July 2020

July 2020

Prayers of good health to everyone,

Michael and I are still staying quarantined as much as possible.  We did travel to see family but even in travels stayed very safe.  After traveling we did get tested as a precaution & praise to God both of us tested negative.  We would like to focus on what is going on in the Philippines in this newsletter so we thought the best way to do that is share the July update from the founder of One Life Ministries/Food for Life, David Roach, with you.

One Life Ministries Philippines Update:

To our supporters, COVID 19 has changed the lives of all of us around the world and now we are being instructed in what is called the “new norm.” This pandemic has created great concern for the future livelihoods of many who live here in the United States.  Janet and I are doing well and are fully engaged with the millions around the world who are praying for a cure; this includes praying for the health and safety of our supporters.  If you or a family member need prayer and would like us to pray specifically for you or them, please contact us through messenger or e-mail so we can add it to our prayer list.  We also want to say, “thank you,” for your prayers for us and of course for our ministry in the Philippines, and other areas throughout the world.  In this update, I would like to share with you what is happening in the Philippines.

Food for Life - Our normal feeding programs have been greatly disrupted from their normal routine due to the

constraints created by the virus.  The Philippine government has greatly restricted the people and have put very severe quarantine policies in place.  The people have been restricted from all travel outside their villages.  Plus, there can be no gatherings of people outside of immediate family, which could have made delivering food or gathering the children to feed them impossible, but God made a way!  Our radio broadcast licensing enabled us to apply for a media permit to be an officially approved agency for travel and official agent for food deliveries to communities.  Praise God, we were able to deliver food to all our feeding programs and church plants.  Without these deliveries, many would have been severely affected and some perhaps would have died.  To date, we have purchased over 4.5 tons of rice and other foods.

We have been receiving reports of great thanksgiving, as well as reports of great sorrow, due to hunger.  Many farmers have even eaten their planting seed and now have nothing left to plant.  Because of this, we have recently purchased planting seed to distribute to the hardest-hit areas in North Cotabato.  Within this region, certain areas have a malnutrition rate of 90%.

Thank You, to all who have given to help supply for the needs of these who without your help might have perished.

The emergency is not over and the virus continues to cause great difficulty to these who have no work or farming products to sell.  Please consider a generous gift so we can continue to supply food for literally thousands of very hungry children and the elderly.

Church Planting Update - Our Pastors and churches are our first line of defense as we are resisting the attack of the COVID 19 virus.  Our pastors are bravely reaching out to everyone in their communities, visiting, praying, and comforting those who have lost a loved one to the virus.  The fear of this virus has caused a lot of anxiety but has also created the opportunity to share the gospel, the message of peace, hope, and safety.  Many have come to Christ and are now growing in the knowledge of their new-found faith.  Please pray for our pastors and their growing congregations.  Their days are long and hot, and the challenges of each day can be overwhelming.  Pray for their strength and the ability to bring wisdom and strength to those they are ministering to.

Also, please pray for their families who also are prime targets of attack from our enemy, the devil.

Currently, we are supporting approximately 150 churches.  The support is little and shared among the churches within their region.  Our pastors are amazing and the sacrifices they make to see the Kingdom of God released are also amazing.  They are my heroes and I wish each of you could know them.  It is your continuous support that is helping them accomplish their mission.  Regularly they tell me, "thank you", and how they are praying for each of you.  We have many other areas that need a church presence.  Please pray for a house of worship and fellowship to be established in those areas soon.

Orphanage Construction - Due to the COVID 19 virus, the construction has been slow.  The government called a halt to all construction over the past 2 months.  In a conversation with our overseer in General Santos, Pastor Amlon, I was told that construction has now resumed.  The roof has now been completed, the floor is being installed, and the beds will soon be scheduled to be built.  This building is in a very poor area among the T'boli tribes.  It will be very modest and will house 12 children initially.  The furnishings will also be very modest as our orphanage must fit in with the village, to maintain respect for the culture and also prevent the spirit of jealousy among the village families.  We are currently in need of $10,000 to finish the building inside and out.  The children who will live there are from abandonment situations and/or displaced from recent fighting of government soldiers and Muslim resistance groups.  Please consider helping us to complete this building and to support the children. We will be supplying all of their basic needs, including food, clothing, hygiene, and school supplies.  The support of a child is about $35.00 per month and if you would like to sponsor one or more of these children, please contact us and we send you the personal information of a child, including pictures.

The Government has informed us that to open the orphanage we are required to have a Social Worker on staff. God has supplied us with a Social Worker at a salary of $300 per month.  We are praying that God would put it on a church or person's heart to sponsor our Social Worker's salary.  Please join us in prayer for these needs.

Update Michael & Tammy Naumann - As you can see our ministry has grown considerably over the past 5 years. Praise God for His goodness!  Because of this growth, we prayed and asked the Lord to supply us with a full-time missionary couple to go and work among our churches and programs to be our "boots on the ground".  Well, God answered our prayers and a couple, Michael and Tammy Naumann, stepped forward to go under the direction of the Holy Spirit.  This wonderful couple sold their home, shipped their belongings to the Philippines, purchased their tickets to fly out, and then COVID 19 struck the world.  Their furniture is in the Philippines, delivered to the home thy rented months ago, but the country is still closed to all foreigners, so they continue to wait for the reopening of the country so they can go.

They missed going by only a few days originally, but we know that our Lord is in control, and His timing is perfect. Please pray for Michael and Tammy as they wait.  They are currently living in a RV home close to family, and I am sure by now, they are wondering if they are ever going to be able to go.  Please pray also for their continued support as they remain in God's timing.

To Our Supporters - Thank you, to each of you, for your prayers and generous support.  Our ministry has been recognized throughout South East Asia as one of the fastest- growing ministries in this region.  Our success is based solely upon the commitment of our indigenous workers (Pastors, Leaders, and Volunteers).  They are the true frontline heroes, who every day are laying their lives down for Christ.  Without your continued support, their efforts would fail.  Like any other organization, it is the combined effort of our leaders and each of you, that makes for continued success.  We continue to celebrate each other's gifting’s and remaining thankful for the efforts and sacrifices that are being made by everyone.  My wife, Janet, and I are deeply indebted to all of you for your goodness.  THANK YOU!

We know that we have so much more to do and accomplish.  We continue Forward Together.  We will remain on this mission with the Lord, and He will accomplish great things through our willingness.

Philippians 3:12-13

I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be.  I have not yet reached that goal, but i continue trying to reach it and to make it mine.  Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he made me his.  Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing i always do.  Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead,

David Roach One Life Ministries/Food for Life

Prayer warriors please pray:

1) For our travels to open so we can get to the Philippines to start helping where needed in the ministry.

2) For the many needs mentioned in the newsletter - finances, health and safety of the people delivering food packages along with God's word.

3) For our living expenses now and all extra finances for the expenses in our move and getting our home setup with the things we need to purchase for it.

Every penny and prayer is significant in the life of the people of Mindanao.

Love, Missionaries Michael & Tammy Naumann