MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Wilkins!

It has been a busy season for the Wilkins!

Home Assignment began the end of August.  Even with 2 weeks of back to back Covid, we were able to speak at three churches in North Carolina, eleven churches in the Pittsburgh district, one church in Sparta Michigan, one in Albany Oregon and two churches in Southern California including our home church, Glendora Community Church.  We also had some good visits with friends and family.  What a blessing it was to share with the Pittsburgh district about the work of River of Life Church of the Nazarene, the church that they partnered with on Work & Witness last year without even setting foot in the country.  Thank you!  Also, we were able to build excitement at Gracepoint Church of the Nazarene in Albany Oregon for their trip this next spring in Bicol District of the Philippines.  They also sent their funds ahead after two years of delay on their project so it could begin this year. 

We are so excited to have them “come and see” the ministry of this fast-growing district next April. 

After returning home October 20, we hit the ground running.  One of the most exciting things that is happening in the Philippines this year is our Nazarene Youth International (NYI)Teams.  This is a partnership of Work & Witness and NYI.  We are having teams put together from our 12 Filipino districts to give mission experience to our young professionals.  With more and more missionaries coming from the Philippines, the Asia Pacific Region is encouraging the young people here to have mission experience.  Our hope is that many will experience a fresh call in their lives as they serve, and that some would answer a call to missions.  We have had the blessing of speaking to many of these young people about our call and how God can use laypeople in his service around the world.  So, just one week after our return to the Philippines we were down in Panabo Church of the Nazarene on the island of Mindanao serving with a very passionate team.  What a blessing to see the partnership of this NYI team and the very exciting ministry of the church. They have planted 4 outreach churches in their area.  The team finished a classroom alabaster project with interior and exterior paint, electrical, refinished doors and a table.  They also participated in outreach, and a Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Box Party for the children.  They also provided an NYI event for the local church.  It was so fun to see these two ministries partner.

If you would like to give to provide project funds for these Local Work & Witness teams happening in the Philippines click here!

Late in 2019 we were also assigned as the Asia Pacific Regional Work & Witness Coordinators. 

Late in 2019 we were also assigned as the Asia Pacific Regional Work & Witness Coordinators.  During the Pandemic this has not been a lot of workload.  As Asia opens up, we are now excited to see the prospect for teams coming into the different fields here as well as the prospect for NYI partnerships in these fields.  The fields include Southeast Asia, Sealands, Melanesia, Australia/New Zealand, China Ministries in addition to the Philippines-Micronesia field.  Many of the areas have Creative Access Area’s.  At the end of November we scheduled a meeting with our field W&W coordinators and Field Strategy Coordinators.  We were excited to share all the new changes coming to the short-term mission’s program in the Church of the Nazarene.  We will share more of these details in coming newsletters as we get closer to the General Assembly next year in Indianapolis, where 50 years of Work & Witness will be celebrated.  It will be a wonderful celebration.

If you would like to give to provide project funds for these local Work & Witness teams happening on the Asia Pacific Region Click Here!

On November 18 Patty, Belinda and our Mikal arrived in the Philippines.  This is our first visit from home and we had so much fund sharing some of our ministry here in the Philippines with them.  What a blessing!  My sister, Patty, has heard me share so many things over the years here and this time we got to show her in person.  Belinda, the NMI president at our home church, took many notes to take home and share with our church.  She also brought a big check for the Shechem Children’s Home ministry here. We are hoping Glendora Community Church might consider a Work & Witness project in the Philippines some time in the future.

Shortly after they departed we enjoyed hosting a guest from Helping Hands Germany as she enjoyed time at Shechem Children’s home.  We were blessed to share our passion for this ministry and we have hopes that there will be an ongoing partnership in the future.  This was a busy week as Art Projects were completed at the home in preparation for the first ever Program Exhibit.  Shechem staff shared their heart and also the full ministry of trauma informed psychiatric, medical, dental, and counseling care for children who have been rescued from Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC) is given in a home-like setting.  It was a fun time where the children sang and danced, and shared the art work that they had worked on.  We had stakeholders and members of our local churches come and share in this event. 

If you would like to give a year end gift to support Shechem Children’s Home, Click Here!

In early December we had our Board of Trustees meetings at Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary or APNTS.  I am blessed to take notes at these meetings and hear the passion for education in our region.  There are many concerns and many decisions, and many really smart people finding solutions.  What a blessing to be a part of Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary, where transformational leaders are molded, and education is reaching farther into our region as online and hybrid education expands.  Kevin’s work with facilities and development and my work in the office keeps us both busy!

If you would like to give a year end gift to Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary Click Here!

We would think that we were slowing down for Christmas, but we ended up taking a quick trip to the Eastern Visayas District, where we have two potential Alabaster projects.  We were so glad we were able to make this trip as face-to-face meetings and walking the properties, make a real difference in understanding and planning.  It was a very profitable time.  We will continue to pray about these projects and the ministries these facilities provide for.  We ended our meetings on these beautiful islands, at the district assembly.  We do enjoy hearing about the ministry in the local churches and experiencing the worship in the different areas. We arrived home just in time for Christmas Eve. We will enjoy a quiet Christmas weekend sharing some fellowship at one of our missionary families Christmas Eve and a visit to Shechem Children’s home on Christmas Sunday after church.

It has been a busy season this fall until now.  We are a bit overwhelmed, but we are looking forward to some quiet time next week before our schedule of District Assemblies and another NYI project takes off in January. 

We look forward to many more stories to tell in the coming months.  May the Lord bless you this Christmas with hope and peace and lead you as you move forward into the new year.

Much Love,  Kevin and Janet.

Check out this short clip of a ride in a trike. This is a common mode of transportation around town.