PAMI NEWS--Dec. 2015

Philippine-Asian Missions, Inc. P.O. Box 201444, Bloomington, MN 55420-6444 phone: (952) 975-3632 (Mike Thorud, president) website: www.pamimission.org The PAMI Post: www.pamimission.org/blog email: info@pamimission.org

Izzy Allen Tidbit: "What did Adam say on the night of December 24? It's Christmas, Eve."

Consider monthly sponsorship or a year-end gift for:

typhoon relief

general support (where needed most)

allowance for pastors, workers or students

Bibles or children's feedings

special projects (lots, construction, motorcycles) One-time or auto monthly giving can be done via credit

card on the Donate tab on our website with a modest fee.

Checks can still be sent to our PO box with no fee.

RECAP OF YEAR

This has been another fruitful year of ministry. At

least 74 people were baptized. There have been many

film showings, Bible study outreaches, radio programs,

children's feedings, VBS, and Compassion programs.

We've even been able to offer faith-based values

education in public schools and family development

sessions with government welfare recipients. Six

graduated from Emmaus Bible Institute in March, with

3 retained as workers (Bryan and Michelle still need

sponsors at $60 and $40 per month). An EBI Grand

Reunion was held in April with 55 alumni attending.

Nice buildings were made available rent-free to PAMI

in both Irosin and Mabini. We even had two of our

workers go on a short term mission trip to Malaysia

sponsored by Teams International, reaching another

Asian country for the first time (realizing the A in

PAMI). Additional info can be found on The PAMI

Post at www.pamimission.org/blog. For instance, you

can listen to an Oct 6th radio interview about PAMI,

view the Sept. Bulletin on revival in Buhang and view

the July Bulletin on the start of new ministry in Mabini.

Feedings were started in Mabini in October. To further

get ministry kicked off, a lot of PAMI workers gathered

in Mabini on Oct. 29th for bayanihan (sort of like an

Amish community barn raising), where they all helped

pray and do a spiritual survey (see photos on back).

PAMI churches with damaged roofs in Bulusan and MonteCal

TYPHOON HITS OUR AREA HARD

On Dec 14, Typhoon Nona (Melor) passed right

through the middle of Sorsogon Province, where PAMI

is mainly located. This was right after it grazed the

north edge of Northern Samar. News articles said that 4

people were killed, 730,000 people evacuated, and

electricity could be out until Christmas for some.

This typhoon hit the following PAMI towns:

Bulusan, Irosin, and Bulan had the most damage, but

Barcelona, Castilla, Matnog and areas around our Bible

school near Sorsogon City were also affected. Roofs of

several PAMI churches and a thatched cottage at EBI

partially came off or were damaged, and homes of

about 100 PAMI families were badly damaged

(especially ones made of light materials). These

included the homes of some PAMI pastors/workers.

They could use several thousand dollars of relief help.

See www.pamimission.org/blog for more info.

Downtown Bulan damage. 20,000 homes destroyed in Bulan.

by 93 year-old PAMI board member Ardelle Thorud T

100 PAMI families with destroyed homes EBI students helping

PAMI NEWS--DEC. 2015 Philippine-Asian Missions, Inc. www.pamimission.org

PAMI FINANCIAL REPORT

January 1, 2015 – November 30, 2015

Receipts Mission Support $35,631.58

Designated 3,885.00

$39,516.58

Memorials 875.00 Other 675.00

1,550.00

Total Receipts

$41,066.58

Expenditures Regular Budget

$45,476.00

Other Mission Field Expenses

3,751.00

Administrative Expenses

115.44

Total Expenditures

$49,342.44

Receipts Minus Expenditures

(8,275.86)

Cash Balance Jan. 1, 2014

21,523.97

Cash Balance Nov. 30, 2014

$13,248.11

Prepared by David Steinmeier, PAMI Accountant

Note: although there are often deficits each month, cash balance

from year-end stock donations helped make up the difference.

Mabini feedings begun with 4o kids on list of malnourished

PAMI workers helping to conduct spiritual survey in Mabini

MISSION SUMMARY

PAMI is a non-denominational evangelical mission

started in 1982 in Sorsogon Province of the Philippines by

Norval & Ardelle Thorud, aimed at reaching the unreached,

teaching and discipling, and assisting the suffering. U.S.

missionaries stayed until 1989. The work has flourished with

national workers ever since. The mission has 24 PAMI-paid

Filipino workers in 18 locations. Besides churches and

pioneering works, there’s a 4 year Bible school (Emmaus

Bible Institute) with 23 students learning to be church

planting pastors and Christian workers. Radio programs and

milk feeding outreaches to children are also conducted. All

this is accomplished with an annual regular budget of only

$50,000. Gifts are tax-deductible and 99% goes to the field.

Compassion kids in basketball tournament

We spent $1500 for a new motorcycle for Ptr Virgilio. Could use more motorcycles for other pastors to do more home Bible studies.

Teaching values in Capuy Public School 30 min. weekly

Kids holding milk bags at feeding outside Capuy Elementary

PAMI NEWS--DEC. 2015 Philippine-Asian Missions, Inc. www.pamimission.org

Dec. 21, 2015 Dear Bro. Mike/ PAMI Board and Supporters,

Greetings of Peace! Wishing you all a Wondrous and Prosperous Christmas and New Year to come!

It’s time again to remember what’s the very essence of Christmas, which is giving of genuine love, care, and forgiveness. We remember what God did for us. By His divine will, He gave us the best gift which is Jesus Christ, Our Savior, Our Salvation.

God has been so gracious to us. And we count this year as a Year of Harvest, as we claim the promise of God in His Words: “Look at the fields, they are ripe of harvest.” Many souls are coming to know Jesus. We are so grateful to the Lord for so many opportunities given to us to serve in His vineyard--like the opportunity to handle classroom values instruction classes from 4th grade to 6th grade in public schools (people are not so worried about separation of church and state in the Philippines). The principal of Capuy Elementary School welcomed us, EBI staff, in their school to handle the ESP (Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao) sessions. He is a very accommodating person and so are all the teachers. In this same area, we have conducted a children’s Bible Club and Milk Feedings. In so many ways we see God working in the lives of many children. And we have outreaches with their parents too.

One more thing: Lord’s willing – we hope all PAMI churches can be recipients again of Samaritan Purse Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoe boxes. Last November, we have an orientation in Vision Casting and Requirements to be submitted to OCC. By His grace, children can avail again the said gifts in February or March.

Sadly, Capuy was struck by the strong winds and heavy rains of Typhoon Nona on Dec 14-15. At the same time there was a storm surge. The water level rose and flooded the school because the school is near the seashore and river. This area where we have outreaches got hit hard by the typhoon, with roofs and cottages destroyed, and was one of the areas evacuated. Thankfully, everyone stayed safe, but they are in the process of recovering.

Provincial Disaster Risk Management Council implemented the whole province of Sorsogon to have a forced evacuation because they have in mind to strive for zero casualties. Since people have previously experienced very traumatic storms, more listened to the authorities this time. Most people with light material houses, especially those who live nearby seashores, left their houses and went to the evacuation areas. Even our own church in Bulabog became an evacuation center for our church members from the mountains of Sug-ong and Binoldociran.

Even though Sorsogon Province was hit by another typhoon, the people have courage to move on and continue life. Hearing the testimonies of families, we see how they overcome circumstances through united prayer--uttering petitions of the Saving Grace of Jesus, asking in Oneness for comfort and God’s protection. After every storm there’s hope, trust, and faith in Jesus and we feel comforted. He will never leave us nor forsake us. Especially those who trust in the Lord will never be abandoned. He uses every circumstance to test our faith and to be more dependent in Him. In God nothing will be shaken, nothing will be moved.

During the typhoon, we really felt that somebody out there prayed hard for our safety. Thank you very much dear sponsors for your faithful prayers for all of us. On behalf of the PAMI family, we are so thankful to all of you being our partners in expanding the Kingdom of God here in the Philippines. Our greatest thanks goes to God for all the blessings we received.

PAMI NEWS--DEC. 2015 Philippine-Asian Missions, Inc. www.pamimission.org

We pray in God’s abundance to continue to serve God in whatever manner he will use us. We, my family, are very much willing to serve God faithfully. The highest glory and honor belong to Him Alone!

In Christ's service, Sis Ofel Mendizabal

(Emmaus Bible Institute partition head)

Here are recent events in Emmaus Partition: Sept – Pastor’s Appreciation Oct 24 – Family Bonding of Church at Bulabog / Swimming Nov 3 – MOA Signing for Compassion Nov 21 – Matt 18 Seminar Christmas Child Kit Nov 25 – Vision Casting Operation Christmas Child (OCC) Nov 25 – Audit of Compassion Philippines Nov 30 – Jesus Reigns Simultaneous Nationwide (EBI youth participated in Tambourine dance) Dec 6 – 2nd Anniversary of Bulabog Church (Dec 14-15 – Nona with a typhoon signal number 3 struck Sorsogon) Dec 16-18 – Home Visitation Church Members/ Helping Clearing Houses Dec 20 – ECF Christmas Party/ Children Presentation in the afternoon Dec 20 – Relief goods giving to some needy people (Bulabog Church) Dec 24 – Christmas Party & Prayers and Thanksgiving at Bulabog Church and Sis Ofel’s 49th Birthday Dec 31 – Count down 2016 Here’s our Prayer Request: EBI partition – more opportunities of opening more Bible studies Physical Strength – PAMI Pastors/Workers My son John Matthew’s OJT (On Job Training) Recovering past Typhoon Nona – church members

Dec. 19th Report from Ptr. Redgie in Castilla:

Greetings of Peace in the name of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We thank God so much for saving our lives

from Typhoon “Nona.” We experience once

again the testing of faith. Most of the members

of Castilla Church evacuated to Castilla Chapel,

together with some unbelievers who also look

for shelter. There were 16 families evacuated

to our church. The Lord is so gracious that no

one got hurt during this calamity except Sis.

Erlinda Latuga who died during the typhoon

due to asthma and heart attack. She is one of

the pioneering members of Castilla. In fact we

just finished conducting a funeral service.

Typhoon damage in Castilla included five

church members with homes totally destroyed

(Sis. Jelly Latuga, Sis. Christine Ladra, Sis.

Baby Tura, Sis. Tiray Enovejas, and Sis.

Maricon Adriatico). Another six members had

partial damage. We thank the Lord so much

for saving our chapel and the pastoral house,

where we just have a little damage on roofs

and fences. Even up to this moment I heard the

cry of our members on how they are going to

recover. We pray for help so we can build

houses again. Please extend to us your prayers

and help, for us to be strong and comforted.

May God touch and help us. We are rest

assured that the Lord will never leave us

despite our situation.

A lot and thanks to our PAMI supporters

who prayed for us here in Sorsogon Province.

The Lord be with us all.