December 2005

Praise God! I am able to drive the long awaited pick up truck. We picked it up from the Office of Sola Gratia Ministries, Cagayan de Oro City, on November 1, 2005 before the day of my 72nd birthday, November 2, 2005. It is a real birthday gift from God using Pastor Steve Fernandez of Community Bible Church, Vallejo, California, and Nick Bonifacio, Thursday Bible Class of the same Church. Thanks be unto God, not only to them but to all the brethren for their participation in providing for the vehicle. Today, I am using the vehicle in my ministry in the hills among the T'bolis and the B'laan tribes of South Cotabato. As my teaching ministry in our Grace Mobile School of Theology and Ministry expanded, the pick up truck is great help saving time in commuting and lesser money in travelling. While one group of about 20 Pastors of the Pentecostal, Evangelical Bible Mission in Lake Sebu, interior town of South Cotabato is waiting for their schedule, I am about finish teaching our curriculum in Theology courses to 7 pastors and Bible Women in Kematu, T'boli. They have to undergo yet theo 7, Eschatology and Theo 8- Pastoral Theology. In the Town proper of T'boli, I have taught to 10 pastors and Bible Women theo 1- Bibliology, Theo 2- Theology Proper, and Theo 3- Christology. I am really blest teaching these subjects for I am discovering new truths myself, a great help in my ministry. Praise God!

Our Community Bible Church in Polonuling, Tupi, South Cotabato, our members has doubled in membership from the time we are preaching the pure Word of God, even attracting members of our neighboring Evangelical Churches.Our only set back, my assistant pastor resigned irrevocably for greener pasture to become chaplain of a fishing boat. I have to occupy the pulpit always and do visitations again minimizing my visit to our four daugther churches as area coordinator which they also needed and the opening of a new orphanage needed my full supervision.

Our CB Church in Lambuling is again on the right track, since the assignment of Pastor Domingo Rojas as missionary there. Members are back again attending worship services. His wife is badly needed to help her husband in ministering to children but she is sicky. We put up a bamboo parsonage and temporary church of bamboo and wood materials but with G.I. roofing provided by Sola Gratia Ministries. They needed benches for the church.

Community Bible Church in Lamcogo is doing good. They have 30 adult members but nearly evangelical group now make it a habit of attending church worship services to hear the adulterated Word of God being preach. Infact one elder of their church caught up the calling and vision of the ministry, applied to our area as a worker. He has only one subject to finish in our curriculum for diploma in theology.

Our CB Church in Sitio Embong, Lam-apos, Banga, South Cotabato has increased in attendance since pastor Julife Tabobo was assigned there. He is adopted missionary of CBC, Cagayan de Oro. They have newly purchased a church lot, worth 5,000 pesos. One half of the amount was provided by the church while 2,500 pesos was given by CBC Cagayan de Oro. Pastor and Mrs. Benito Dialoden the former workers there was advised to pioneer and plant new church in nearby community with the help of Pastor Tabobo.

Our CB Church in the interior mountain range of Kamunig Lamapos, Banga, South Cotabato, a community of B'laan group about forty members is doing fine. Their small church is always full pack every Sunday with Adults and children. They are planning to put up a bigger church of temporary materials but praying for G.I. roofings. Pastor Rubin Casak and wife are assigned there.

Prayer Request:

1. Please pray for me as I will be handling more classes in our Grace Mobile Bible School. That God will call an assistant pastor for CBC Polonoling. Also the new orphanage which to be put up needed my full time supervision.
2. For the opening of the new orphanage and the site of it. There is a 3 hectare being negotiated but there is no amount for it. That our Almighty God will provide the needed amount
3. For Mrs. Gloria Rojas's health so that she can join her husband Pastor Domingo Rojas in his ministry among the children in Lambulig, T'boli, South Cotabato. Please pray for the needed benches for their churches. They needed money for the cutting and slicing of timber of trees and carpentry works for such benches.
4. For Pastor and Mrs Benito Dialodem in their church planting efforts with the help of Pastor Julife Tabobo that soon a nucleus of a church group will be materialized.
5. For Pastor Rubin Casak and his wife for their plan of putting up a bigger church to accomodate the church and for the financial assistance for the GI roofings.
6. For additional amount to the allowances of our regular and volunteer missionaries. Their present allowances is just enough for transportation expenses as coast of travel to the hills increased. They barely have nothing left for their subsistence.

Thank you so much.

Reports and Prayer request submitted:

Rev. Mars Detorio
Area coordiantor
Sola Gratia Ministries, Inc
South Cotabato