Missionary Dale E. Mueller
Prayer Needs
Also please check the VISION link and recent NEWSLETTERS.
I will be visiting our churches in Bicol January 19-29, 2012. (Ragay, San Jose and Caramoan).
Thyphoon Pedring (International Name Nesat) devastated a vast portion of Navotas, Metro Manila. At least 1000 small shanty style houses were flattened, including 30 families from our church. Please read the recent newsletters (Newsletter link, then Archive link) and also see Pictures on Picture Link. Most of our families of house or apartment. A few are still living in an evacuation center, which is usually just a space on a cover basketball court.
I appreciate so many of you expressing concern about my health. Mostly, I am doing fine. Here is an update from my most recent newsletter: In October and early November I had 2 BLOODTESTS that indicated that I had aggressive cancer that needed immediate treatment. Of course that set things into a turmoil here, as I usually have travel, speaking, and project plans laid out for several months in advance. Many of you, who knew about it, began to PRAY, along with friends in the Philippines, China and Vietnam. After consulting with my doctor in Billings by phone, we decided that we needed to confirm the result at a different laboratory to be sure. The THIRD RESULT WAS NORMAL. To be doubly sure, I went to a reputable medical center in the rich part of Metro Manila, about 20 miles from here, to have it done one more time. The FOURTH RESULT WAS NORMAL ALSO. Either the first 2 results were wrong, or the Lord did a miracle in between results. Either way, I PRAISE THE LORD.
Here is also an update regarding MS from my recent newsletter: I’m coming up on 20 YEARS SINCE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH MS, almost all of it spent in the mission field in the Philippines and China. I recently heard somebody describe his life with MS as “life-style of struggle.” It’s true that everyday I need to DECIDE THAT THE JOY OF MY WORK IS STRONGER THAN THE PAIN OF STRUGGLE. MS is a progressive disease and it did get the upper hand, after my surgery earlier this year. The struggle is getting bigger, but I cannot imagine quitting as long as I still have a choice to press on. PLEASE DO CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR ME.
Please see my recent newsletter and PICTURES link for updates on my recent trip to China and Vietnam.
A number of projects were left on hold during my absence from the Philippines and China in 2010 and for surgery early in 2011. Praise God that everything is up-to-date, except one water development project in Caramoan, which is ironically delayed because of too much rain.
In July 2010 we helped Naga City Hope in Christ Christian Church (Bicol area) to build a simple structure for their temporary home after losing their rented facilities. Pray for a permanent home for them and continued growth of their ministry.
NAVOTAS: We purchased an old building in Navotas in 1995 and renovated it for church use. Since that our congregation has grown to the point that we have really have too many people and activities for the size of our building. We are doing our best to search for innovative ways to schedule things more efficiently, but we need lots of prayer for meeting the growing demands of the ministry. We have a number of options we are looking at, including selling our existing building and building in a new location. The total net cost of a lot and building would be approximately $80,000. We could rebuild on our current site for about $50,000, but we have a problem about a meeting place during construction. Actually, our best option would be for some adjacent land to be available for sale so we could expand and renovate in a phased project. We need your prayers.
MALABON: We have been renting a small building here for many years. We continue to look for a permanant home for this church. However, it is difficult to buy land and build in places like Malabon and Navotas.
RAGAY: We finished a building here in 2001. Last year, we had some termite damage here and will have to address that later in 2011.
CARAMOAN: We finished a building here in 2005.
SAN JOSE: We finished a building here in 2008. We hope to add a dormitory building here to enable us to used this place as a MINISTRY TRAINING CENTER.
Pray for a renewed fire of devotion in extending our VISION FOR MISSION OUTREACH from FILIPINO CHURCHES: THAT FILIPINOS, INCLUDING THE POOR, CAN TRUST GOD TO PROVIDE EVERY NEED OF THOSE WHO OPEN THEIR HEARTS TO ENTHUSIASTICALLY CARRY GOD’S BLESSINGS TO THE LOST IN THE PHILIPPINES AND ALL ASIA, AND THAT THE NATION, THE PEOPLE, AND THE CHURCHES OF THE PHILIPPINES WILL BE BLESSED IN THE PROCESS. We need God's wisdom as we plan to set up a mission agency for Filipinos, but not a copy of what others are doing. We are praying for a grass-roots movement in the hearts of potential missionaries and supporting churches, as well as a move of God's Spirit to open unseen doors for us among un-reached people of Asia.
Please read our VISION by following the VISION link above. Most of all pray for the development of churches in the Philippines and China, and a MISSION VISION to reach places like VIETNAM and LAOS.
DALE MUELLER'S PERSONAL REQUESTS:
Please let me hear from you. Email: icm@pldtdsl.net.
DALE MUELLER'S HEALTH:
I know that I have been able to continue in the mission field only by the
grace of God and through the continued covering of prayers by many. In 1987 I
was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I struggle daily with the symptoms,
which include weakness on my left side (now often on both sides), numbness in my extremities, pain, vision problems, fatigue,
migraine type headaches and mobility
problems. I have really experienced the truth of what our Lord said to Paul,
"my grace is sufficient for you," however, I know that prayer in my behalf
has kept me me focused on this wonderful truth. Please keep praying and know
that by His grace, I will continue on, full speed ahead!
Multiple Sclerosis is a very unpredictable and variable disease. In my case,
as with many others, the symptoms go in cycles. There are times when I am
almost free of symptoms and other times when they are almost
unbearable. Unfortunately, in my case, the cycles get increasingly more severe. Just to help you monitor my situation and be guided in your
prayers, I will update the information below from time to time.
THE
CURRENT EFFECT OF MS SYMPTOMS ON MY ACTIVITIES ON A
SCALE FROM 1 TO 10, WHERE
1 IS ALMOST NO NOTICEABLE AFFECT AND
10
IS IMMOBILIZED
8 (Updated
1/16/2012)