The First Mangos

We want to begin by sharing a dream one of our church members had last week. It was a great encouragement and revelation for us all. She saw a lush mango tree. The fruit was ripe and juicy. Gathered around the tree were large crowds of hungry people. As each mango was picked from the tree and given away, it became bread that rapidly multiplied. A great miracle happened. There was more than enough bread to feed the families.

Its with great joy that we commissioned 6 ladies this week to serve as house church leaders and spiritual parents in Purok 5. These beautiful women will nurture and care for their people as numbers multiply and others from the community are reached with the good news. They will facilitate Bible studies and house church gatherings in their native tongue. They will be vessels for the glory of the Father. They will be and carry the Bread of Life to their village.

The journey has not been easy for any of them. Two of the ladies have lost husbands to murder.
They have struggled with poverty, addiction, and demonic strongholds. They face persecution from family members and others. But Jesus has captured their hearts and by his amazing grace..... they will never be the same.
The Lord has taken each one of their broken lives and made them a powerhouse for His presence. They are laying hands on the sick, praying with power, and loving neighbors they never knew before. This is our heart................and this is the heart of the Father, to see nations transformed and bow their knee.

Its times like these that we thank God for sending us here. It has been a life changing experience. We have received far more than we could ever give and look forward to all God has ahead for us. His plans are always good, always fruitful, and always full of hope.

Thank you for being a part of our journey and the Lord's purpose. We pray blessing and strength for you and your family. May fruit abound in your life as you invest in your own community.

See you on that side of the world in December. :)

Paige and Kent

Surprised by favor

Kent praying for one of the street boys at the opening celebration of the new center.
The building God gave His Heart this month. :)
Two children worshiping with us from outside last Sunday. I was inside leading in front of the window and didn't know they were even there. :)
The daughter of the building's caretaker..................a Muslim family. God is doing exciting things.


Well, it is a time of great promise and excitement here. After months of searching, His Heart has signed a contract for the rental of building right in our ministry area. It will serve as a training center for Filipino leaders who will plant new house churches, a place for tutoring, youth events, retreats, discipleship, accommodation for short term teams, showers for the street kids, feeding, and much more. We are stepping into a new phase of the ministry. The people are maturing and will be taking on more leadership. They are on fire to reach their community. We are believing for great things!

I can't help but marvel at what the Lord has done in such a short time. We worshipped together on the floor in a tiny tin house this morning. The ladies shared temptations openly and prayed for each other. It was a precious time.

Helen, the young woman that many of you have prayed for since our visit in December, is blossoming in a calling. She is now part of the leadership team here. She interprets, teaches, and loves the people with us. Jesus has changed her life! He is in the business of taking wild lives and turning them upside down for Him. I am in tears when I think about the potential in her.

Kent is studying for his last exam as I write this. We are planning to make a short trip to the beach for a couple days next week. I'm ready to relax and soak up some Filipino sun. Classes begin again September 15th.

Thank you for your support and prayers. Your heart for the world is changing lives.

God's richest blessing on you and your family.
Kent and Paige

When it rains, it pours

Where most of our church family bathes- They have no running water.

Beautiful Pilipino babies- I want to bring one home!

A couple of the ladies we are discipling

Darrel, one of the street boys, and part of our ministry sitting outside the place where he and other boys sleep. A tarp is fixed under a building deck.

Greetings from your wet friends and missionaries in Baguio, Philippines. We are in the middle of the rainy season and have experienced a few storms this month. Since we are on an island in the Pacific, the Philippines suffers from typhoons, monsoon rains, and landslides. With houses made of scrapmetal and other assorted items, it can be a dangerous place for the poor. His Heart ministry is helping to assist one family in our church right now. Last week, their house slid down the mountain during a storm. The mother Vilma was outside at the time of the landslide. She is bruised but miraculously okay. Thank you for your prayer and support that enables us to help families like these rebuild their lives.

In other news, we are in exciting times for the ministry. As some of you know, we have searching and praying for a building to house a center for months now. Well, this month an amazing door has opened. We have found a building right in the community where we minister. It is literally only a 10 minute walk for our families! Please pray for Angela, the His Heart Director, as she negotiates and attempts to secure the place. The building will provide showers for the street people, house discipleship classes and retreats, store emergency food and relief, and better establish our work in the community. We are ready to step into a new phase and opportunites to bring the Kingdom to Baguio.

In the last few weeks, we have seen steady growth in attendance at our house churches. People are being touched and are spreading the Word. New families are coming in. God is doing what He does best- knocking on peoples' hearts. :)

On a personal note, Paige has been taking more intense language lessons and is gaining more confidence in Tagalog (Pilipino national language). Kent is working non-stop on seminary requirements and ministry. The trimester will end September 5th with the last of the the finals.
We have been trying new foods lately as we fellowship with friends from all over Asia at the seminary. Recent cuisine includes authentic Thai and Myanmar/Burmese food. Don't ask what. You may not want to know. :)

God bless you and your families as you settle into a new school year and close out the summer. Thank you for investing in us and the call He has on our lives.

Blessings from Baguio,

Kent and Paige Parrish