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Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19a, ESV).
My wife and I — along with Rick and Heather Ives, my two daughters, and three grandchildren — leave today for the Philippines.
I’m looking forward to this trip.
When someone asks me how many short-term mission trips I’ve taken, my answer is, “About 100.” I’ve lost count. But I’ve been to Russia dozens of times and the Philippines dozens of times, along with trips to Cuba, Germany, Italy, Latvia, the Bahamas, Kronenberg, Finland, Sweden, Cambodia, and possibly a few countries I’ve forgotten.
In my ministry of teaching discipleship to believers and church leaders around the world, since it’s the Great Commission of Jesus to go to all nations, I shouldn’t be surprised at the many trips.
But this trip is special!
- I took my daughters Megan and Emily while they were young to Russia on a mission trip. Having been greatly impacted, they wanted to take some of their children this year to the Philippines to work at my sister’s (Kristie Ward) Naomi’s Heart Mission.
- Rick and Heather, who Barbara and I visited in Russia during our first mission trip in 1991 are traveling with us this year. They’ve been to the Philippines many times, but it’s been five years since their last trip.
What will we do?
- All of us will help with Naomi’s Heart Mission in General Santos City by teaching church leaders, helping with street feedings, preaching in churches, holding a pastors’ luncheon on disciplemaking, and my grandsons holding a basketball clinic.
- After my daughters and grandchildren leave the Philippines, the Iveses and the Edwardses will travel to Cebu for a large retreat about First Steps Discipleship. This year, a brother in the U.S. has graciously provided the money for about 100 church leaders from throughout the Philippines to gather for training.
Please pray.
- We all leave today, June 7, and arrive home on July 3 (children and grandchildren come home earlier). Please pray for safety, good health, and powerful ministry.
- Last year, our plane hit another plane on the tarmac in Atlanta, and then a car my wife and I were traveling in went airborne after hitting a bump in the road — so we had an airplane accident on the ground and a car accident in the air — but fortunately, no one was seriously hurt. Please pray!
- The leadership conference will be held June 26 to 28. Pray for worship, a united Spirit, and direction for disciplemaking in the Philippines.
Obviously, my typical Psalms on Saturday Interruption has been delayed until next Saturday. Thank you for praying!
A note: I appreciate those who read this blog and always enjoy email responses. If you want to follow photographs and daily posts while we are in the Philippines, follow Grant Edwards and Barbara Edwards on Facebook™!