Summer Update (June-August)

Praise the Lord in all circumstances...

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!” 

Psalm 103:1

 

VISA!!! Never ending Visa process from January to June. 

 

With all these things, what did we learn? 

Our God, who is forever loving and faithful has taught us a lot of things all these months.

PATIENCE - yes patience is a virtue - it really is! As our patience stretches, we have learned to relax and rely on the Lord’s strength, not ours.

TRUST - when you seat on a couch, you don’t usually check if the couch can carry you or not, you just trust that it will hold you as you sit down. That’s how trust is - you just know that God can!

BEING THANKFUL - In the midst of challenges, whether small or big, a cheerful heart makes the big difference. We have learned to Thank the Lord even more. We praise God while waiting, though hard at some points, He still strengthens us.

In June 7th when we both went to UDI (Norwegian Immigration), they told us that we both got another year (Mar 2013-Mar 2014)! I (Christina) was so surprised so I asked the lady if she can say it again and not really satisfied, I asked again if they can send me a mail that verifies it and they said yes. Exactly a week after, our Permit arrived and it proves it right. WOW! I think I am the first foreign YWAM staff that will stay more than 4 years, I can’t explain how it happens, we just know that God can surprise us. He can do things the way we can’t even imagine. 

He is indeed sovereign, more powerful than the Norwegian Embassy :)

 

Praise Reports 

Praise the Lord our Living God for:

1. All the people we’ve met in the ministry in Norway and for the great experience both with the foreigners and Norwegians.
2. The Kitchen experience and all the learnings we’ve got from it. We loved it!
3. The chance to stop in Amsterdam on our way to the Philippines for 9 hours and meet our good friend, Eva.
4. Christina’s health improvement
5. Christina’s mother and her improving health situation
6. Financial Provision over the year living in Norway which includes all our staff fees, visa fee and other things.
7. Benjie’s brother in Canada and sister in law who opens their heart for the Word of God. 

 

 

Funny Experience (Late Spring News)

In the beginning of the Spring, Kristine & little Benaiah (left), asked me to join them to Kristiansand Hospital for some pictorial. It will be for the hospital’s brochure. I thought its fun and I didn’t know it will come out before I saw it. I just thought this is such a funny experience to be a part of it :)

 

Den Nye Veien

Rupen from Sri Lanka

  In June, we ended the Bible Group with a Summer Grilling Party held in YWAM Skjærgårdsheimen base. We had a short program explaining what YWAM is, its function, mission and vision. About 30 people came, from 5 different nations. We also have shared some facts about the Philippines since we are going home for the Summer. We were so blessed with this group and looking forward  to join them again when we go back to Norway.

Here's some more pictures of them...

 

Loren Cunningham, Mission Adventures, Summer Camp and Trip to the Philippines 

 

 

JUNE is a really busy month!  

Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM came to visit our base, and we were able to hear him and be in some of the meetings in some churches he’s been. He inspired us so much with his passion and love for the Word of God and Missions. Imagine, an 80+ year old man, who started this organization 53 years ago still travels around the world, to encourage people to do missions. What an inspiration!

 

 

 

 

Mission Adventures 

Team left for Romania to help build a church there and to expose themselves in Missions after some days of training in YWAM Skjærgårdsheimen. 

Christina and I volunteered to serve them in the kitchen while they are on their training. We were able to participate in some of the meetings and fellowship with them.

 

 

 

Golden Age Camp / Skjærgårdstreff 50+ 

(former Gyldene Aldersleir) held in the beginning of July was a great start of the month. 

We, the team of 8 served this camp through preparing their food from morning to coffee and cake in the night. They have a prepared program for themselves. 

They are about 70 older people (ages 50 and above). We were so blessed to be in that camp. They are not just lovely people but they have inspired us to be thankful and also to appreciate even the smallest things.  Sometimes the work can be too much but when you see how happy and thankful they are, those tiredness vanishes away. 

What a great way to be inspired!

Our Time in the Philippines ...

Manila so far, it has been so great. We went to visit both our home churches in the area and have some fellowship with our family and friends. We went to visit YWAM Antipolo too. We will stay more with Christina’s mother after our time in the South and while waiting for our time to leave the country again. 

Samal Island  

a beautiful island in Mindanao. We went to visit the ministry and catch up with the Pastor and workers in the church. Please continue to pray for this island. They really need the word of God and as they receive it, they will experience transformation not just in their lives but also in the community. Also, as we are staying here, we met some DTS Outreach Team from Australia. Please pray for more missionaries to come and spread the Word of God in this island.

YWAM Bukidnon 

after a week of spending time with family (Benjie's) in Davao City, we went for a 5 hour bus drive to Malaybalay, Bukidnon where Christina used to stay. It's been so close to our hearts and gives a lot of good memories for both of us. Well, to tell you about it, that's the place where I asked Christina to marry me (3 years ago).

Aside from all those good memories, we enjoyed our time with our YWAM friends. We stayed in Nasuli with the pioneering YWAM base. We joined them in some of their ministries. We really enjoyed our fellowship with them and of course the good fruits, fresh air and so on. Christina said she almost enjoyed everything except one morning when she saw a snake right outside our room :) it was a creepy experience but she's still ready to go back to that place whenever God permits us...

Benjie’s Health Challenge

We decided to do a general check up when we get home from Norway and found out that Benjie needed a surgery. After several tests, some veins were found blocked in one part of his body and surgery is needed, it is not a major nor minor but in the middle as his doctor told us. 

To take medicine is not really an answer because it will just be useless to take without correcting the main problem.
We thought the best way is to have it done so we don’t have to think more about it especially with the kind of work/life we have chosen.

Our challenge now is the amount we needed for the surgery:
about 10,000 kr / 1600USD and hoping to have less after we use our insurance or maybe find a cheaper hospital to do it.
If you want to assist us in this need or you want to know more about it, please write us back and we will let you know more details.

Models and Methods of Biblical Counseling (MMBC)

 

In September, I (Christina) will be joining the next level of Counseling School which is MMBC. It will be in YWAM Chatel in  Geneva, Switzerland. Benjie will be working as a volunteer in that same base  while I am doing the school. 

The main focus of this school is to develop a bible centered counseling world view in counseling and to learn to develop lifestyle of practicing the presence of Jesus. 

MMBC will be a great tool in the future as we continue with what the Lord wants us to do. My heart for Counseling and Benjie’s passion in studying the Word of God will be a great combination for future ministries ahead of us.

I have been desiring to take this school since 2010 and only this year that it seems possible. We’ve been through the process of praying too before I apply for the said school. We are asking you to continue to back us up in prayers.

For more information:

You can visit www.ywamchatel.com 

What’s Next?

 

August - Fund Raising Month 

• Garage Sale! We, together with our whole family have gathered all the things that we don’t need anymore and we are going to do a garage sale by the end of the month. The money will be for the funds of all the school children in Samal Island. If you are nearby and wanted to donate some of your old clothes/things, feel free to contact us at +63942-8312810
  
• For our personal funds, we are selling home made chocolates in different designs, we accept orders too :)

• We are targeting to purchase our plane ticket before the end of the month

September

• we are also planning to go back to Norway (to YWAM Skjærgårdsheimen) for 2 weeks and then fly to Geneva, Switzerland for MMBC
• Sept 22 - December 13 MMBC Lecture Phase
• December - going back to Skjærgårdsheimen

 

 

 Prayer Concerns 

1. Our quick decision about Benjie’s health 
2. Our hearts to be united all the time especially as we meditate in God’s Word and trust in His promises.
3. Christina will be part of the Counseling Team who will be teaching Plumbline to our 17 DTS students in YWAM Antipolo. Her topic: Revelation. Please pray for God's heart, knowledge and wisdom as she teaches, as well as the whole team.
4. Airfare back to Norway 
5. MMBC School Fee 
6. Continuous wisdom and guidance regarding our future decisions.

 Should you desire to assist us in anyway, please feel free to communicate to us. 

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”
Matthew 6:7-8

Please include us in your prayers and May you continue to see and walk in God’s righteousness.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
+47 94479637 (C) +47 47948657 (B)

Philippine Mobile Number:

+63942-8312810
 

ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
Christina Bustos: Skandia Bank 9722.19.63621
Benjamin Bustos: Bank of the Philippine Islands Account#4179195017

or you can send your help through paypal account: benjiechris.bustos@gmail.com                                         

you can also check our blog: bcadventuresoflife.blogspot.no