| NEWSLETTER APRIL 2018
English newsletter from Nathan
Here is the news from Hosea Youth Pr. Nathan Osnes, and what we experienced in
Island of Mindoro March/ April. We are so blessed what the Lord is doing and how the doors are opened for the Gospel all around, be challenged, encouraged and inspired by Nathan and what he is doing in the Philippines.
Blessings:
Hello all the Hosea friends!
Just writing to you to give you a short missions report of what happened in the Philippines during
my trip there this March and April. I am sure I could write several pages about what Jesus did, but
I will try to make it a little bit shorter and give you some highlights! So thankful for your ministry
there, and for what God is doing. All the glory for all that happened on this trip goes to Him.
First of all I have to say that all of the pastors of Hosea, and its members, have been so helpful.
Without them I would really struggle there! For instance during the mass evangelism event we had
in Mamburao. I was told that it was the biggest Christian evangelistic meeting in the history of
Mindoro. Many people got saved, and after praying for the sick, so many miracles took place.
During this trip I also met with leaders, such as politicians and people within the department of
education. I got to preach and pray for them. They are so open for the Gospel, and the mayor of
Mamburao has begged me to please move there and continue doing missions work. She is also
so extremely thankful for Hosea.
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Lady that got pregnant after prayer
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Church meetings
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We had outreaches, church services, school graduations, a family camp and so on. Thousands of
people heard the Gospel of Jesus, and thousands were blessed with food. Some were also
blessed financially, or with clothes, shoes and other things. I met with one lady that I prayed for
over one year ago. She was not able to get pregnant for 13 years, but today she has a small baby
boy.
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| Baptisim service in youth camp |
Another lady testified about seeing Jesus standing and smiling in one of the meetings.
It is amazing to see Hosea continue to grow. Hosea Mamburao is now the biggest pentecostal
church in the city, reaching many people through the school. So many miracles have taken place,
and a lot of people receive help. I miss them all so much that it hurts! Today I received a message
from a fatherless boy with the words «I miss you papa.» As I told you, that is what many people
call me there. So I guess we could say that I miss my children!
To be able to hug a fatherless child who has known nothing but pain, and to tell them that they are
loved. Well.. For me that is indescribable. To see the hopeless and lost find hope in Jesus leaves
me speechless. Whether it is on the streets or in the prisons, in the city hall or in the schools. It is
amazing. And the open door for the Gospel there is fantastic. Especially in the public high
schools.
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| Feeding the kids |
Nathan with the Mangyan kids |
Well, I could write testimony after testimony. I hope this encourages you! Thank you for your
faithful service and kind heart. Your work has been fruitful, and it still is. Thank you for all, and
thank God for His faithfulness and power!
Blessings from Nathan
TONGA NEWS
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| New paint and new floors |
Renovation of clasrooms |
Some photos of our new place of learning after all the clean up and new paint. We also fenced the balcony so our children are safe. We are now working on the kitchen, We also put in two new toilets and covered the floor with linoleum and made some new tables and benches for our children.
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| One of Hosea Tonga students |
We send you all our love and prayers God bless all of you
Dorthy
Mangyans had bravely formed a choir and even composed a song. We have now more than 40 adult students in the school, their ages varying from young to old. They told us that they were now able to vote for the first time in the elections. Earlier they had had to give their voting slip to others to fill in, without knowing what they wrote in them, because they could not read or write.
When the Mangyan students were singing their song, I was standing in the back of the church. Suddenly I noticed four small children hiding between benches. Our teacher said that they were our students, and she then went and asked why they were not among the other children. One of them explained with tears, that they were so hungry that they could not go to sing. I was so surprised to learn that they were already 6 year olds, even though they looked more like 2 year olds, skinny and bony small children. Nheng commented that this is due to malnutrition, which is the reason why all these tribespeople are so small: their continuous lack of food stunts their growth. We brought a 40 kg bag rice with us and also other foodstuff and fed them all after the meeting, thanks again to the donors! We made so much food that there was enough for evening meal as well.
Last spring Hosea organized a medical mission for the Mangyan tribe. We also left some medicines with the local Pastor, so the tribespeople could be given help later as well. The Pastor said that some Mangyans come even at night begging for help in their desperation. Also some people from other tribes turned up for medicine and were given some, for it is hard to turn desperate people away without help. Now we are in the process again of collecting funds for another medical mission, which should happen sometime next year.
While we were in the Mangyan village, I recognised that most of them were walking bare foot again. I wondered what had happened to all those sandals which had been donated for them a year earlier. The Pastor laughed and explained that the Mangyans have a peculiar walking style, they step heavily on their heels and that wears out the heels of the shoes very quickly. That means that they will need a new pair of sandals every year. One man had a good pair of sandals slung over his shoulders, so I went and asked him why he didn't use them. The man replied: “I don't want to use them as they would wear out. When they hang on my shoulders everyone can see that I have shoes.” So this man had still good shoes, while others had worn theirs out”¦ Now, who is the wise and where is the wisdom here?
We also distributed a bag full of clothes. Birgit and Ulla went to buy some more and as always the Mangyans put the new clothes on top of their old rags. They can't see any reason why the old clothes should be taken off, so they carry their whole wardrobe with them all the time. The same clothes are worn day and night and the extra clothing keeps them warm at night on the mountains. The price tags are also left on, so everyone can see they are new clothes.
Hosea's second fishing boat is now operating on the eastern side of Mindoro Island (Oriental Mindoro) where it is manned by our Mangyan pastor, thus serving the Mangyans also. There are more fish now on the Oriental side of the island because big Indonesian fishing trawlers have appeared close to the Occidental Mindoro shores (the western side of the island). Occidental Mindoro is facing the open ocean, so Indonesian factory ships come close to the shore and take in all fish, big and small, diminishing the fish population. Locals usually fish with spears, sparing spawning fish for reproduction. They understand the laws of the nature and know that spawn fish are needed to keep fish stocks -- you cannot empty the ocean of fish. Local small fishing boats can't drive away large foreign fishing vessels, so locals are deprived of their fishing livelihood.
The Hosea Filipino team want to send their heartfelt thanks to all the supporters and prayer warriors. They and also our students keep praying for you. They understand that it is because of you, your prayers and your donations, that they have this wonderful opportunity to get an education and thus a good start to their lives. It was really great to meet some of our very first students, the ones with whom we started this ministry in the Philippines. It was so wonderful to see the fruit of this work. Many parents are also saved as they attend our weekly Bible studies.
Great blessings from the islands,
ANNE
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