President’s Corner by Dr. Samuel Evans

I came to the Philippines serving as a Missionary in Jan 2002. RIHTP was formed in 2006 to address the needs of millions of underserved Filipinos and others who have limited or no access to medical care. We are compelled by the example of sacrificial love shown to us by Jesus Christ, to encourage respect for all people and to be an example

of sacrificial service through Medical Compassion & Education. Our principal mode to accomplish our mission is through education. This is done through partnerships with local community and can be with monthly healthcare, Leadership training and livelihood activities as well as shorter 2-3 days training for Frist aid and disaster relief training. Those who graduate are expected to become a resource person in their respective remote and indigenous places, serving their own villages in aiding it to become a healthier community. To continue to accomplish this, we felt a need for a more formal health & educational center especially with the more than 5,000 added new households in the area of the proposed new Maparat Health/Education Complex. We have received a grant, for 70% of project cost, to assist with this project, to build this building in partnership with COMVAL General Baptist District. The building site will be situated between the two government housing projects (5000 houses) in Maparat, Compostela, COMVAL. There has not been any local increase in healthcare provided for this increase in population . This is an open field for our project partners, the COMVAL District of General Baptist for church planting. This building will also provide them a place for a counseling office and allow prayer with patients. This building will also be a site for our new livelihood training to assist these workers in remote settings. Thank you all for the continuing prayers and support which has made this vision possible.

Tribal Ministry & Children’s Camp 2019 by Pastor Jojo & Louella Gubal We organize three churches in Kihan, Sarangani, Community church, Amnas Faith Gospel Church and Kihan GB Church for one week, April children’s camp. This followed a Jan 2019, 2-days teachers training & workshop in partnership with Child Evangelism Fellowship and volunteers workshop on 16th of March led by Louella as the main trainer/facilitator with a final orientation on April 6th. The 5 days of camp was April 9-13, 2019. My prayer is that the chil-dren we have ministered to, for so many years, will have churches to work and nurture their growth in. However, many churches especially in the tribal areas do not give importance for children ministry in their churches. The Vacation Bible School (VBS) program was redesigned to give each church the opportunity to host a camp for the first 4 days (three different sites). They join together, for the contest, presentations and recognition at the covered court in Kihan for the 5th day. This is to help the churches to be responsible for the children around them and teach them to become Christian leaders. The campers received certificates, with 86 children from Kihan GB Church, 30 Children from Amnas Faith Gospel Church, 35 children from Kihan Community Church, a total of 161 children this year in Kihan Camp. We have an upcoming Children’s camps on May 6 to 11 at the town of Alabel in partnership with Alabel GB Church where Louella serves as Children’s Worker and me as worship coordinator. Also a Tribal Youth camp is set this coming May 30 to June 1 at Kihan. Continue to pray with and for us.

By Giving we Receive by Bernice E. Tutor, RN, RM

We at Reach International are committed to go and serve our brothers and sisters in far flung communities. For the past seven years since I joined God in His ministry, it has never cease to amaze me how God works in communities that are hard to reach in different forms and settings. We had a wonderful time serving our T’boli brethren in the farthest village of that municipality called Datal Bila. We had long hours of travel going through acres of banana plantation which almost felt like a maze. Their main health worker is a midwife who visits once a week and reports to a rural health physician. They hardly understood other dialects besides T’boli. We required an interpreter at times dur-ing the clinic. We had three consecutive days of health clinics/assessment in three different villages allowing us to understand their

concept of healthcare, nutrition and sanitation. Moving from one com-munity to another, and staying each night in a different house and with different families. I am humbled by the simplicity of life they live and the contentment with which they have, even through they may have little. Their households and the local churches managed to part-ner with our team to fulfill the great commission, helping others.

We stayed for what they call a district overnight prayer, when all the churches from this district come together for fellowship and prayer, starting after dinner and lasting until the break of dawn. With the help of a portable generator the tiny church was filled with young and old singing songs and praises to the Lord. Even though I did not understand the lyrics to the songs in their tribal tongue, I was moved and blessed on how raw and zealous they were in worship.

As we continue to join God through this ministry not only we are giving, but we also are receiving by being able to experience His power and being filled with His strength. Psalm 68:35 “You are awesome, God from your sanctuaries. The God of Israel is the one who gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!”

Weekly Updates are posted on www.facebook.com/rihtpi

Contact us through Dr. Sam Evans samuel.c.evans@gmail.com Reach Office Philippines Cherry Nen Otbot nen_sheca@yahoo.com Magic Jack Phone (417) 942-6359

For donations: We make it easy to give online through our new website https://www.rihtpi.com/ Or send a check to: Reach International Healthcare and Training Inc. P.O. Box 152, Caulfield, MO 65626