Greetings to all our praying partners!

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
Do not be afraid for I am with you.” Isaiah 43:1b and 5a
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wastelands.” Isaiah 43:18-19

You are Mine
(Taken from Isaiah 43)
(Text and Tune: David Haas, b. 1957)
(© 1991, GIA Publications, Inc.)

I will come to you in the silence,
I will lift you from all your fear,
You will hear my voice,
I claim you as my choice,
Be still and know I am here,

I am hope for all who are hopeless,
I am eyes for all who long to see,
In the shadows of the night,
I will be your light,
Come and rest in me.

Refrain:
Do not be afraid I am with you.
I have called you each by name.
Come and follow me,
I will bring you home;
I love you and you are mine.

I am strength for all the despairing,
Healing for the ones who dwell in shame.
All the blind will see,
The lame will all run free,
And all will know my name. (Refrain)

I am the Word that leads all to freedom,
I am the Peace the world cannot give.
I will call your name,
Embracing all your pain,
Stand up, now walk, and live! (Refrain)

The Past

We thank God who gave us a house to live in last school year, through Jenny’s sister in Bulacan and through Ramon’s sister in Cebu.  IVCF also gave us free housing when we served at the national office last school year. We thank God for having been assigned in Manila during the crucial last few months of Jenny’s father. We thank God for his abundant grace for Ramon to faithfully hold the fort as OIC-National Director of IVCF last school year, and for Jenny as she spearheaded the regionalization of IVCF Metro Manila.

We thank God for supportive friends and prayer partners in the ministry who encouraged us with words and gifts and lifted us up to God in prayer.

The Present

We thank God for bringing us to our new home: Davao.  Our house is not free though.  We are renting a studio on the fourth floor of a three-year-old building.  Pretty new!  No rats, now cockroaches!  Well, also, no furniture and appliances.  But we thank God for some friends who shared their love.  We now have a new refrigerator, stove, rice cooker, electric fans, dining chairs and table, and beds.

It’s our first time to live in Davao even though we have been here many a times before.  It is also our first time to be parents.  On our twelfth year of marriage, we decided to help our growing family (Jenny’s side) raise up some of our nephews and nieces.  We brought with us Gary (16) and Grasya (11) who willingly joined us in our journey to Davao.  They are now enrolled as first year students at the University of Mindanao and Davao City National High School.

We are now facing challenges in the IVCF work in Southern Mindanao.  Ramon leads the team of staff in the region.  Jasher Gasataya is the staff based in Marbel.  Darby Aspacio is the staff based in Tagum.  Ramon and Jenny are based in Davao.  We are blessed to have volunteer co-workers spread all over Southern Mindanao.

Here are our ministry prayer requests:

1.  May we have regular meetings for college students to reach other college students in Davao campuses, namely University of Southeastern Philippines, San Pedro College, Brokenshire College, Ateneo de Davao University, and University of Mindanao.

2.  We have not yet received permission from three high school principals for ISCF to operate at Davao City National High School, Davao Christian High School and Brokenshire College High School Department.  Pray for wisdom on what to do to share the gospel of Christ to high school students.

3.  Preparations are now going on for the October Leadership Camp-Discipleship Camp and Counselors’ Training Camp.  Thank God for our student leaders who willingly took up responsibilities to run this camp.  Pray for wisdom and the Holy Spirit’s guidance for them and for the speakers.  Pray for provision for and availability of campers.  Pray for us as we coach the student leaders from preparation to evaluation.

Here are our personal prayer requests:

1.  Ramon’s mom in Cebu and Jenny’s mom in Bulacan are in their mid-70s.  Pray for us for wisdom as we provide care for them from a distance.

2.  Gary and Grasya are still learning the ropes of life in Davao and in our household, like we are.  This is our second month together.  Pray for us as first time parents. Both of them already got the flu, an additional challenge to the daily demands of our new family.

3.  Pray for direction from the LORD for our future ministry.  We do not know how long the LORD will have us serve Him in Southern Mindanao and what He wants us to do after that.

Joshua was old and advance in years, and the LORD said to him, “You are old and advance in years, and very much of the land still remains to be possessed.”(Joshua 13:1NRSV)  Prayer:  Teach us, Lord, not to fear our age but to look to you for strength to serve no matter how old or how young we are. Amen (The Upper Room, June 10, 2008)

“See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wastelands.” Isaiah 43: 19

We also would like to know what new thing the LORD is doing in your life.  We’d love to hear from you.  Please share to us also your prayer requests.  We’ll be happy to pray for you.

Your co-sojourners in this desert,

Ramon and Jenny Tecson