Take me Out To The Ball Game...

Well Baseball season is back which is always good news for me, the not so good news is once again I am not sleeping much due to the time difference and the weird hours the games are coming on. This will probably be my last blog due to the fact that I am coming home next week, I guess this is the blog were I talk about what God has done in my live the things hes has taught me etc. Well coming here I thought I would come home with clear direction on the next step of my life I thought I would be ready to be putting down routes here in the Philippines but after two months I am more clueless now then I was before. Two nights ago I was laying in bed and just could not sleep and like a ton of bricks God hit me with something he had dropped in my spirit during my time in Trinidad as I laid in bed he spoke the word "Haiti" to me I got up right away and went outside to pray. I had allot of questions because I really felt that this trip was going to be my last kinda shorter trip. Now I just have no Idea other then the fact that I wont be coming back here as soon as I had originally thought. What I do know is that I am not ready to make a career of this missionary thing it is allot harder then I would have guessed I have a ton to learn still. So maybe some more shorter trips is what I need maybe I need to work for a year and begin to establish myself in the real world I am not sure time and prayer are really the only things that will tell. What I do know is that when i go again it will be Haiti. I don't really know what else to say I have learned allot but its gonna take me some time to sort through it not to sure how to put it in words, so I love Y'all and I will see you soon.

God Bless

Cam

Where you going Joe...?

We are in Devoa city...right near the ocean, we are helping paint a church (House of Jubilee) and vactioning really. Its been really good, these last three weeks are very important to round this trip out. We went to a resort for three days...called paradise...right along the ocean , we went snorkling, beautiful coral and fish and all kinds of neat stuff...I touch everything... Ha i am so ignorant of the ocean... I am lible to get bitten. We are going back for the day 2morro and snorkeling some more and maybe scuba (likely we will do that later though)

Its been good getting time to sit down and just be with God. I am forcing my self to relex and sit back and read and just try to understand all that has went down in my heart. A lot of tears and prayers! But God is showing me some things and I find joy in just being able to meet with him and have him touch my heart. I felt the holy spirit which always cool. The other day I went for a bathroom break from painting and I fell to the floor in tears...it was crazy...the holy spirit just came upon me and I started praying and worshiping...Ha what a rush!

I just have had to to sit and be still and be open and he revealed himself. Things are making more sense here for me. As we walk down the street here people always yell "Where you going Joe?" (Joe because they think we are from the states... you know like GI. Joes?) I thought the other day..."I am not sure where I am going in life...but that is a good question". I am not sure what Canada has for me...but i am starting to see the reason for this trip...not the whole picture yet but if I countinue seeking God I trust he will give me more and more understanding. The lord is good!

Well thought I should give you all an update...I love you all very much...Thank you for your prayers! 10 days left here! Please keep in prayer for me...for i still have a lot to sort out and it seems I have just began... I have a lot of days and mornings that will be hard. ( got to start the process of giving everything to God everyday) Doing tons of bible reading and intense praying....but i am just glad I see hope again.

God Bless

Byron

Like A Rolling Stone...

Well keeping in true fashion to myself my plans have once again changed, let me give a quick recap here. So when I first was planning this trip out I made contact with an organization called Frontline I told them we would be coming to the Philippines and wondered if they needed any extra help they accepted. After roughly a month there we had really not done to much and I'm not complaining because the people there are awesome but an opportunity to help build a church came up and the same time a potential trip to China came on the scene. We declined the church building project to go to China but China fell through. So we were sitting there thinking about what to do we could of stayed with Frontline but we felt God had something else. The day after China fell through we ran into a fellow name Darrell who is the guy in charge of the church building project, he said he still needed help so we packed up and moved to Cainta. Which is where we have been for the last month helping to get a church building put up. The house we were living in we could only be there until the 26Th of March then we had to figure something else out. So we talked about going back to work with Frontline but it never played out. So then we were like lets go to Thailand and work with some people up there. The price we were told for the tickets was 3900 pesos (a little less the a hundred bucks). In reality because of the water festival going on in Thailand The price was actually $390 dollars we decided that it did not make sense but we still had no were to live. Through a random occurrence Byron's mother emailed a guy that lives here in the Philippines and so somehow we got in touch with him decided we would come see him down in Davao. So that is were we are know currently sleeping on a beach which pretty much rules.

Its funny during our time here we have had allot go on doors opening then closing other doors opening out of no where. It makes me think of something my Mom told me once, "just because it is a good thing does not mean it is a God thing." The doors we had closed on us were not bad things they were good things but they were not what God in store for us, I don't think it is happenstance that every time we have tried to leave the country it has fallen through God wants us here in the Philippines. In life opportunities arise and we are like OK lets do it because it seems like it is something that God would want us to do, when in reality he is pointing us somewhere else. Be sure that you are listening to the fathers voice even if it sounds good it may not be what he actually wants us to do. Get to know the Shepard's voice and you will never be led astray.

Much Love,

Cam

Here's To You

Well y'all can thank Greg Moore for this next blog as he sent me a request for a new one so here it goes. For the past two and a half weeks we have been helping to get a plot of land ready to build on although we have not started building yet due to a fair amount of red tape we have managed to keep fairly busy. Apart from the manual stuff we have gotten involved with the local church here as well. From kids club on Saturday mornings which doubles as a feeding program for impoverished children, to pray meetings and youth services. We are having constant opportunity to show the love of Christ. On the 26th of March we will be heading to Thailand until the 14th of February we were planing on staying in the Philippines the whole time but due to a door closing and our travel agent lying to us we decided to take a door the lord was opening in Thailand. We will be mainly in Chiang Mai, but I hope to do some exploring in other parts as well. This week the Lord began to challenge me to treat my body like the temple that it is. It's been three days since I have consumed junk food of any kind, no ice cream, chocolate bars no coke or candy. It has actually been relatively easy to reach for an apple instead of a Kit Kat, The Lord is gracious when he tells us to do something he is going to give us the strength to do it and will never give us something we can't handle. I feel really healthy these days healthier then I've felt in a while and its only been three days, the Lord rewards obedience and if we are faithful to do the things he puts in our path he will bless us for it. It is not always easy I have killer headaches from caffeine withdrawal but these to will pass. Anyways don't really have anything else to say other then the fact that I have an awesome tan and there is a good chance you don't Peace out.

Cameron

The lesson

Someone here told me they had a dream about me. In it God said I lost two important things from my life. That is the truth! I have lost somethings dear to me. Out of foolishness and pain. This trip is changing my life in so many ways. I can honestly say that life will be different when I get home. I am honestly not looking forward to April 15th. I am learning and taking one day at a time really. I have a great deal of pain to work through, so I am forced to turn to the Cross! I am in the word everyday getting my comfort from God. I have made so big mistake folks! I have misread my Lord, and I took action when I should have sat and waited. I was in pain and emotinal and I wanted to fix something that only God could fix. All I did was make things worse. More pain and long term affects.
I was confused! Maybe still am! But my God is faithful, I look to the cross. God has forgiven me. The lord understands I was trying to be obident, that I was doing all I could to be faithful. My human wisdom got the message cloudy. God rebuked me, but the damage was done.
So I searched the scriptures. Acts 16:6-10 talks about Paul having a hard time figuring out what God wanted him to do. Gods will is not clear even to the most spiritual. But through time God makes his will clear.
I look at Job. He was in a state of hurt and pain such as I. He said some words that he should not have uttered, but God was still happy with him.
"God does take into consideration the severity and intensity of the trials and afflictions, and all the relevant factors in operation in the given context. We need to bear this principle in mind for our own lives and those of others." -"understanding Job"- Lim Kou
God is restoring me, God is using me. I will be stronger through all the struggles. His forgiveness is good. He has taken all my pride from me, he has taken all human knowlege and has shown it to be no more then dust. No wise words do I have. I will preach the cross and speak only the words he has given. No add on's from me. My words have done enough damage. I sit in the consequences and wait for the Lords Mercy in my life. Every morning I will wake and praise the Lord, looking only to the cross for guidence.
"Lord keep me another day, teach me to trust and rely only on you. Bring back the two things I lost, bring blessings to those I love and keep them safe. Help me to walk in love. Let me not lean on my own understanding but speak only the words you give." AMen

Blessings

Byron

Love thats real!

"...though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved."-2 Corinthians 12:15

In this worlds view of love we expect something in return. But true love is a choice. Not that it does not involve feelings, it does! Its full of emotions and feelings. But love remembers the good and lets go of the bad. It's full of grace and forgiveness. It gives before it takes. It's understanding through the worst of times. Love does not fly off the handle and attack ones person-hood. Love always remembers the good in a person, always chooses to remember Christ has a purpose for that person.
When viewing someones character love never says "they have bad character." Instead love says "they have made bad choices."
People always have a choice, right or wrong. It's often harder to do right. Love understands people have a hard time in this messed up world. Sometimes people choose to walk outside of God's calling in there lives. Love does not Judge but waits and trusts that God will take them through all there junk to a bright future.
Love gives the benifit of the doubt.
Paul was saying in this scripture " My love will grow for you, regardless of what you do to me, regardless of how you treat me. You can hate me and I will still love you more."
Paul was a servant of Christ.
He was willing to be hurt and abused for the sake of people. Not suffer because of who they are. But suffer so they would see Christ.
Paul took joy in his suffering!
Because Jesus suffered for love too! (2 Corinthians 8:9)
Real love suffers for another!

I Was A Highway Man...

Well its been a few weeks since my lasts blog so I figure it is time to give you all a taste of what is going on in my life. Well for starters I have found a beautiful Filipino girlfriend just kidding or am I, who knows you don't because your not hear. In a snap decision we decided to move from the peace and tranquility of camp live in San Pablo. We will be spending the next 2-3 weeks in the Metro Manila area, living in the city of Cainta one of many cities that makes up Manila. Here once again I am reunited with old friends and again making new ones we met a couple other whiteys from Canada Lethbridge to be exact. Together with them we have started to clear a lot which is going to be used for the new church building of the New Hope fellowship. We started Monday cutting down trees moving piles and piles of rubble from the yard, breaking up existing concrete etc. This new work means we are outside most of the day which means we are finally tanning I of course have the best tan no surprise but Brandon's is coming along as well and Byron well he is still very much white. its funny because all the Filipinos want to be white and all we want is to be dark go figure. I've been dwelling on the Lords grace allot for the past week, I was reflecting on my life and as I looked back over all the crap that I've done and has happened to me. It is impossible to see myself as someone who can be used by God but the fact of the matter is that we are all new creations in Christ the old has passed away. This has really been motivating me to press on that realization that my wrong doings have been and will continue to be covered by the love of Christ. It encourages me to know that who I am is not defined by my short comings, but that I am defined by Christ in me and he sees me as a loving father sees his child. No matter how many times we fall down he will pick us up dust us off and give us exactly what we need to continue on. I pray for those of you who read this and have already made that choice to put Christ number one in your life, that you would be made stronger today and you would know the awesome power of the grace of our Lord. For those of you who read this and do not believe or have never heard the message of Jesus my prayer for you is that you begin to look at your live and ask yourself if your happy for real are you actually happy, if not I would like to talk to you more about my best friend Jesus.

God bless you all I love you and Christ loves you always remember Gods grace is bigger then you bigger then anything you have ever done or ever will do, and he is mighty to save he will pull you from the depths of despair and set you apart and you will soar with wings like eagles. Until we meet again.

Cam

When the rain falls

The weather was wet here. The rain fell out of season here for a good three to four weeks. I am having a hard time here. My life is being pulled in ways that are strange and scary. I am hurt....
Why am I here? What will this bring? I rely on my Lord. He sees the bigger picture when I am broken. I need healing here....its a great land. I am a man that walks thats all I know. I will get up every morning. I am learning the hard lessons. When everything seems wrong the Lord is right and just. But I am questioning everything!
Pray my freinds... I need your prayers

HINDEE PO!

Sooo. It's update time. We have had a couple major changes since our last blog.

Biggest change we've had so far has been one of scenery so to speak. We have traded our homebase of jungle and relatively nicer people from San Pablo to that of a city skyline and a faster lifestyle. We were offered a chance to help a church, here in Manilla, build their church. And obviously(as put forward in a big obvious sentance at the start of this paragraph) we accepted. It is sad to leave our home in San Pablo, as the people there were amazing, but we all felt that it was time to move on.

Also our plan to go to China has fallen through. The pastors involved prayed about it and felt that it was important for Pastor Romeo (the guy we were going with) to go alone to get a feel for Gods plan for it. And we are cool with that. Our prayers go out with Romeo and hope God blesses him hugely while he is there So we are going to be going to Thailand for a couple weeks in April instead we think.

So right now we are just finishing our stint in a hotel waiting for where we are staying to have some beds for us. The area we are staying in here in Manilla can more or less be described as red light district. Hookers everywhere, offers for certain drug stimulants and beggars chasing you down. Sadly enough alot of the child beggars actually work for someone who sends them out to beg and bring back money. It actually is really taxing on my spirit being here at nights. During the days it's not bad. But as soon as it's dark it's just really frustrating walking anywhere. Alot of the girls in the area are trying to make money so they can move somewhere to make a better life for themselves. This area is really dark and it's shown by everyone who lives here.

We've been here for about 4 weeks. And we still have another 6 left. So It'll be really interesting to see what else God has for us here. Well dudes I should go pack as check out is in an hour.

We all love you guys, miss you and can't wait to hear from all of you. If your looking for something to do in between getting off the internet and doing whatever we have distracted you from it would be awesome if you guys wanted to pray for us. Here is some of the stuff that we're could use some back-up on.

-My (brandon) stupid cold. It's been about 4 weeks now
-Cut some red tape on our building project so some actual building can be done
-God's direction post the Phillipines
-People who got saved at the crusade to just continue to walk out their faith
-Our trip to Thailand
-The gangrene on Camerons brain would clear up (we got an ointment for it)

One of the above is not like the other, you get three guesses to figure out which one it is.
Anyway I gotta go for real this time. Love you all. Seriously

Brandon

I Hate You Guys...Really

So a new day, a new blog.

Well Cam made good on his promise and off-ed the ducks. Seriously. So all raise a glass to the memories of Stumpy, Goliath, and Pedro the Strong, Mighty and Brave. We're not quite sure what happened. I think they got cold or something.

Well onto happier things. As you guys know (well you know if you've been reading our blog) we've been living on a crusade site for the past week and a half. And it has been a glass half full experience. On the half empty side we we're living outside during the coldest week in the Phillipines and snap, it was cold. It also got a little boring at times. But then the evenings happened. And God showed up and became evident on how he worked. Pretty much everyone in the audience came up and gave their life to Christ. Depending on the night some people in the audience came up 3 or 4 times during the week (I don't think they completely understood the fact they only had to come up once). So that was amazing seeing God transform lives. One particular guy named Ricky who I bought my Coca Cola from every night was so excited about God. He would come up and talk to the Phillipino guys about it and even came to church on Sunday. So keep those people in your your prayers if you have a chance.

At the end of the month we're hoping to head to China with one of the Pastor's here, Pastor Romeo. He's hoping to move to China and start a church there, so we're going to scout out the country. It's pretty exciting.

Sooo yea. Comments, questions and general observations.

When You Hear Tim McGraw I Hope You Think Of Me

I'm in a weird mood right now it's 10:18 am Tuesday Febuary 19th. I am sitting alone in a coffee shop, here in San Pablo city Philippines. Drinking ice tea and listening to country music, sound peaceful right well mabey to a normal person but one thing I have learned about myself is that I'm not really normal. My mind is racing with a million different thoughts about everything from life to love, music my friends, family, God my possible trips to China and Thailand that I might go on while I'm over hear. Do we ever really know what the future has in store even when we feel God speak to us about the next step can we ever fully grasp it. Who knows but God is at work that is one thing I will forever be sure of, last week I wrote a blog about coming back to Asia next year for a year. Then the next thing I know doors start opening there is an American here in the camp right now and me and him hit it off right away, litterally hours after my blog was posted he talks to me about coming back to Asia for a year next year. Then a pastor here at the camp starts talking about how the Lord is going to be moving his family to China in June. So hopefully I will get to go with him the end of this month to scout the land. So when I come back there is an open door in China the Lord continues to show me that he has never taking his hand of my life. Doors are being opened for me to minister over hear and my dream in starting to come alive, when I arrived in the Philippines 4 years ago I was a much different person, there was alot of termoil in my life, but good used the kind and gentle spirit of the Filipino people to soften and break my heart. Last time I left I made a promise to myself and God that I would give all I have to this nation until he call's me home or "home." I'm not 100% what I am trying to say right now but as I listen to Tim McGraw sing about living like you were dying that is what I want to really say through this blog. If there is a dream in your heart go for it I'm doing it right now and have never felt better this is where I belong, this is what I'm ment to do live by faith from a suitcase that is where true spiritual freedom comes from. If your dream is to backpack Liberia telling people about Jesus, or if God has impressed on your heart to get famous and save Hollywood. Anything and everything if it is the dream God has given you do it, take the plunge jump of that cliff grow wings and soar above clouds just you and our creator. You gotta take the first step though as my Mom says the journey of Faith is not for wimps, if you live your whole life as a "wimp" you will miss everything God has for you, you gotta be bold to do things the world calls stupid. If you don't have a dream yet get one however you gotta do it for me it took hokking up with LifeForce I hated acting and speaking and anything to do with crying which seems to be a large part of LifeForce, but through it I have been learning Gods plan for me. Whats your next move you can pray about it till your blue in the face but sometimes you gotta just do it (thank you Nike). Well I will let you go, the preasance of the Lord is so strong in this coffee shop right now I think the people working here think I'm crazy. I love y'all May God bless you and keep may he cause his face to shine apon you.

Cam

Jungle

So since monday we have been sleeping out in the jungle about an hours drive from civilization. I feel like Rambo as our job is to defend the tent at all costs even if that means taking people out (all in the name of the gospel of course). But we sleep under the stars there is wildlife everywhere, but its fun we will be out there for another 5 or 6 days not to sure. So it could be a while before we get back to the internet, I will be coming home as planned april 16 we get back, after praying about it I did not feel right to stay. The crusade has been going well since it started tues night at best guess i would say anywere between 150-200 people have been saved and others healed very exciting. The ducks are turning out to be a horrible idea they never shut up, I am very close to putting an end to them. Well bye for now.

Cam

Rectifying the words of a saducee

Greetings everyone,

First off let me just say that the lie applied to "paper" by that saducee Cameron, is false. Myself and Byron have been making an attempt to learn the language. I already know such tongue twisters as "okay" as well as "thanks". If thats not learning the language I don't know what is =)

Well now that that is out of the way.

We have been pretty busy the last week doing everything from going to the market to setting up crusade tents. It's pretty hot as demonstrated by mine and Cams red shoulders. As well as our sunburnt Indian friend Andy. This next week coming up we will be staying at the crusade site as Cam has mentioned. Our basic job will be defending the camp from any attempts to ussurp the equipment. We figure if we bang some pots around it should scare of the locals. We may throw in a curse word now and then but only English ones so as not to keep anyone from coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ.

And last but now least we would like to let you guys know about the newest additions to the group. Three young individuals known as Goliath, Stumpy and Pedro the Strong, Mighty and Brave. We have decided that the moral fibre that the three displayed was worthy of being one of us.

We bought them the other day and they are voracious eaters. They almost took off Byrons finger but you'd be amazed as to what alchohol, thread and a little elbow grease will do. Well Thats all for now as Byron is wanting to get a word in edgewise. (Stumpy isn't in the picture)

Cheers,

Brandon

I've Been Awake For A While Now....

Ok so this is probably not what y'all wanna hear but it looks like I might be staying longer its not for sure it depends on how much it will cost to change my flight. There is a brother hear in the camp getting married and he wants me to stay for his wedding. I also think he wants me to be in the wedding party but I'm not sure because his english is not the best. Also I think the Lord has revealed the next step of my walk, I want to find four or five people(male or female) with a desire to learn about God and do missions. Then in January come back here and stay for one year traveling around studying Gods word and doing missions together, if that is something you are interested in start praying and we can be in touch. Bye for now

Cam

Benga Benga

So we have been here for a week now crazy I know, it has been a very busy but still very fun week, it has been really amazing to re connect with old friends, and to make some new ones as well, we took part in a mini two night crusade in which we saw roughly 80-90 recive Christ as Lord of their lives, very exciting, there is going to be another crusade next week about an hour from the camp, so the three of us will be sleeping at the crusade sight next week, so there probably will not be any updates next week, keep praying for us as we serve the Lord over here, Byron and Brandon seem to have no intrest in learning the language, I on the other hand have a deep desire to learn it you can pray God gives me a supernatural ability to learn it, well my lunch is ready gotta go more to come.

Cameron

My Two Cents

Just saying hi. HI! Otherwise I'm just going to say the same thing as everyone else.

Well maybe just a couple words.

This place is amazing. Just the cheer of these people astounds me. Especially since the majority of people are so impoverished. I love it. Tokyo has the most confusing airport ever just so everyone knows. Whoever wants to send you prayers our way it would be very appreciated. Also I think my shoulders are a little sunburnt. Scratch that they are very sunburnt.

Cheers
Brandon

Oh snap!

Hey so we got to the land of Phil all right. All the flights were delayed, we had some trouble finding our boarding posts in Japan and we were very tired but we made it. We will be busy while we are here. And the only outlet of communications in the internet at internet cafe's. So if I do not send much email that is the reason I will try to update everybody on here.
We got right in to helping out here. Yesterday we were walking around the community inviting people to the celebration service for those excepted Christ from last weeks outreach.
I gave my testimony which was strange because I had to use a translator. But still cool to share about Christ again. Today we helped take down the tent.
This place is soo different then Canada. There is a lot of poverty but everybody is happy! People live in shacks. Its crazy in the city there is still jungle. People just cut down trees and build there houses. I was walking yesterday in the trees and there are like a bunch of houses just tucked in there and this is in the city. People live in like shacks in the trees.
The language barrier is annoying that I can't really follow what is going on. Yesterday we visited this couple and we just sat there as they discussed Jesus and I was just sitting there having no idea what was being said.
The kids here love us, they crowd around and ask tons of questions so that is fun. And the people at the Camp are so happy we are here. They are all great and take good care of us.
Anyway thats a quick update.
PEACE

San Pablo

Well after years of talk I have finally made good on my word and have returned to the land that stole my heart 4 years ago. It feels amazing to be back here surrounded by perpetual heart crowded markets, and some of the most amazing people the good Lord ever created. We are super excited about what God is going to do here, we have been busy already we are tired and slightly jet lagged but there is something about this place that makes that seem to not matter. Nothing to major to report yet just wanted to let y'all now were alive.

Cam

Delayed

Attention all our loyal and devoted fans escpecially my legion of adoring females out there, nothing to major but we are stuck in calgary an hour longer then hoped after arriving here at an unholy hour of the morning, we were greated by the crappy news that our adventure will be put on hold one more hour but never fear we will still arive on time. Stay tunned more to come.

Cam "Worlds Greatest" Sparks