0611NL

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=120 BGCOLOR="#FFCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0443f781egdyul.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#009900" FACE="Arial" ><B>Proclaim His Praise in the Islands - the Hallowells</B></FONT> <B> </B><B>|    </B><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Proclaim His Praise in the Islands the "><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=360 BGCOLOR="#CCFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> 0611NL</div> <div> November, 2006</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="26132550.jpg" border=0 width="306" height="341" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> We stand in front of our display after speaking in Jay’s boyhood church, Cedar Creek Friends Church, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Dear Friend,</div> <bR> <div> <B>Happy Thanksgiving!</B></div> <bR> <div> We are writing this in Iowa, towards the end of a six-week road trip that has also taken us to churches in Nebraska and Illinois.  It has been a wonderful trip, as you can read and see inside.</div> <bR> <div> As we write, we look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with the Hallowells.  The 4th Thursday in November is just another day in the Philippines.  Therefore we are looking forward to not only having it as a holiday, but also seeing family as well.  It will also be fun to eat foods we have missed, like turkey and pumpkin pie, and to enjoy football.  Most of all, it will be great to thank God for all He has done!</div> <bR> <div> We are very grateful for our time in the USA since we arrived last June 6.  It has been great to catch up with family, friends, and churches and to see and be a part of what God is doing here.</div> <bR> <div> We are here in the USA, of course, on a mobilization assignment.  To continue to reach Asia, much is still needed.  New missionaries are needed.  Funds are needed.  Prayer is needed.  Please continue to pray that the Lord will continue to mobilize all the resources needed for us to return to teaching and mentoring Asian seminary students by mid-May, 2007.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!</B></div> <div> Jay and Amor</div> <bR> <div> Page 2</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="26324780.jpg" border=0 width="292" height="376" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Amor speaks to a group of women from three churches at a Missions Conference in Iowa.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Wow! Just for us?</B></div> <bR> <div> Driving from Illinois to Iowa we stopped at a State Park in Illinois on a Saturday with decent weather.  We were amazed to be the only ones there.  Then, on a warm day in Iowa we stopped at an Iowa State Park built around a reservoir.  Again we had the whole park to ourselves.  It was a treat to enjoy such natural beauty, space, and privacy.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>What the name ‘Jesus’ means?</B></div> <bR> <div> On this trip we participated in a Bible study led by a pastor we stayed with.  It was a thrill to watch a layman catch a really significant idea from that Bible study.  In the discussion the question came up about what sin is.  His initial answer was that “A sin is doing something we think is wrong.”  Not a bad answer, but we asked him to think a little longer.  Slowly he grinned as the lights came on.  “A sin”, he said correcting himself, “is doing something that God has revealed is wrong.”</div> <bR> <div> In a post-modern world that says there is no ultimate standard (and thus no sin and thus no need for salvation), it was great that he and the rest of the group realized that there is a real God who sets a real standard about what is sin and what the only solution to sin is.  Neither the name ‘Jesus’ nor the Christmas story makes sense without this awareness of sin. (see Matthew 1:21)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Cold and Frosty – Yes!</B></div> <bR> <div> One Sunday morning I (Jay) went out to the car parked on the street in Iowa to leave to speak at an 8:15 worship service.  There was frost on the car, so I started the engine and the defrosters, found the ice scraper and cleared the frost from the windows.  The only odd thing was that I thoroughly enjoyed it!  It felt fun to feel cold and scrape frost after over 4 years of endless summer in the Philippines.  </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Future?</B></div> <bR> <div> In Chicago we had the chance to visit student ministries at two of Chicago’s universities.  While neither ministry was huge, we appreciated the program of these two groups.  The longest part of their meetings was leading the students through systematic study of whole paragraphs and chapters of the Bible in small groups.  They studied the paragraphs in context and applied the main points in their lives.  This gives us great hope about the future of Bible-believing Christianity in America.  The students were there because they wanted to be, in order to learn what God revealed about Himself in the scriptures and to do what they learn!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Our Tentative Schedule</B></div> <div> West coast: WA, OR, CA, NV      Winter</div> <div> Colorado & Plains     Spring</div> <div> To the Philippines, we pray     Mid-May</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Near misses & clear roads</B></div> <bR> <div> We almost hit a deer and then a raccoon coming home late one evening from a missions conference at which we spoke.  We have really enjoyed the wildlife we have seen along the way.  We also enjoy the ease of traveling on wide, pothole-free American highways.  We are especially grateful to the Lord for safety traveling in a reliable and comfortable vehicle.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Page 3</div> <div> <B> <A NAME="message_not_messenger"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2623d7e0.jpg" border=0 width="317" height="382" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Jays preaches at Salem Friends Church</div> <bR> <div> <B>It’s about the message, not the messengers!</B></div> <bR> <div> “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  (Matthew 6:33 NIV)</div> <bR> <div> We in OMF-International apply Jesus’ command in the verse above to raising funds.  As we speak and interact with people at church and in their homes and restaurants, etc., we seek to see how by listening, asking questions, telling some stories from our experiences, and speaking timely words from the Lord we can encourage each one in his/her journey of faith in the King.  We don’t ask anyone to support our ministry (or that of OMF), even though we (and OMF) need support.  We do pray for the King to move those He wants to give.  </div> <bR> <div> Some ask us if this system works (in bringing in the necessary support).  Others suggest that we need to say more about our financial needs, since so many other missionaries, ministries, non-profit organizations, and churches are indeed very forward about fund-raising.  We don’t avoid asking for money because it ‘works’.  We do so because we love the King and seek His Kingdom to come in each person and group to whom the King brings us.</div> <bR> <div> How can you help to mobilize resources?</div> <div> 1.     Please pray for new supporters</div> <div> 2.     Invite us to speak at groups/churches where we are not yet known</div> <div> 3.     Pray for additional younger partners</div> <div> 4.     Introduce us to people</div> <div> 5.     Pray!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Meanwhile in the Philippines</B></div> <div> •     The new dormitory opened at BSOP</div> <div> •     The seminary students are studying hard with less than a month before finals (and Christmas break)</div> <div> •     Two OMF co-workers have serious illnesses.</div> <div> •     Missionaries and churches are gearing up for significant evangelistic efforts this Christmas season</div> <div> •     God continues to answer your prayers!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Page 4</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="26558880.gif" border=0 width="600" height="136" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Linus is right!</div> <bR> <div> We don’t always appreciate how long God worked and how much He did to make the first Christmas happen. </div> <div>  </div> <div> May you appreciate it again this year!</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Merry Christmas</div> <div> &</div> <div> Happy New Year!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Thank You!</B></div> <bR> <div> Thank you very much for listening to the Lord and letting Him use you as partners in our ministry.  Thank you for your prayers, your encouragement, your gifts, your support, and your cards, letters, e-mails, etc.  (<A HREF="id21_support.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact information</U></A>)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Jay and Amor</div> <bR> <bR> <div> by Jay and Amor Hallowell</div> <div> Updated: November 21, 2006</div> <div> --------------------------------- end of Hallowell content ----------------------------------------------</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>