Gary & Aaron Jackson

Coach Tata Merced, Ptr Gary & Coach Al Solis

Ptr Gary sharing at half-time

Joshua Manthe sharing his personal testimony

Buhay Sports conquers Cebu City next Kalibo, Aklan

We had fourteen (14) players, eleven (11) games lined-up, that was one of the most exciting experience we had. This time we were playing the toughest collegiate/university teams in Cebu City. Most of the players did not have any experience playing on a concrete smaller courts. But it was fun. The crowd was just awed by the skills that the american players showed during the game.

Most of the places we visited had a good response with the gospel. Our average return slips was around 38%, which is higher to our average of 27% per game. Now the work has just begun. Our ministry partners in Cebu are busy with the follow-up. Please remember to pray for them during this time.

We went home in high spirits, knowing that we had accomplished our mission in this city. Thank you so much for your support to Buhay Sports. Please continue to remember us in your prayers.

Our next sports trip will be on June 21-27 in Kalibo, Aklan Province.

God bless!

Sports Trip in Cebu City June 7-13, 2009

After catching up with my work for the last 3 weeks since we arrived from the US. I am set to go to Cebu City for another sports trip together with the American Buhay Basketball Team on June 7-13, 2009.

Our ministry partners TJ Caparros, Coaches Alfonso "Al" Solis & Lawrence "Tata" Merced has arranged for our team to play ten (10) goodwill games & two (2) basketball clinics. Places to be visited are the different barangays (community village) and colleges and universities in the city. Please pray for good health, protection & spiritual focus of the team. We look forward that many will come and hear the gospel and make Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior.

For updates on our trip, I will be keeping you posted on this blog from time to time.

Also remember to pray for my family who will be left behind.

Thank you for your partnership with us.

Finally were home again...

It's always great to be back home after spending 74 days in the US (March 5 to May 16). We trvalled to almost twenty (20) States by car, bus & plane. We got to see a lot of beautiful places in all of the USA. Because we were there almost at the end of winter, we still felt very cold in most of the places we visited.

We enjoyed visiting the different states, museums, parks, military bases, White House & not forgetting the famous Disneyland in Anaheim. Learning the American Culture was another experience. Food was another thing to enjoy but rice is always the best. Hehe!

We also had the chance to meet old friends, preaching & visiting different churches. Once again we shared with them what God is doing in our ministry in the Philippines. We are thankful that we had churches and friends who are now partnering with us. Thank you so much for your financial support!

We visited our OC Headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO and met a lot of our OC missionaries. We visited Focus On The Family Headquarters of Dr. James Dobson during that day too. But the other visit that I could not forget was in Virginia Beach, VA were we had the chance to visit the 700 Club Headquarters and join Dr. Pat Robertson & Gordon Robertson in one of their programs. Pat & I talked after the program about missions in the Phippines. It was also a reunion of my old friend Gordon Robertson.

Once again to all our ministry partners and friends who took care of us during our short visit, Maraming Maraming Salamat Po! (Thank you very much!)

A Day In Manila with Mommy Ivy