WORSHIP SYMPOSIUM

This is happening on Sunday. My husband is speaking about "Worship as a ministry" . Please do say a prayer for him. I get anxious when he is invited to speak because  I'd rather see him lead the worship. But this is another opportunity to share and to minister so we said yes all for God's glory!!

Intimate date with the Lord

Come everyone and let us soak in the mighty presence of God because In His presence, there is PEACE, there is JOY, there is LOVE, there is FREEDOM 

For the elderly :)

Tomorrow will be our Christmas party for the elderly at the Home for the Aged. We are so blessed that many  responded  for this project. Here are few of the items (personal hygiene)  that we will be giving them.

I am particularly happy how our scholars/youth worked very hard for this. This is their very first "pay it forward" project and they chose the abandoned elderly as recipients. I pray that they will learn to  love to do this and that compassion will flow from their heart even when they aren't with us anymore.

Sharing the love with the elderly

This year, beside the usual Christmas party for kids, we will have another one for the abandoned elderly at the Home for the Aged. 

Our scholars from Fishnets Ministry are heading this event. I asked them to learn to "pay it forward" as they are all recipients of somebody's good deed and they decided to share and make our Lolo and Lola at the home for the aged facility extra happy this Christmas.

I'm excited. We all are actually. This would be their first time, my second. There will be games and they will also have some presentations. I'm sure it's gonna be fun.

Truth be told, we really do not have budget for this, we don't want to ask from Fishnets as the support is just enough for the scholars lately, we couldn't ask from the church also because the need as of now is also huge. 

But that will not hinder us of course. If God has put this in our hearts, He will surely provide for everything that we will be needing for this party. We started soliciting from friends and from individuals and some have responded positively. 

We wanted to give them (the oldies) hygiene kits, as I have seen for my self how they are deprived of these basic necessities, so we are asking friends for bath soaps, toothbrush, toothpaste and the like. I found a kent folding comb also which would be a nice gift for them but that is not priority this time.

We will also serve lunch and I am praying a nice decent lunch is what we can give them. We were informed that there are 89 women and 60 man on that facility. I am not a bit worried of that big number. I know God will send help :)

If you live here in Manila and you want to help, volunteer and go with us, just message me here. You are most welcome.

You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD. - Leviticus 19:32

Christmas Party for the elderly

The Fellowship International-Philippines

God has given us another opportunity to serve Him through worship leading at the launching of "The Fellowship International-Philippines" last October 24. It was indeed a blessing :) Nearly 500 Pastors and Leaders from all over the Philippines came to the launching. It was nice to be part of this network. Pastor Don Leavell who heads the Fellowship International  was here together with his wife Marva and some more members from America.

Dr. Paul Ang from Malaysia was also one of the speakers. It was a conference focus on Jesus. We as Christians (followers of Christ) should make Jesus the center of our lives,our  ministries and of our church. 

Minsitry Update

Hello everyone! I know it's been a while since I last wrote a ministry update here, I am sorry because first and foremost this is our ministry blog and I know some (maybe one or two) friends abroad are reading this blog to get some updates from us here in the Philippines. 

I took a rest from all the ministries for a while when my father died. Grief caught me off guard but praise God for HE is providing  comfort everyday and that is what keeps me going.

SCHOLARSHIP MINISTRY

It's a big school year for this ministry because we have taken a big step even if the funds are low. I firmly believe that God will provide for all the needs of our scholars. This year, we have 5 COLLEGE SCHOLARS- (2 in government/public schools and 3 in Private schools) our biggest number of college scholars so far and 1 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. It is quite expensive to send one student to college even if it is a public school because of the many expenses and fees but as I have said I know God will provide.

We need at least $250.00 a month to be able to support all the tuition fees and allowances of these students. If you want to take part of this ministry, for financial support you may contact International Teams Philippines below

Atty. Elna Cruz
International Teams Philippines
3741 Bautista St., Makati City, Philippines
Tel: (63-2) 832 5142 to 43
E-mail: elna.cruz@iteams.org

 or our church at :

Jesus the Heart of Worship Global Ministries, Inc.
Van Buren St., Pio Del Pilar, Makati City
telephone Number : 632.845.0095

We can't do this ministry alone and we need as many partners as we can, be our partner thru prayers too.

~*~

WORSHIP MINISTRY/ SELAH BAND

The album recording is still on going, sometimes it frustrates my husband because of the conflict of schedules of each band member but he kows he can't do anything with it because they have their own individual ministry too, but still, we are thankful that despite of the many hindrances it is still on going and they are down to one last song for the instruments and then all the vocals soon.

We are praying for the worship album to be available right in time for the Global Intercessors Prayer Conference in Thailand this November 7-9, and if the band will be able to raise a fund for their tickets, they will be there to lead the worship for the 3 day conference and of course to promote the worship album too.

~*~

Rudolf has been preaching too ( few times in our outreaches to which I always get nervous) I am much confident when he leads the worship but praise God for this new opportunity to serve HIM. 

 

Please keep us in your prayers, we need it everyday. And if you have prayer request too, we can also pray for you, just let me know, you can email me at raquel.abadiano@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading this far and may God richly bless you!!!

^"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" Ephesians 3:20

 

Healthy Hat

Every rainy season, Fishnets is conducting seminars to parents mostly moms from  urban poor areas. The goal is to teach them and educate them about diseases that are common during rainy days and how to prevent them, alongside the seminar is a free medical check up, where we check their blood pressure and sugar and then we give them vitamins for their kids.

This is to at least help them avoid such diseases that cost them their much needed money. Urban poor people  can not afford medical insurance so for sure they spend money in medicines and hospitalization. I can't even afford it even if I work regularly, not even a cheap and a no medical exam life insurance. Though the government is providing free medical assistance through our health centers sometimes it is still not enough.

So this June or maybe next month, there will be Healthy hat seminars in our ministry area. Please pray that the mothers will really learn something from this and that they would benefit from it.

Back to School

Our high scholars have gone back to school since Monday. I pray they will study hard and will really exert effort to finish school with high grades. I know it won't be easy as school is hard work , assignments here and there, researches, experiments (don't know though if they use laboratory furnaces in their experiments) but really I hope they would strive hard.

Our college students will go back to school next week. Two of them are freshmen and I'm sure there will be huge adjustments in their life. I pray they can adjust well and they''l not just be plain students in the school but model students and ambassadors of Christ.

Pray for our scholars and let's keep on supporting them.

Selah's worship album soon!

I can't wait.

Rudolf with his band mates met the owner of the recording studio last night and they were all overwhelmed. God's favor indeed and we know that it is His will for the band to have this worship album. We've waited enough (eight years) and now is the time.

So they've now their schedule of recording  for the month of May, Rudolf will be busy for that and of course I will be supporting him all the way until we see the finish product.

I am also overwhelmed, happy..and it all seems surreal to me..that they will now record all their songs officially.

Please keep on praying for the Selah band, first and foremost for our hearts to keep on looking to Jesus, to seek the Lord everyday, to worship Him and extol Him more than anything else and to serve the Lord through music with gladness.

Blessings everyone!

Ministry Updates

WORSHIP TEAM : SELAH

We are indeed blessed and overwhelmed to what God is doing to this ministry, not only through conducting worship events and leading worship but also teaching about worship. Rudolf was invited to speak in a seminar yesterday and again on June, we will be in the Visayas Region again to lead worship in a Prayer conference and Rudolf will also speak about worship (to which I am so nervous about). I really can't believe that my husband can do that (teaching) but thanks be to God who gives him wisdom.

There are also scheduled worship events on May and we are praying for the album recording and for more open door opportunities for the band.

FISHNETS MINISTRY

There is an ongoing Vacation Bible School for the kids this week and there will be another one again on the first week of may, we will also have Summer Reading Camp next month, this aims to help the kids who have difficulty in reading so they'll be able to catch up in the next school year.

We also talked about reviving the pedicab ministry (feeding/teaching of the pedicab drivers) and was supposed to be every Wednesday lunch. I felt that this ministry is a great tool to introduce the Lord to them and of course hopefully they in turn will bring their whole family to the Lord.

Scholarships- there are many young people who approached me and asked me if they can apply for scholarship grants and God knows I wanted to help them all. This year, again we are taking a big step of faith as we aim to have at least 5 college and 5 high school scholars. It's big specially in terms of finances but we also have a big GOD, I'm sure He will provide for these scholars.

To raise funds for them, we will have a dinner concert for a cause on June 1, please include this also in your prayers.

PERSONAL

With the new ministry (SELAH) that the Lord has opened up for me and my husband and the band, I felt I needed to leave my day job ( most of the time, we go out of town and I have to leave work for a week or two) I think it is unfair for the company I work for. I'm still asking God for the courage (am so afraid of not having a job and not receiving salary on a regular basis) and when I do leave this job, we have to leave the place we are currently staying so that means we have to go somewhere and rent again and where will I get the money if I don't have a regular job? Stuff like that scares me a lot and I know I still have to learn to TRUST HIM fully. I also covet your prayers for that aspect, that I maybe able to obey the Lord without hesitations and that my heart will trust Him that He will provide for our every need.

We've actually inquired of  houses to rent outside Metro Manila for the rent is cheap there but we have yet to actually see them for ourselves, a small house in a quiet community (I'm not even looking for one with residential steel garage after all it's only our motorbike who'll need a parking space)is what we are looking for.  But I don't know yet if until when I will be able to hold on to this job..although I feel I'm letting go and letting GOD sooner.

That's all for now and till our next ministry update :) God bless you all!!

Ministry Schedule and Update

I'm excited for 2012 because a lot is going to happen in our ministries. I've started the calendar and though I said I'll do short term plan (at least 6 months) I still ended up filling up the whole year!!

First off, our first full Medical Mission is happening on the 21st of January-and hopefully we will have a second one again before the year ends. This will be in the South (Laguna area) and we hope to serve families that can't afford to go to Doctors, we will also be giving free vitamins for the kids. Praise God for the group of doctors who'll partner with us for this ministry.

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is up and about again this coming Summer! Right now we are scheduled to have 4 VBS in 4 different areas :) Crazy I know, but God is our provider and I trust HIM. He will provide teachers, the materials and He will sustain our energy for this activity. The theme for this year is "The great outdoors : Exploring Nature -Experiencing God. This is gonna be a challenge for us because we are in the city and there is not much of nature/park nearby but our teachers/young people are up with that challenge :) I am thankful there is so much talent and creativity with our young people now and that they are using it to serve the Lord.

Aside from the VBS, there is the YOUTH CAMP on April 2-5, it's four days 3 nights and we are expecting at least less than a hundred youth to participate.

On May we will have the fund raising event again for the scholarship program and on JULY-I'm excited because a dear friend (Liz Propst) is coming back here in the Philippines with her mom and brother to help us in the ministries.


Our feeding ministry is still on-going, one in Makati City and we are supporting two feeding areas in Laguna.We are praying for more financial support with this as we desire also to reach more areas such as Bataan and Bicol.

Please partner with us in prayers, we need prayer warriors all over the world :) In preparation for all these happenings we will be on fasting and prayer (for 7 days) next week. Please do pray and fast with us. We need to offer all these to the Lord and make ourselves first and foremost intimate with HIM because otherwise without that close relationship with God, all these will just be plain church activities.

For other ministry needs, please pray for :

1. Ministry owned Camera - I know digital cameras are not that expensive anymore but believe me, until now Fishnets Ministry doesn't have one. It's about time :) (my personal camera which we often use in the ministry is now old and about to give up)

2. Volunteer Teachers- We need them specially for the Vacation Bible School

3. School supplies and other stuff for the kids- Our teacher in Laguna actually is praying for this, she has more than one hundred kids and they need more crayons and pencils.

Ooops..sorry, this has been a long post but thank you so much for staying and  reading.
God bless you!!

Realizations. Decision

I married a servant of God, that I knew very well since day 1 of our marriage or even long before the wedding date itself.

So when he decided to work on a secular job on a full time basis I had mixed feelings. I know he wanted to provide for me so he felt the needed to work with a steady income and for that reason alone I was happy, but knowing he'll just work for the ministry part time made my heart bleeds also because I know from the very start that he has a calling.

Romans 8 :28 said.."All things work together for good to them who love God"... and I believe everything happens for a reason. God allowed my husband to work on the same company where I work and it's been four months. He had many realizations in that span of time and yesterday he made the decision of which I am truly happy. He decided to leave the job and get back on track with God's calling.

For sure, the salary he receives on a regular basis is a big help but that isn't the most important thing in our lives. We are servants and we will serve with or without monetary compensations because we know in our hearts that our labor in the Lord is not in vain.

I am grateful he was able to experience a job outside from what he's used to. And he said he's thankful for the experience also although I know what he got was a tough and rough job compared to regular office work or some Concierge Jobs but nonetheless we are both thankful for the learnings and experience.

I know this is God's will..why? because I have this unexplainable peace in my heart. I am happy and my only prayer is that He will be more closer..we will be more closer to God than ever before.

God is our provider, our refuge and I know HE will not forsake us, there will be tough times (specially in our finances) but God will always be in control and I know there is no reason for me to worry.

Leave of Absence or REST?

How does one take a leave of absence in ministry work?

I know the rules very well in a non-ministry job, let's say when you are a teacher, or a nurse, a computer programmer or people who have Dietetic Technician Jobs or any kind of job for that matter. You just file a leave of absence and someone will take charge and when you get back you resume the work you are handling.

But I figured, it's entirely different when you are doing ministry. Besides of the fact that you are not being paid regularly, it's God who chose you and appointed you to do such and only HIM should tell you when to stop. I really don't think leave of absence is applicable in this but of course we are allowed to take a rest. It's very important to rest in a while, you need to replenish your energy, to be filled again, to renew and be healed and be strong again.

So REST we will. My husband and I are taking rest for a while. I do not know how long but for sure God knows how long it will last. Our prayer is that while we are on rest, our passion will be renewed, our hearts will be filled and we will be even more strengthened and we'll be ready for the next assignment He will be giving us.

Coffee break ministry.

Where two or three people gather for a cup of coffee at least once or twice a month and talk about God. His faithfulness, his goodness and and His love. Or talk about life, circumstances and whatever it is that they would like to talk to.

I would love to have this kind of ministry. I love coffee ( instant coffee, brewed, black & mild or sweet and mild, brown, hot, cold or iced ) and I would certainly love to have it while sharing with someone and then at the same time ministering or being ministered.

I will pray about it and hopefully this will push through.

Retreat and going home

There will be a retreat for married couples in our church this coming Sunday spearheaded by the housewives ministry.  I was informed It will be somewhere south (Los Banos, Laguna.)

A lot has already confirmed their attendance and much as I want to come I am uncertain. Monday and Tuesday next week are holidays here and my initial plan was to go and visit my parents whom I haven't seen for 3 months now.

Now, I am torn because we know Rudolf as the worship leader needs to be there and part of me wants to go too. But family should come first. I strongly believe family should be our first ministry.

Sigh. I wish I can be at two places in one time.

Anyways, we are going home and we will see my parents and aside from that, a nephew will be celebrating his 2nd birthday there in the province, so I am excited as well :) Rudolf will design the tarp again and I hope to make some balloon decors too. I just have to make sure we bring all our stuff, box cutter included.

I guess Rudolf and I should have our own retreat in my home province  so when we get back we're fully charged to do ministries again!

Ministry and personal updates

It has been quite a long time since I updated this blog about what’s happening to me and Rudolf and the ministry we are involve with, and I guess it's about time.
So, to start with;
Rudolf – there is a  BIG CHANGE  in Rudolf’s life now, he started working in the same company where I work for just this week. I feel both happy and apprehensive about it. Happy because I can see how he desired to help me financially thus he decided to apply for a work that would at least give him a regular income. I feel hesitant because I know he has been called to serve, but he assured me though that he will still serve even if he is working now in the secular company. His work requires him to be out I the street driving most of the day so please remember him in your prayers, pray for protection as he is exposed in his motorcycle most of the time. I'm thinking of getting him an insurance and a health card soon, don't know if joining a roadside assistance club would do him good too.

As of today, he is still the Music ministry leader of our church. And for few months now, he is burdened to serve with the youth ministry and I guess that is where he will be in the next months. Last Sunday he also gave a short talk in the youth fellowship.

Me- The Education ministry of Fishnets is my focus right now. As you all know, we currently have 5 scholars, three of them in college and two in high school. Next year, I am praying to accommodate more deserving students. Please pray for more sponsors that would be willing to help us with this ministry. If we have more sponsors, the more youth can benefit from this program.

And that would be all for now, thank you for being part of our ministry and for praying for us always. God bless everyone!

Time for everything

It’s very seldom that we get to rest from our ministry, when God called us to serve Him through Fishnets, we knew it is an all time service and that there will be hard work. But of course, as it is written in Ecclesiastes chapter 3, there is time for everything, time to get busy, time to work, and a time to rest.

Our team had the once in a while rest and re-creation time out last Sunday and Monday, we were supposed to have a team building also but since J-mie couldn’t make it, we just rested and had a group prayer time. And we couldn’t thank the Lord more for that special bonding time with the whole team and some partners/supporters.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (New International Version)

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

God knows I needed that break and the rest and surely He knows and supply all our needs. Praising God for everything.

Now, it's time for me to check blackhawk holsters for some good reason.

Wishing you all a good week ahead! Will be posting pictures of the rest and re-creation tomorrow :)

April ministries, random thoughts

It's APRIL already...time flies so fast, it feels only yesterday when we were still planning for the whole year and now we're almost in the middle of the year. April will be one of the busiest month for me in the ministry, the Vacation Bible School "The Lost World" will happen on the 11th to 14. My friend is getting married on the 16th. And there is youth camp and other activities lined up for April. But I am promising my self that I will rest from all the ministries after summer. I will just finish all my commitments.

The husband and I are no longer staying in the mission's house, as I have mentioned in my other blog, we've already moved our belongings to the new place and we are still arranging and fixing all the house stuff as of now. I still feel uncomfortable in the new place and haven't adjusted but I'm coping up. I know when all the repairs, the cleaning we are doing is over I'll be alright. I do not wish for a super big house with grand furniture or laminate floor, I only want a place where I could have peace and quiet when I most need it.And I guess the Lord answered that prayer of mine. It's so quiet there especially at night.

It's been 5 days since we're on our own and I praise and thank God for the husband has showed how much he love me and how much he is willing to do a lot of things for me just so I will feel comfortable, if there is something that this moving has done good to me, it's that I am re-assured that  married the right guy, the best that God has chosen for me. And I am falling in love with him over and over again. 

Thank you Lord :)

Ministry Meeting

We had our first ministry meeting tonight. And though some of the problems from 2010 are still there we are all determined to do better this year.

The team have laid out plans for each ministries (health, education and youth) and we are all excited, surely this year will be BIGGER.

We will have three DVBS (Daily Vacation Bible School) this coming summer. One in Bataan, in Sta Lucia and here in our church.

I am also happy that the youth will have the chance for a local mission trips through these Vacation Bible School.

Another area for the feeding ministry will be added so we will have three areas this year. It used to be four but we decided to do less last year but as I have said God is doing it BIGGER this time.

We will have two "Praisin Kids' town (mini carnival) again, one for the BIBU kids and the other for the Special Children.

And the Back to School Hygiene Day is also up on schedule.

Plus there are lot of special activities on plan that we hope to take place this year.

The HEALTH ministry is also doing it much much BIGGER this year. They are already working for the Medical Mission on the 23rd of July.

With all that plans laid out, we covet your prayers for we know we can not do this alone. We need prayer warriors and I hope I can count on you. Some of our prayer items are :

1. Volunteers- we surely need extra hands. We need teachers for the weekend feeding and teaching program, we also need one who would be responsible for the material handling especially for all the major activities.

2. Finances - Bigger works means bigger expenses but it's okay because if that would mean bigger harvest for souls, bigger number of families transformed, bigger number of youth changed, so please please if you knew someone who have the heart for this kind of ministry, if your church is willing to support please let us know.

3. Prayer Warriors - we need all the prayers for all of these to take place.

I'll be updating from time to time about everything that is happening in our ministry so we could all give the GLORY TO GOD!! The reason why we are doing all of these.