Well of Life Miscellaneous Activities August 2013

Well of Life Community Development, Inc. 5th Year Anniversary Celebration August 9, 2013 

    We celebrated our 5 year anniversary late as it was July 23rd but better late than never.  Around 40 youth from Malatabis our outreach area for our Youth Development Program attended at our compound for the Word of God, worship, food and fellowship.  Our guest speaker was my friend Kevin from the UK & Singapore who resides n Manila, other guests were Allan a Canadian living in Singapore, Pastor Grant and his family, Benjie our treasurer and his family and our staff and students.  Thank you to all who made this event an evening of joy and special thanks to Lydia my wonderful wife for cooking and organizing everything with the help of our girls!

3rd District ABSNET Meeting August 14, 2013

  

     Well of Life was invited from 22 Non-Government Organizations (NGO's) to participate in the election of officers for the newly created 3rd district ABSNET cluster and I was elected as vice chairman.  Here we were enjoying our favourite fruit durian.  ABSNET stands for "Area-Based Standards Network" ABSNET started in 2002 and proved to be an effective strategy for participative and collaborative endeavours among Social Welfare and Development Agencies (SWDAs) and Local Government Units (LGUs).  ABSNET will provide support on social legislations, programs and activities that will benefit all SWDAs and their clients.  Well of Life is a SWDA registered with the department of social welfare and development.  It's an honour to be a part of this network, our next meeting will be in September and held at our compound, we will have time to give a lecture on our best practices.

Pag-Asa Davao Rotary Club MOA Signing August 14, 2013

     Well of Life has submitted a project proposal to the Pag-Asa Davao Rotary club for a $10,000 grant for healthy homes in Marilog.  The proposal was assisted by our friend Peter who is partnering with our ministry, he supplies used clothing, books, toys for children and now is connecting us with the Rotary Club.  The grant will be used to make 20 model houses for our CHE program (Community Health Education), we will provide these 20 houses with Solar Lighting, Biosand Water Filter, Ecosan Toilet, and Rice Hull Stove.  This will ultimately improve the health of all the members of the family, we will train these members of our associations as CHE's (community health educators) and teach them a physical and spiritual topic every week and they will teach 5 neighbours the same topic weekly and demonstrate the new technologies.  With this strategy our CHE's will be reaching out to over 100 community members weekly.

New Feeding Program Started at Lourdes Elementary School August 15, 2013

     Thanks to Feed My Lambs Ministry we were able to start a 2nd feeding program at Lourdes Elementary School where I'm currently the SGC (School Governing Council) President.  We have 41 malnourished children who will be feed at least 2 times a week.  We will be teaching moral value topics, sharing Bible stories and helping the development of the school. 

7th Founding Anniversary of the 1001st INF BDE Philippine Army August 22, 2013

      I was invited to the 7th anniversary of this army base as we worked together for the relief and development efforts after Typhoon Pablo in Compostella Valley earlier this year.  It was an honour to eat lunch with the soldiers and mayors of the respective municipalities.  I brought Josiah and Jason and Josiah wanted to sit on the tank and his wish was granted!  The Colonel gave Josiah a pair of Guinea pigs which was a blessing!

Bantol Elementary School Feeding Program - August 23, 2013

      This is the 2nd year implementing a feeding program in Bantol Elementary School thanks again to "Feed My Lambs Ministry" for providing the food and "New City Church" Canada for support in the Ministry for fuel etc.  This was fun as we brought Lydia and Josiah and the kids just gravitate to Josiah.  Jason lead them in prayer and we drank coconut juice with the teachers.  There are 33 malnourished children are benefiting from this feeding program this year.  We are planning for some activities for the children this school year.   

LMK Community Development Association - Induction of Officers August 23, 2013

Tribal Dance Presentation During the Induction of Officers

LMK CDA Officers Undergoing Their Oath Taking

     This was a big event attended by over 100 officers of this community development association we helped start this year which currently has over 350 members.  We are very pleased with the participation of these members and since it's so large and houses are spread out we divided the association into 6 sub-committees as some are walking for more than 2 hours up the mountain to get to our meetings.  It takes 2.5 hours for us to drive to the community and the last 13 kilometres is really off-roading and when muddy we are drifting in our truck, thank God for the Land Cruiser we were able to purchase this year, previously we had to ride motorbikes in, the services from Government and NGO's rarely reaches these communities.  We have so many officers because I created  departments in each of the 6 clusters communities, agriculture, livelihood and health and sanitation.  Our role is to facilitate the development process using the CHE strategy and empowering the members to create projects using local resources based on their felt and real needs and we help connect them to available services.  We had inspirational messages, dance and singing presentations, oath taking and food and fellowship!

LORD Jesus thank You for all you are allowing us to put our hands to and we pray for labourers to help us as Your harvest field is plentiful!  All Glory to God!   

Feeding Program, Solar Association Meeting, Youth Camp & Baptisms August 16-18, 2013

     

     A mountain top experience happened to me as I took a team of missionary friends (Jen, Lindsey, Muawe, Ryden, Lyneth and Jason) to the mountains Friday August 16th, 2013.  We started off by going to Bantol Elementary school where we have a feeding program sponsored by Feed My Lambs Ministry, we dropped off mana packs  which are packs of rice complete with added vitamins etc. which are essential to the growth and development of the children, these are packed in the USA.  We have 33 malnourished poor children benefiting from this feeding program who are feed three times a week.  

     Next we had a special meeting with the officers of our Woman's Solar Association where we encouraged them with the Word of God and discussed issues they are facing.  Next we attended a monthly meeting with a sub committee of the Woman's Solar Association and we were blessed as they provided lunch and snacks for us.  We got the woman feeling young again by doing participative ice breakers, which caused lots of laughing and joy.  Then we shared the Word of God and encouraged the members to strive to grow the association and continue attending meetings, many of the members have already received personal solar units to light their houses and charge their cell phones, next they want to have some livelihoods. 

The Woman's Solar Association Chairwoman is a trained Solar Technician and is seen here repairing one of the members solar units, this is our dream come true of empowering woman to transform their communities!

Quiet Time with God at the Springs

He says, "Be still and know that I am GOD; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

    I went to the mountain alone for my devotional prayer, which is different from intercessory or spiritual warfare prayer.  I was reminded of the story of Enoch, he was so close walking with God that God just took him with Him one day and he was with God. I was asking if God want me to be a pastor?  I've been asked to Pastor a small church here in the Philippines and to me this is no small matter, a serious responsibility to shephard souls.  Jesus was crucified at 33 years old and maybe i'm to pick up where Jesus left off and begin pastoring at 33 years old.  I prayed that if You LORD want me to pastor Dumalag Friends church please guide me by Your Holy Spirit so I can do it Your way and not mine.  My desire is to lead the church Biblically the way it was intended in the early church!  Lord please give me the passion to serve and love the people of Dumalag if I will pastor the church I must know the sheep and have a relationship with them as its more that just preaching to them.  Lord please give me a servants heart!  I ask You Lord to search my heart and reveal to me my weaknesses in my character and help me to over come these areas of weaknesses so I may improve myself by the renewing of my mind and lead others how to improve themselves.  If I'm going to lead others I need You Jesus to make me a better leader an anointed leader with a pure heart and clean hands in all areas of life and ministry!  To God be the Glory!

-I'm committing to pray at least 3 times a day; 

1. Morning - Devotional Prayer

2. Afternoon - Intercessory Prayer

3. Evening - Spiritual Warfare Prayer

    I was walking in the mountains with The Lord and His wind was like Him breathing on me! I feel so safe because I'm with You Lord! If you wanted to take me right now like You did with Enoch I'd go right now! I'm secure with the future of Lydia and Josiah and the Well of Life because I surrendered them all to You! Into Your hands I commit my family and ministry and ask You to care for and provide for them all the days of their life and existence.  You alone are worthy to be praised! Teach me how to pray, worship, fast and study Your Word! Fill me up Lord!

     The altitude is around 700 meters.  I found a beautiful place were 2 springs come together with life giving water flowing out of the rocks. Although two different sources the water joins into one united creating a soothing song which I recorded for 7 minutes and plan to use this sound as the Words going through my mind were be still and know that I am LORD!

     I left the streams but as I got away I felt the LORD CALL ME BACK SO I WENT BACK TO THE STREAM TO READ HIS WORD OUT OF OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL! Sometimes we think we are done with God but He isn't done  with us! 

Psalm 37

Psalm 46

A black and white butterfly just landed on my hand as I was typing my memory verse!

In the afternoon I interceded for our solar association.

We baptized 16 youth in the afternoon! Praise the LORD!

      In the evening we divided the kids, male youth and female youth and shared with them about purity, vices etc. I interceded for them and engaged in spiritual warfare for the community. 

What an awesome day thank you LORD for this spiritually refreshing, Holy Spirit filled day! Lord I give You my heart!

    

Dynamic Church Planting International Training July 29 - August 2, 2013

This is the DCPI (Dynamic Church Planting International)

CPM (Church Planting Movements) tract participants with our certificates after the 2 day training on August 1-2, 2013 at Rizal Re-Creation Center Laguna, Philippines 

Dr. John Bond 

DCPI - Asia South Pacific World Zone Leader

     This is my second year attending this DCPI training event in Laguna where they teach (4) Church Planting training tracts to over 100 pastors from throughout the Philippines.  It is always an honour to spend the week with these different pastors and visionary church leaders.  Last year I attended (2) of the tracts here which were CPE (Church Planting Essentials) and CPC (Churches Planting Churches). 

     In February 2012 I attended a Call to All Conference in Cebu Philippines where I met  the Vice President of DCPI Mark Williams, he gave me information about DCPI and informed me of the upcoming trainings in the Philippines.  I later attended a DCPI event  held in Baguio Philippines on May 16-19, 2012 and took the tract BAM (Becoming a Mentor to Church Planters) where I also became a certified trainer.  One of the trainers Dale Smith from Australia shared with me that he has a church plant in Davao which is 5 minutes from our house.  I coordinated with Dale and he came to Davao to conduct another DCPI tract called GNC (Growing New Churches) on September 3-6, 2012 which I co-hosted.  During the the September training I brought (3) of our local partners who underwent the training and also became certified trainers.

DCPI - BAM Training - Baguio at PCM - May 16-19, 2012

Since the trainings in 2012 I was able to host and co-lead (3) DCPI trainings.  

1. CPE training for our training team in Davao on September 19-21, 2012.

2. CPE training for Catalunan Grande Ministerial Fellowship in Davao on March 25-27, 2013

3. GNC training for Ambangeg Church leaders in Benguet on April 10-12, 2013         

     Last year I didn't bring Lydia and Josiah to the event at the Re-Creation Center but this year I did as I wanted Lydia to be on the same page as me and undergo the training so she could hear from the LORD what His vision is for us for church planting and so she took CPE (Church Planting Essentials) and I enjoyed the (3) days with Josiah all to myself.  The food is so good at Re-Creation Center and it a buffet with American and Filipino style food, a true blessing.  The manager of the center is a gifted evangelists who uses spinning tops to share the Gospel to students and all groups who come through the centre. We were excited to meet our nephew there by surprise.

    We're truly grateful to Rizal Re-Creation Center and the Australian Churches and individuals who sponsor this yearly event financially as it's always great to ignite the passion for church planting through the facilitators of DCPI.  I (Jeffrey) was privileged to be appointed a Master Trainer this so we can continue to roll out the training in Mindanao this year!  This is an honour I don't take lightly as there are currently only 250 Master Trainers internationally, I ask God to give me the strength, determination, passion and favour to represent DCPI through empowering church leaders and planting churches!  

Our goal is to help with the planting of (3) churches, certify (10) trainers and facilitate at-least (5) DCPI trainings this coming year.  

    Josiah and I had great fun playing basketball, soccer, volleyball, swimming, ping pong, running and sliding together.  Josiah made some new friends and enjoyed sleeping with me in a dorm with 2 bunk beds pushed together to make a big bed.  We watched the Bible movie and practiced healing people, it was a wonderful time with family and friends!

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen

Matthew 28:19-20

Ambangeg Organic Farmers Association Visit - July 25-26, 2013

      After 16.5 hours we made it to our destination in Ambangeg outside of Baguio. We traveled by plane from Batanes for 1.5 hours. Then our friend Kevin kindly drove us to the bus station and we rode bus for 7 hours, and Pastor Brett kindly picked us up in Baguio and took us for dinner then we traveled by truck for another 3 hours. The travel was almost all good besides Josiah throwing up on the bus and getting it all over Lydia, she's a trooper super mom! No more junk food for Josiah ever says mom haha.

Our purpose was to follow up an Organic Farming Association we helped start and help them write project proposals for their demo farm.  We visited 9 farms on July 25, 8 of the members farms and our demo farm.  Some people were beginning to make compost, sheet mulching, banana circles and vermiculture after our training in April 15-17, 2013.  

The members were so encouraged  by the effect of mulching on their beans as they were harvesting lots and plants are healthy.

Accomplishments to Date: 

1. Conducted a (3) day Community Health Evangelism Training of Trainers 1 on November 28-November 30, 2012.  
2. Introduced organic farming through powerpoint presentations and discussions, after which an Association consisting of (15) members was created.
3. Ambangeg Organic Farming Association was given a certificate from Department of Labour and Employment DOLE.
4. Project proposal for farming equipments and tools was written and a first draft submitted to Department of Labour and Employment DOLE and some items were pre-approved already.
5. Conducted a (3) day Dynamic Church Planting International - DCPI - Growing New Churches workshop April 10-12, 2013.
6. (3) day introduction to Permaculture was conducted for association members April 15-17, 2013.
7. Demo farm location was selected to highlight permaculture technologies.
8. Commercial Distributor of organic vegetables identified.  
9. Gospel shared to the community during meetings and workshops.
10. Farm visits and proposal writing for the Department of Agriculture July 25-26, 2013.  

Our next schedule to Ambangeg is in September 2013 as we will do more hands on permaculture training and a DCPI - Dynamic Church Planting International - Church Planting Essentials Course.  We are pleased to be working with our friend Pastor Brett Mitchell and his church leaders and the members of Ambangeg Organic Farming Association, we are treated well by our friends there whenever we visit.  

Batanes Trip R&R with Family

  

     Well these past 24 days have been a blessing for Lydia, Josiah and I as we've been able to recharge, rest and spend time with Lydia's parents and siblings, nephews and cousins.

                                

      Lydia's dad is now 94 years old so we wanted to see him and enjoy the fellowship, it's hard to talk with him now as he cannot hear very well anymore. Before Quintin would text us, me in English and Lydia in Ivatan (same message, same time, but translated) but he can't do that anymore and gave away his cell phone, last year we communicated through letters back and forth but that has stopped now too, so you just have to yell in his ear. This man has lived a long life and always remembers to read his Bible with his wife, the other day he just finished reading his Bible and forgot and said to his wife lets read the Bible so she replied we just did! A highlight was when we went to a pool on the beach and its a bit of a long walk so I piggy backed him all the way there, pretty heavy for an old guy haha! Yes he is holding an ax in this picture, he was bored so he turned his bench into a cutting board for the kitchen.

     This was pretty sweet as Josiah asked Lydia's brother Ruben if he could go fishing as he kept looking at his fishing pole...so Josiah went fishing for the first time and was so happy. He said "dad I think we're gonna catch a big tuna", then he was excited that daddy caught two BIG fish about 5 inches long each haha, very small but it was fun. 

He got bored of it real quick and let mommy and daddy show him how it's done. 

     I was all pumped this trip to do much needed office work that has backed up, until my laptop charger frayed and wouldn't charge my MacBook anymore, apple really cashes in on the cords cheap quality and cost $100 to replace. So out of desperation I had a friend buy and send me the cord I needed from Manila hoping it would arrive in a couple days but it took 8 days and just got here the day before we are leaving. Oh well I think this was the Lords way of making me rest! 

      So I spent most of the time relaxing, doing my devotions and playing video games on my iphone, thanks Adam Fyfe for giving me this new toy, haha. I'm on level 50 of Candy Crush Saga how productive! I realized that its hard for me to just relax and not work or think about work, I actually become guilty that I'm just relaxing...through all this I've come to realize how important my family is and really appreciate them more especially my wife and son! 

      Lydia an I had a good time of talking about our lives and what we want to be our legacy, our priorities and what we dream of for our son and the people who are living in our house who we consider family in Davao. Lydia's hearts desire is that we can have our own house so we can enjoy our family and have cupboards and cabinets and a nice kitchen etc. I like the idea of that too. 

       I've come to realize that I've maybe lived close to half my life already and now is the time to really focus on investing time in a couple of disciples of Christ so that the work that the Lord has entrusted to us will continue and Jesus will be glorified through our ministry, it's harvest time in Davao, Lord's will be done! Praise Jesus! 

"And you shall Love The Lord with all your heart and soul and mind and strength" 

(Mark 12:30)

Purpose for Creating this Blog...

Warm Greetings from the Philippines!

God is so amazing and He has given me Jeffrey new life in Him and I give Him all the glory for all He is doing in and through me and my wife these past 8 years here in the Philippines as missionaries!

I want to share my life with my family, friends and those who I have met along the way.  I’m so blessed to be married to my beautiful wife Lydia who has bore me a son Josiah...it is with these two very special people I spend my days.

I'm sitting here in the Northern most tip of the Philippines on what's supposed to be our family vacation with our in-laws.  However I need to get caught up on our newsletters which the news is already 6 months old.  Hence the need and my attempt to create this blog so I can have an outlet for at least sharing the latest places our beautiful feet may go with the LORD.

I've been asked before to write down what we're doing in the ministry and people have expressed their interest in following our work here in the areas of community organizing and empowering the people in Davao City. We just had a young man named Adam Fyfe from our church in Canada come stay with us for 3 months and he said the people back home have no idea what the Well of Life Ministry is all about...I hope to change that!  Although we have accomplish a fair bit of good we feel we are just beginning as the work of community development is really long term.  There is so many exciting things going on in the Well of Life I believe it's time to start getting more frequent updates out there to those who are part of this ministry whether near or far.

We've just bought 1 hectare (2.2 acres) of land in Davao City last December with the financial support of Giver's Trust and Canadian Assemblies of God.  We've begun setting up our demo farm and income generating projects such as quail raising and other livestock ventures. We have organized 6 associations with a combined total of over 1,000 members to identify the needs of the community and network to assist them in their spiritual development, livelihood, health and sanitation, agriculture etc.  We are still in the pioneering stages and learning new things every step of the way whether good or bad.

Please join us on this amazing journey with the LORD Jesus Christ as we paint the picture of what we see the LORD doing, and as we walk with Him here are our FOOTPRINTS...

Love
Jeffrey Smith