Coffee House in Bohol

Hi everyone,

We are back in Cagayan...another 12 hour overnight ferry ride on Friday...it was a safe and AIR CONDITIONED journey!!! Oh..and NO ROOSTER!! Unbelievable!!! ;) What a blessing AC is! ;)
One of the last days in Bohol, I spent the afternoon at the YWAM coffee shop..we talk with the college students...pray and just visit with them. I noticed a young man of about 18 at the bar and he was in tears...I could tell he was devastated. I had one of the Filipino guys (Benji) approach him and try to find out what was wrong...Benji came to me and said we must go talk with him. Turns out he was raised in a Roman Catholic family (as is about 85% of the Philippines) and has been attending a bible study at the coffee shop. He has really come to know Jesus and has asked the Lord to have a personal relationship with him...when his father found out, he told him that he was forbidden to attend the bible study and if he continues he will no longer pay for his college tuition. My heart was broken and the young man, Rene, was shattered. Benji and I prayed with him for a long while and encouraged him to love the Lord and to love his family...he left with a smile and I pray that God will use him to minister to his family.
The Filipino people are so passionate about family...they love deeply and cherish their families!! IT is so easy to see this in the communities..so when something like the situation above occurs...they are just shattered!!! This is actually Benji's testimony as well..his family disowned him for a time. He continued to love them and eventually they embraced him and the Lord and told him they would support him in anyway they could!! Really a lovely story.
I have been so blessed by the young Filipino volunteers...they are INCREDIBLE WORSHIPERS AND LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL OF THERE STRENGTH!! I think they really understand relationship in their family environment so once they find Jesus, it just happens so naturally and the relationship is so real! Just a privilege to serve with all of them on this journey!!!
While in Bohol, I really got to know all of the Filipino's that were with us...Joan, Clang, Jenny Rose, Erica, Joceline, Wayne, Raymond, Michael and Benji...I can tell it will be hard to leave...they are SO BEAUTIFUL..inside and out!! I hope to see them again this side of Heaven. :)
The other ministry YWAM has in Bohol is a boarding house. The students get a room for free..or at a VERY low rate and then are required to attend a bible study once a week. We led the class one night and found it AMAZING!! Many of our team members were able to speak into the lives of these beautiful young people...so many tears as the Lord just worked on hearts!! I can't tell you how much we enjoyed the time on the Island..God is awesome!!
Got a great story about the mountain town we visited on the Island...that will be my next post!! I will write in a day or two!!!