Jim Frederick

Jim Frederick – has been serving as a high school math and Bible teacher in the

 Philippines since 2005. He teaches at Mindanao International Christian 

Academy whose mission statement is to provide a quality high school education

 from a Christian worldview where Scriptures permeate the entire curriculum.

 The school aids missionaries from many organizations by enabling them to 

provide a quality education for their high school age children while serving in a

 foreign land.  

Jim Fredrick's Letter- April

Are you enjoying another beautiful spring? For me it is only a memory of
> warmer weather, new plant life and longer days. I remember how happy I was
> when December 21st came and I knew the days would start to get longer again.
> Over here there is only summer and the length of days varies by one hour at
> the most but at least we don't get snow - just plenty of rain!
>
> Thank you so much for praying for our outdoor education trip to Nasuli. We
> worked very hard mixing a lot of concrete and painting, but seeing so many
> smiling, appreciative faces made it very much worth the effort. We were able
> to help build six small houses made of cinder blocks and one made of wood.
> We also painted eighteen classrooms at the local public high school and
> built two sets of outdoor toilets, which will help to improve the sanitation
> for the people. We also had the kid's clubs at the public elementary school
> and were amazed to see how open these public schools are to the truths of
> the Bible. Even though we didn't have enough materials for a craft (we were
> told there would be 40 and we had almost 200!), the principal wanted us to
> come just to tell the Bible story! Oh how I wish that were true in America
> once again.
>
> The homes we built were for families who had lost their homes in a flood
> right after Christmas. The great part was that those families worked along
> side of us so we could get somewhat acquainted with them. On the day of our
> departure we dedicated the homes and families to the Lord, which was a great
> blessing to us and them as well. The kids were encouraged to write Scripture
> verses on wood beams in the homes and we presented some practical household
> gifts to them. Many of the families gave us thank you notes in return. It
> was very special for all of us, and especially the kids, to see the great
> blessing of serving God sacrificially.
>
> A special story from our trip is about Beth, a Filipina lady who made all of
> our arrangements. As a Christian lady she had a small ministry with the
> local families that we helped but spent much of her time working. However,
> her focus changed when one of the families she knew had a baby that was
> mentally retarded. Because these people were animistic they believed the
> child had a bad spirit so the baby was left to die. When the baby lost
> consciousness, they considered it dead and buried it despite her protests.
> This incident awakened her to the great need of her neighbors for the Gospel
> so that has been her primary focus ever since. Our coming was a great
> opportunity to show them the very real love of God in a time of need.
>
> I also want to thank you for your prayers for the Christian Growth class. We
> will be starting on the hot topics this week so please be remembering the
> kids through the remainder of the school year. They certainly need this time
> of equipping to face a world more and more hostile to Christianity. By the
> way Gloria's leg is healing very well and Tomoko had a successful operation
> on her knee and is doing very well with her physical therapy. Thanks for
> your prayers.
>
> As I was reading through Cora's third journal I found this passage from
> January 13, 1987 that I wanted to share with you. It is a great testimony of
> how God can deliver us without even changing the circumstances! I trust it
> will be a blessing and encouragement to you.
>
> "I've started the New Year with many physical problems - same old
> circumstances but not at all the same life.  You are the master now.  I
> sense that the word You gave me in March - "Go back the way you came" - is
> in effect.  I entered deep into enemy territory and had many masters.  But
> now I am coming out of enemy territory - lead by You and You are my master.
> The old former masters are powerless ghosts. (Isaiah 26:5-15) As I was going
> in, many masters took me.  Now I am coming out - they are dead and You are
> Lord...
>
> "To experience this triumph in the midst of the same circumstances is a
> wonderful thing - better than just having the obstacle externally removed -
> because I am experiencing the deeper life of the Spirit - the life of faith
> that I long for.  And yet there is so much more - I feel like an infant.
> Praise God You will continue to lead.  You are mine forever and I am Yours.
> I want no other master ever.  You are all wise and good.  I marvel at Your
> greatness and the perfection of Your plan.  You arranged everything to bring
> forth Your will, even when I was steeped in fear and walked into the enemy's
> snare.  You used it to make me rich and I will have the spoils.  I am made
> more than a conqueror.  Even now I triumph in You in spirit and soon it will
> be a physical triumph as well.  All praise and glory to Jesus Christ.
>
> "The delay is truly for Your glory and honor and because of Your love even
> as in John 11 You delayed when Lazarus was sick that You might do an even
> greater work.  How excellent is Your Name in all the earth!"
>
> Although we didn't see the physical healing we were expecting, God truly did
> become more and more Cora's only master and the victory she had throughout
> her suffering is a powerful testimony of how God is at work in situations
> that often seem strange and even bad to us. But He is our Creator and He
> alone knows how to bring forth the changes in us until we are totally formed
> in the image of His Son Jesus Christ.
>
> Thank you for your faithfulness that enables me to serve the Lord here in
> Davao. He has certainly brought much joy to me as I serve Him, and you play
> a big part in that. I pray you have a month in which God is very close to
> you and you are filled with His joy and love and experience His deliverance
> as you live for Him.
>
> In Jesus' love and service,
>
> Jim
>
> Prayer requests:
>
> Jim - Please pray for the salvation of the families in Nasuli who received
> the new homes, for the kids in Christian Growth as we address very important
> moral issues and for Tomoko's healing. Thank you for your faithful prayers.
> Cora's web site is at www.corasjourney.com .
>
> Jenny and Andrew - God is moving us in a different direction in ministry.
> Please pray that we will be sensitive to His Spirit and that the
> opportunities that have been presented to us will provide an atmosphere in
> which we will grow in our marriage, in our ministry and that we can bless
> those we minister to.  It looks like there are significant delays in the
> timeline for adopting from El Salvador so we are starting to look at other
> possibilities as we continue to wait.  Please pray that we will be patient
> with God's timing in all of this.  Thank you.
>
> David and Carolyn - Thanks for your prayers for David - he passed both
> sections of his Microsoft certification tests. Please continue to pray for
> him in balancing his workload as he begins his last class for his Master's
> degree and for Carolyn's teaching assignment for next year so she can
> continue teaching and still be home to care for Megan. Megan is doing great
> and there are more pictures of Megan at www.megansjourney.com.