Click here to see the latest edition of PAMI News. PAMI News June 2015
To augment the newsletter, below is a copy of the July 3rd email update that went out to PAMI friends and prayer partners:
Dear PAMI friends,
Summer greetings to you all.  As noted in the last PAMI email update from a month ago, here is the promised PAMI June newsletter that includes pictures from group baptisms in May.  The attached June newsletter also includes pictures of a film showing, Daily Vacation Bible School, ministry and feeding to children, EBI graduation, new EBI students, etc.  It also includes reports of the Emmaus Bible Institute Grand Reunion and Compassion ministry, and notes that Pastor Winston Fresto would like to be a full-time PAMI pastor, starting a new ministry near EBI.
Regarding the May 17th Irosin group baptism, please see the P.S. at the end of this letter for a couple touching testimonies of young people.  In addition to the group baptisms mentioned in the June newsletter, individual baptisms have recently happened in other places too.  Plus other group baptisms are being planned in the near future.
Here are a few other updates not included in the attached newsletter that could use prayer:

• PAMI has recently been contacted by someone who used to have a feeding and refuge ministry in Mabini, Casiguran, Sorsogon (about 20 miles from EBI).  They have property with nice buildings that they may transfer to PAMI.  Pastor Winston Fresto has expressed willingness to be the one to start ministering in that place.
• Some transitions are happening in Samar.  Since Sister Lordy transferred from PAMI to her aunt’s ministry in Lavezares, we’re planning to move intern Sister Leah to Samar to help Sister Nida Rivera with the extra load.  Intern Leah is planning to move there July 6th, when PAMI partition heads visit Samar.  But this visit could be delayed, depending on a tropical depression/tropical storm that is currently passing by just to the east of the Philippines.
• Pastor William Thompson is still convalescing at the home of Pastor Winston and Espie Fresto and continuing with dialysis 3x per week.  But he was recently well enough to attend church service at EBI.  PAMI/EBI continues to fill the pulpit at Pastor William Thompson’s church in Matnog.  If Pastor William remains unable to resume ministry in Matnog, his church may transfer to PAMI and need someone to fill in permanently.
•  Still waiting  on the possibility of partnering with Missionary Ventures, who may supply motorcycles to help with ministry.
• Still waiting for Compassion to come through with their counterpart  to begin the EBI latrine improvement project.
• PAMI board members Lois Kompelien, Tom Perin, and Izzy Allen who are all recovering from falls.

Additional news and pictures can be found in postings within The PAMI Post blogsite (http://pamimission.org/blog/).
We hope you continue to remember PAMI with your prayers and gifts. 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.
 
Through grace,
Mike Thorud 7-3-15
PAMI volunteer president
(952)975-3632
 
P.S. Here are the testimonies of two Irosin young people as reported by Pastor Gumer Gile:

• Here is a testimony of sis. Sophia, a newly baptized last May 17,2015

“I am Sophia, 13 yrs old, grade 7 at Gallanosa National High School, I have three sisters and I am the oldest daughter of my parents. My life was full of sadness and bitterness and hopeless before because I grow without the presence of the so called parents because of broken family. Even now I don’t know where my father is because I grow in my grand mom. At the time I said to myself that there is no true God. So I live a life without God. I take more cigarettes, drinking more alcohol, and taken even drugs from our friends. But when Pastor Gumer show a film showing in our place with a title of Sadagat ng kaptawaran (To the sea of forgiveness) I realized that I am a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness. At the time I repent and confess to God all my sins. I receive Jesus Christ as my personal savior and Lord of my life.  And I decided to undergo water Baptism on last May 17. Now I believe that Jesus is alive, He renewed my life and also believe that God is true because he made my life new today. Now my heart is decided to serve Him with all my life. Praise God for His Love and mercy for me….”
 

• Bro. Jason, one of the newly baptized last May 17, 2015.

“I ,Jason of Masbate, am 13 yrs old. I am the elder and I have four sisters.  Me and my four sisters are living separated, in different houses, the youngest one in Manila living to my aunt’s house, while I and three sisters of mine living in a different house in Masbate. It happened because my father and mother were separated while we are in Manila. As of now we don’t know if my father is alive or my mother is because she brought us in Masbate since I’m 7 years old. Anyway,  I came here in Irosin to go far away from my aunty for her cruelty against me. I don’t want to go back to Masbate anymore. I want to die than to go back again to our home town in Masbate. So when I was in Irosin most teenage treated me as slave. If I’m not obeying they get angrier unto me. I often sleep-in a tricycle, and I eat my food irregular. One day I was sick, I suffered  and I don’t know if I’ll be healed. My hope is almost gone. But God send me His servant Bro. Francis Sampar. He gave me food to eat and medicine and he invite me to worship God in PAMI Church. At the time ptr. Gumer shared me the word of God and I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal savior. From that time I want to stay at ptr. Gumer but I am ashamed.  However, One Sunday morning after I attending the church service I assist to Pastor Gumer for transferring their equipment to Somal-ot Bacolod. But the Barargay Tanod caught me and brought me to DSWD and they sent me to the Police to put in jail. But when they ask me where I’m living I said to them that I lived in the church at pastor Gumer Gile and they released me. And bring me again to Baragay San Juan. At the time I think to commit suicide but pastor Gumer come to Barangay to put me there. So thank God He could not leave me. At the time I prayed to God that Pastor Gumer and sis. Ofel will accept me to stay with their house and praised God because they accepted me. So I’m very happy and feel safety at that time until May 17 Baptism. I feel free to live a new life in a new family. Now, since I’m already baptized I promise to live in accordance to the will of God. I pray that our God bless me.
 
At the end of June Pastor Gumer sent the attached picture of young people in a yellow cottage that is located in the Fortes compound next to the house church in Somal-ot where the Irosin church has been located rent-free since late March.  They are a group of 9 young people from Somal-ot Dike, all coming from broken families.  This is an ongoing discipleship group, to help them grow in their faith and be trained to minister to others.  Brother Jason (whose testimony is above) is the one with a black shirt happily playing the beat box as they are singing.  Note that Brother Jason continues to live with Pastor Gumer, who sends him to elementary school.  However, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Irosin has ordered them to go at DSWD in Masbate.  Please pray whether Bro Jason has to go back to Masbate or if he can stay with Ptr Gumer in Irosin.