Dear Balikatan Friends,

Hi! Kamusta po? More than three months has passed since our last Prayer Letter.� Let us share to you once again the stories that speak of God�s grace in our journeys.
SEASONS

We noted that the months of August and September were the peak of student meetings.� We thank the Lord for the opportunity to share the gospel to more than 30 students mostly in small group settings. We are also inspired to witness the zeal of student leaders in reaching out to their classmates in their own simple ways. Though there are moments of rejoicing and inspiration, there are moments of sadness and confusion as well.� We witnessed chapter fellowships and individual students go through their own seasons of growth and stagnation, highs and lows, burst of passion and dwindling strength. We are in need of much grace and wisdom in coming alongside them.� We started to allot Tuesday mornings as our �official staff meeting� where we have our devotional and business /prayer meeting.� This discipline helped us work together as partners in life and ministry.
OCTOBER CAMP

Ledership & Discipleship Camp last October 2008

October meant preparing for and overseeing the IVCF discipleship /leadership camp for college students. Nono was the staff-in-charge. It was inspiring to read the delegates� written testimonies in the camp and to know how God has encountered them there. One student wrote, �In this camp, God made me realize the need for workers, the need for spiritual awakening and commitment to expand His� Kingdom, �not to focus on my ambitions but on what I can do for God.�

It was also a blessing that we �survived� � having 2 children (our active 2 year- old toddler Mayumi and 4-month old baby Makisig) in the camp. We also experience God�s protection upon us when we were on our way home from the camp.� Our car had some trouble with the clutch and so we experienced 3 near-collision instances. Imagine what a relief to all of us when we reached home without a single scratch. Praise God!
HERITAGE

The IVCF� Bicol Grand� Alumni Homecoming last Nov. 1 at Daraga was held successfully, with more than a hundred participants attending the event.� Our speaker, Kuya Tony Litam, who was also the pioneer of IVCF Bicol, encouraged us to reach out to students with the true gospel� –� the one that demands repentance and true discipleship.� We are thankful for the heritage that is being passed on to the new generation of IVCF students in Bicol.� We pray that we can strengthen the student ministry in Iriga and also we plan to pioneer student work in Partido, Camarines Sur with the help of graduate volunteers.� We pray that we can get contact persons who can help us in this endeavor.
A SIGNIFICANT STEP

Nono�s non IVCF involvements include preaching at a local church once a month and doing house to house bible studies every Sunday afternoon.� On a personal note, Nono�s entrepreneurial side kindled�� when he got involved in FERN-C business and last October, he took a significant step when he became the first FERN-C stockist in Iriga City.� Now, he prayerfully wishes to change his status from full time IVCF staff to associate. This step marks a significant change for us but we believe it is another opportunity of service �only in a different capacity.
CAMPUS STORIES

Our Bible study group in University of North Eastern Philippines (UNEP) and another one at University of Saint Anthony (USANT).

�Classmate, may gagawin ka ba sa vacant time natin?�� Sama ka sa amin, mag bible study tayo�.�� It was a simple invite from students wanting to reach out.� But this simple invitation produced 2 new bible study groups in University of North Eastern Philippines (UNEP) and another one at University of Saint Anthony (USANT).

The ISCF (highschool fellowship) in USANT came out of their shell when they participated in the school wide United Nations celebration program by rendering an interpretative dance number, �If My People Pray.���� The nervous first-timers in dancing overcome their fear when they did it!

For the first time in many years, the leaders of Anthonians Christian Fellowship (ACF) had their Daily Prayer Meeting (DPM) and now they testify how meeting together for prayer transform their lives and the IVCF chapter.� One of the fruits of laboring in prayer is the sparkled interest of new students in attending ACF.� To add to the spice, most of the newcomers were guys.� During the last fellowship for the first semester, one of the newcomer remarked, �Yeah, let�s have more of these next sem ha. And, let�s invite more girls!�

About Us

Gerlen is thankful that she can take care of the kids at home while being a staff at the same time.� She maximizes IV Home ministry as she holds bible studies and student meetings there.� The campuses that she visits were also near IV Home so breastfeeding Makisig is convenient.� The DSL connection which was sponsored by a graduate helped tremendously in doing her communication work, research and getting in touch with her family and friends.

At the start of the second semester, we face the challenges of yet another season.� Some of the student leaders were not able to continue schooling mainly due to financial crisis.� Schedules were again changed and time is needed in stabilizing student meetings.

�Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope;
Because of the Lord�s great love we are not consumed, or his compassion never fail.
they are new every morning; reat is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, �The Lord is my portion; herefore I will wait for him.�
Lam. 3:19-24

The Lord is good.� He is the ord of all our seasons.
Let�s thank Him for the hope hat we have.� Thank you
for your partnership and we ope to hear from you .

May God bless you!

Leonardo "Nono", Gerlen Joy, Yumi & Kisig

To my Balikatan family,

News staff training in Bohol with other new staff.

My heart was filled with excitement and at the same time fear as I started the month of October. As if I was riding on a roller coaster, passing through the highest and lowest part of the trail. His grace saved me and gave me hope to finish this “month’s trail”. I knew I can reach the finish line.

I had an “overtime” preparation for the LCDC, as what all of us did! I began to understand that staff work really is not an easy stuff. It requires discipline, persistence, focus, good time management, discerning spirit, concentrated prayer and everything else. I was even challenged to improve and make some changes for better result next camp. Of course, everything happened because of His will.

GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER! - works before, during and after the camp. I’m amazed until now how God provided our needs for the camp and how He touched the lives of 11 campers and 16 counselors and as well as mine. God reminded me to trust His sovereign ways over everything.

After the camp, I attended my younger sister’s wedding and spent time with my family. I had “meaningful rest” at home. I praise God for opening the eyes of my mama when I shared the Gospel to her. It is an answered prayer indeed! I felt of being in my own home with their love and care towards me. Wow! What a great feeling to give love and be loved.

As reward for all those sleepless nights during the camp, I enjoyed my “lagaw lagaw” in Bohol for our 2nd NST. I treasured our bonding moments with my co– new staff and my precious time with my Maker while I was there in that very nice place. I learned a lot from my batch mates in staff work and especially from my respected mentors Ate Elsie and Ate Milli. Another dream come true! I stepped on the Chocolate Hills and met my “long lost sister” tarsier.

I know you don’t have time to read a very long letter. Until here and see you on staff conference!

God bless you.

PS. Please help me pray for

1. Provision for my Mom’s mayuma operation
2. Wisdom in planning for this sem activities
3. Managing the IV Home
4. Computer and other needs of the region
5. Unity among the graduates in NM
6. Formation of RAC
7. Strong commitment of student leaders
8. Passion for us in sharing God’s Word
9. Healing for my lola

“ I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands.

Psalm 31: 14-15

JONAHLIZA B. VILLAFLOR
Northern Mindanao

Colorful  September …

This   month started with a five-day visit to Bicol of our National Director Kuya Erickson Velardo with his wife Ate Dot and their two children Zeik and Jhad.They visited Naga on September 5, wherein Kuya Erickson gave a talk in our Large Group fellowship at the IV Center and Ate Dot gave a song writing workshop and blessed the students with her songs, sense of humor and beautiful voice. It was a fulfilling time with us because the IVPM and RAC also had the opportunity to have dinner and fellowship with them. Before we formally ended the fellowship we all prayed for Kuya Erickson and his family and he blessed us with a prayer in return. It was a very meaningful and joyous time for everybody. Even the children enjoyed and had a great time with Zeik and Jhad.

Last September 18 we had a feeding program in Talidtid, Canaman Cam. Sur where we ministered to more than 100 children. This was done simultaneous to Naga’s 6-day local holiday in celebration of the Peñafracia Fiesta.  We took the opportunity to have this activity on time with the holiday and have ample time to minister to these children. They learned some action songs, played games, watched a “Pag-ibig ng Diyos” skit and enjoyed the food we cooked for them. Seeing them so happy and full made our hearts swell with satisfaction.

As Bicol got busy with the fiesta my family and I also celebrated Charlize’s 3rd birthday last September 16. Thanks to my parents and sister who helped us in the preparations. My mom baked her birthday cake too?. Our daughter enjoyed the presence of her cousins, relatives and playmates.  It was also a joyous and memorable occasion for the rest of the family especially because my dad’s with us on vacation and my siblings and their respective spouse were all present. My daughter indeed had a great birthday!

And on September 22 Jay and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. We thank the Lord for the years of joy, miracles, challenges and journey of faith in the Lord. We also thank the Lord everyday for giving us our daughter who really is a great gift to us. God makes our family life complete, happy and colorful because of her. May the Lord continue to pour out many more blessings to our family as we continue to live a life of obedience and faithfulness and may He find all our prayers  in accordance to His perfect will.

Serving and trusting,
Daphne

My prayer requests:

• Please pray for good health. For my cholesterol level and liver enzymes to normalize (blood test showed I have high cholesterol level and high liver enzymes) and for a perfectly healthy reproductive system.
• Please pray for my preparations for LCDC. Strength and good health during the camp and wisdom and enabling power of the Lord as I deliver my talk on Personhood and Counseling.
• Financial provisions. My husband and I are planning to get a low-cost house and lot unit this year. We will need P10,000.00 for reservation fee.
• We are targeting at least 60 official and committed members for this school year. We already have around 30. Please help us pray as we accomplish this task by introducing unbelievers to Christ.

And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
Isaiah 58:11 (TLB)

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

“We thank you, God, we thank you—your Name is our favorite word;
your mighty works are all we talk about.” Psalm 75:1 The Message

Hi. How are you? Trusting the Lord that you are blessed in so many ways.  Let us rejoice for His marvelous works in and through us.

Our Ministry…

We had a very fruitful area visit in Bicol last September 4-8.  Students and graduates welcomed us and expressed their support.  We went to Legaspi, Naga, Iriga and Sorsogon.  Erickson shared God’s Words  and gave ministry updates of IVCF Philippines.  He also preached at 2 local churches, one in Legaspi and in Sorsogon.  Dot conducted a couple of workshops on Songwriting and sang in different occasions.  It was a very refreshing experience for us to be teaching and ministering to students and graduates in Bicol.  Zeik and Jahd were so fascinated with the Mayon Volcano.  They also made new friends there.  The four of us had a wonderful time there, meeting old friends and building new ones.

Last September 13, we joined the Prayer Fellowship of alumni and students of SVCF in Los Banos, Laguna.  Aside from giving updates about IVCF, we met with key graduates and student leaders.

Both of us were invited to speak about Love, Courtship, Marriage at SVCF Diliman’s Ladies’ and Gents’ Night.  It was separate yet simultaneous events.  Good thing that the ladies had it at the IVCF Bldg. So Dot was still able to look after the boys.  It is always a joy for us to share not just our love story but also about how God works in and through our family.

Aside from these opportunities, we continued with our usual IVCF assignments and helped at Faith Baptist Church.

Our Family…

Zeik officially finished grade four and is now on a break.  We already sent his exams and grades to the school and ordered his new PACES for grade 5. He is also taking up violin lessons. We are so thankful for Ate Michi Martinez, music professor at UP Diliman and a very good viola player, who takes time to teach him.

Jahd is still in “playschool”. He still enjoys drawing and art crafts.  We are teaching him basic reading, writing and math. Praise the Lord that his astigmatism lowered so now has new lenses.  We enjoy doing a lot of family activities…learning, discovery, and expressing our love for each other.

We celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary last September 17.  Praise the Lord for His love that overflows in our hearts and for each other.  The Lord had blessed us so much in our marriage.  We desire that as we have been blessed, our marriage will continue to be a blessing, too.

Our Prayer Requests…
Praise the Lord for wisdom and eye for details in all ministry assignments, especially for Erickson. Pray for him as he leads the movement. Please pray that we could build good relationships with our people.
Rejoice with us for opportunities of ministering to the students.  Dot is excited to do campus work this coming second semester.
We thank the Lord for our good health. Though we have some body aches and pains due to exhaustion, we are happy that we are strong enough to do our tasks and responsibilities.  All by God’s grace.
For two months in a row, we received on time salaries. Yey! Pray still for provision as we renew Zeik’s enrolment and for his materials.

We rejoice for people like you who journey with us…for inspiring and encouraging us. We are so much blessed and loved.  Sending you all our gratitude, love, and prayers.  God bless you.

In His grace,
Erickson and Dot with Zeik and Jahd