We’d love to see you at Emmaus Lutheran this coming Sunday morning, January 19 at 9:45 am.  The address is:
Emmaus Free Lutheran Church
8443 Second Ave S
Bloomington, MN  55420
 
This is the same building where we’ve conducted most of our PAMI fall potlucks.  But this presentation will be upstairs in the sanctuary, while past potlucks have been downstairs in the gym.  Emmaus Lutheran has been a long-time supporter of PAMI, and closely connected with PAMI.  They are the namesake of the PAMI Bible school in the Philippines (Emmaus Bible Institute).  The founders of PAMI (Norval and Ardelle Thorud, who are my uncle and aunt) used to be members of Emmaus Lutheran many years ago.  PAMI board members Izzy and Howie Allen and myself (Mike Thorud) have attended Emmaus Lutheran in the past as well.  PAMI board member Tom Perin is a current member of Emmaus Lutheran.  The address of Emmaus Lutheran is also the official Minnesota non-profit street address of PAMI.
 
By the way, the website for Emmaus Lutheran is:  http://www.emmauslutheran.org/
Also note how this website includes pictures and info about the 2009 Respond team visit to the Philippines, which included three members from Emmaus Lutheran (Becky Petersen, Danielle Johnson, and Clare Efteland):  http://www.emmauslutheran.org/content.cfm?id=2045
 
Here is a copy of the Jan 13th email sent to the PAMI email list:
Dear PAMI friends,
You ALL are invited to a hour-long PAMI presentation beginning at 9:45 am this coming Sunday January 19th in the sanctuary at Emmaus Lutheran Church, whether you are a member of the church or not.*  Ben and Pam Wellumson and I will be sharing music, pictures, and video from our March 2013 visit to the Philippines, and also sharing about recent typhoon relief efforts and other updates.  Note that presentations like this are lieu of doing a PAMI potluck last fall.
* This is a special missions Sunday school at Emmaus, during their normal 9:45-10:45 Sunday school time slot.  If you also want to attend a worship service at Emmaus that morning, there is a traditional service at 8:30 am and a contemporary service at 11:00.
 
After mentioning some things about super-typhoon Haiyan in the November 2013 PAMI newsletter (see http://pamimission.org/news), I am happy to let you know a couple encouraging addendums.   For one thing, Pastor Randy Rivera’s electricity in Allen, Northern Samar was finally restored after 25 days, so he was able to resume his daily radio programs.  For another thing, we praise God how PAMI supporters like yourselves have so far given over $1600 designated to typhoon relief.  In turn, we have been able to authorize Pastor Randy to buy and deliver three batches of help ($500 delivered early Dec, $600 delivered early Jan, and $575 to be delivered in February).  By the way, when Pastor Randy mentioned on his radio program about the second batch of typhoon relief, local people of Allen also contributed towards the effort, such that the $600 turned into about $1300.  Isn’t it wonderful how Filipinos also pitched in to more than match the help to their fellow countrymen in need!  It’s kind of like how the loaves and fishes were multiplied when Jesus wanted to feed the 5000.  You can see pictures and learn more about this typhoon relief on The PAMI Post blogsite http://pamimission.org/blog.
 
The PAMI Post blogsite currently has about 125 articles about major news items from the last 4 years. If you look, I’m sure you’ll be impressed by all that’s been going on. Please check it from time to time to see new articles that will get posted.
 
We really appreciate your prayers and financial support of PAMI. Tax-deductible gifts can be made by writing checks to PAMI and mailing to:
PAMI (Philippine-Asian Missions, Inc.)
P.O. Box 201444
Bloomington, MN 55420-6444
 
One-time or automatic monthly gifts to PAMI can also be made on-line through credit cards or Paypal with a modest fee of 2.2% + 30 cents by going to the “Donate” tab of our webite:
http://www.pamimission.org/donate
 
Please forward this email to family, friends, and churches that might be interested in PAMI.
 
Note that the PAMI board could use more volunteer help here in the U.S.   We could use a secretary that can help take minutes at board meetings.  We could use marketing type people to help promote PAMI.  And we could also use someone with website savvy, to help improve our website design and to increase the amount of traffic coming to it.
 
Some other PAMI prayer praises/requests:

• 2 balikbayan boxes with Christmas presents, projector, books, used clothes, etc. arrived safely on Dec 29
• Enough money raised through Emmaus Bible Institute students Christmas caroling to buy a sound system mixer board
• EBI classes resumed Jan 6th after having a Christmas break.  EBI now has 23 students, including 4 seniors preparing for graduation in March, and 6 junior students doing internships.
• Compassion has approved sponsorship of 10 more children, ages 3-5, to be added in March.  EBI serves as a Compassion center to about 150 children, who come to campus for 6 hours every Saturday.
• A lot of film showings recently done and more are scheduled.  There are follow-up Bible study/listening groups too.
• T4T (training for trainers) discipleship is on-going.
• Several daughter churches in the works (near EBI:  Construction started on Sept 24 of a chapel in Penafrancia using about $600, with Ptr Rolly Catubig starting services there January 5th.  A mini-chapel might also be put up in Capuy.)(near Irosin:  Tinampo building repairs being completed. A simple Patag chapel also planned by Jess Huab, who is a March 2012 EBI graduate recently added as a PAMI worker.)
• Bulabog church near EBI recently turned over to PAMI, with March 2013 EBI graduate Marlon Gabion now pastoring there (started services Dec 1st).  It’s planned to have a film showing and EBI students doing evangelism near there to help boost attendance.
• Third Saturday of January, Fabrica church (a daughter church of Bulan church) will celebrate their Church Anniversary.  Plus the Bulan church and its daughter churches will have a group baptism (with 22 candidates) – it’s a big day – to be held in Togbongon.
• Use of a close-by, nice, big, rent-free building has been offered to the Irosin church, but there is a meth drug-addicted brother of the owner that could cause problems.
• A big, all-PAMI youth camp is being planned for later in the year.  Maybe an EBI alumni reunion later in the year too.

 
 
Grace and peace,
Mike Thorud 1-13-14
PAMI volunteer president
(952)975-3632