Just a couple of more days until Christmas and we finally finished our preparations. It certainly is not like the Philippines here in cold and windy Illinois! Yesterday when the wind chill was below zero we focused on staying warm!
Andie, Mark and their children arrived late Saturday afternoon so the house is filled with the wonderful sounds of children in anticipation of Christmas. Beth will fly in Wednesday morning to be with us for 5 days. We are blessed with a wonderful family.
As we center on the amazing birth of our Lord and savior and the love and grace of our God we are awed at all that has been done on our behalf. We pray that you and your family will have a blessed Christmas as you remember all God did for each of you.
With love through our risen Lord!
Rodger and Dixie
Monday, December 22, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
NEW DIRECTIONS
A couple of years ago God began to show us that our time and purpose for being with AFC was coming to a close and we started to pray for God’s direction. During this same time (unknown to us) God was putting into place others who would take over the leadership. In November, through an extraordinary set of circumstances (that only God could have orchestrated or planned) two of the AFC board members who care deeply about the AFC mission stepped forward to assume the director’s job and lead that mission to their next level. The board members’ lengthy involvement with the AFC mission allowed them to begin immediately, with no transition time.
This unexpected release from our commitment to AFC was God’s answer to our prayer for direction and in January 2009 we will return to the Philippines to resume our original ministry of Discipleship. We will focus our discipleship ministry on college and high school youth. We will once again provide Children’s Sunday School lesson material and teacher training. And as God guides we look forward to starting another congregation in Davao City. The fact that more than half of the population of the Philippines is under the age of 21 has greatly influenced our direction.
We plan to continue working with some men whom we have mentored for several years and to let them take the lead in this ministry. They have watched us in ministry, and worked along side of us with us in the lead; now it is time to let them take the lead and for us to work alongside of them.
Our biggest financial need will be to have enough funds to rent a building large enough to house us, our co-workers and all the ministry space needed. We need an additional $1,000 monthly support.
We covet your prayers as we return to the Philippines and as we begin this ministry. Pray for God’s provision of our financial needs and for wisdom and guidance as we look for the right location for the ministry—we want to be close to one of the many universities in Davao City.
This unexpected release from our commitment to AFC was God’s answer to our prayer for direction and in January 2009 we will return to the Philippines to resume our original ministry of Discipleship. We will focus our discipleship ministry on college and high school youth. We will once again provide Children’s Sunday School lesson material and teacher training. And as God guides we look forward to starting another congregation in Davao City. The fact that more than half of the population of the Philippines is under the age of 21 has greatly influenced our direction.
We plan to continue working with some men whom we have mentored for several years and to let them take the lead in this ministry. They have watched us in ministry, and worked along side of us with us in the lead; now it is time to let them take the lead and for us to work alongside of them.
Our biggest financial need will be to have enough funds to rent a building large enough to house us, our co-workers and all the ministry space needed. We need an additional $1,000 monthly support.
We covet your prayers as we return to the Philippines and as we begin this ministry. Pray for God’s provision of our financial needs and for wisdom and guidance as we look for the right location for the ministry—we want to be close to one of the many universities in Davao City.
1993--2008
By the end of 1993 our work with the Itawes was being done by the Filipino church leaders so we withdrew and allowed them to take the lead. We began to concentrate our efforts in the area of Christian Education. We led Sunday School teacher training seminars throughout the island of Luzon and started to produce children’s Sunday School materials to fill the void of available curriculum material.
We worked with the newly established church in Makati and the church caught the vision of quality Sunday School for children and became partners with us in the development of curriculum for churches.
While we came home for furlough ’94-’95 the Makati church took over our responsibilities with the curriculum—selling it to churches and training teachers to use the material. Upon our return to the Philippines in ’95 the Makati church requested to be the ones to continue that ministry of Curriculum development, training and distribution. \
We were stunned but thrilled as we happily gave that ministry over to them (the Makati church continues to do this ministry until today!)
But, now we were in the Philippines without a ministry….asking God what He wanted us to do—where He wanted us to serve? He answered our prayers and led us into the next phase of our ministry.
In 1997 we moved to Mindanao—the second largest island of the Philippines. Rodger served as Field Director of Ambassadors for Christ—a mission established in 1970. His job included overseeing: 50+ employees, a medical ministry, a children’s home, a new urban church planting ministry, training preachers, construction, maintenance and grounds for two training centers, purchasing supplies abroad for the mission, representing the mission in the U.S. and Canada, producing newsletters, raising financial support and anything else that needed to be done.
We served in this administrative capacity for 11 years and it kept us busy!
We worked with the newly established church in Makati and the church caught the vision of quality Sunday School for children and became partners with us in the development of curriculum for churches.
While we came home for furlough ’94-’95 the Makati church took over our responsibilities with the curriculum—selling it to churches and training teachers to use the material. Upon our return to the Philippines in ’95 the Makati church requested to be the ones to continue that ministry of Curriculum development, training and distribution. \
We were stunned but thrilled as we happily gave that ministry over to them (the Makati church continues to do this ministry until today!)
But, now we were in the Philippines without a ministry….asking God what He wanted us to do—where He wanted us to serve? He answered our prayers and led us into the next phase of our ministry.
In 1997 we moved to Mindanao—the second largest island of the Philippines. Rodger served as Field Director of Ambassadors for Christ—a mission established in 1970. His job included overseeing: 50+ employees, a medical ministry, a children’s home, a new urban church planting ministry, training preachers, construction, maintenance and grounds for two training centers, purchasing supplies abroad for the mission, representing the mission in the U.S. and Canada, producing newsletters, raising financial support and anything else that needed to be done.
We served in this administrative capacity for 11 years and it kept us busy!
THE BEGINNING
Hi, We’d like to introduce ourselves, Rodger and Dixie Shewmaker, to you and tell you how we began as missionaries..
Prior to becoming missionaries we were members of First Christian Church, we had been involved in many activities of the church as Sunday School teachers, Youth Sponsors, Bible study leaders, Cradle Roll, Pre School Worship, Toddler Room, Choir, Elder, Mission Chairman, Forwarding Agent, … well, you get the picture. We were young, energetic and loved FCC and serving God.
Following a couple of short term mission trips God called us to serve as missionaries in the Philippines. At that time we had two daughters, (Andrea 9 and Beth 6.) We shared our decision to serve as missionaries in December of 1986. In December 1987—we boarded the plane in Decatur to begin the adventure of our lifetime.
Our mission name: Mathetes. We wanted to select a name for our mission that would reflect our goals and ideals. Let us share with you why we chose this name: The following is taken from Vine’s Expositor Dictionary of New Testament Words
DISCIPLE Mathetes:, "a learner" (from manthano, "to learn,"…indicating thought accompanied by endeavor). It is used of the "disciples" of Jesus ...especially of the twelve apostles … and… of all who manifest that they are His "disciples" by abiding in His Word, In the book of Acts, it is used of those who believed upon Him and confessed Him.
This is our passion, to make disciples of Christ. The verses that give us direction, strength and encouragement during our time on the mission field are: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matt 28:19-20
God has been with us as our stronghold through everything we’ve experienced. We thank God for His faithfulness towards us for 21 years.
We went to the Philippines to work alongside veteran missionaries, Dr. Charles and Mickey Richards. “Chuck” and Mickey were involved in Bible translation and seeking another couple to work with them among the Itawes people in Northern Luzon (300 miles north of Manila.)
Rodger immediately became involved with the four Itawes preachers assisting them to accomplish their dreams and goals for the churches. Our family “vehicle” was a 70cc motorcycle and Rodger traveled far and wide along with his Filipino co-workers on this conveyance.
During this time we assisted in developing leadership among the members of the Itawes churches, developing Sunday School for children by training teachers and starting a new church in the city of Tuguegarao. Today that church is thriving and has an average attendance of 200, Sunday Schools and Vacation Bible Schools continue to be offered for the children.
Prior to becoming missionaries we were members of First Christian Church, we had been involved in many activities of the church as Sunday School teachers, Youth Sponsors, Bible study leaders, Cradle Roll, Pre School Worship, Toddler Room, Choir, Elder, Mission Chairman, Forwarding Agent, … well, you get the picture. We were young, energetic and loved FCC and serving God.
Following a couple of short term mission trips God called us to serve as missionaries in the Philippines. At that time we had two daughters, (Andrea 9 and Beth 6.) We shared our decision to serve as missionaries in December of 1986. In December 1987—we boarded the plane in Decatur to begin the adventure of our lifetime.
Our mission name: Mathetes. We wanted to select a name for our mission that would reflect our goals and ideals. Let us share with you why we chose this name: The following is taken from Vine’s Expositor Dictionary of New Testament Words
DISCIPLE Mathetes:, "a learner" (from manthano, "to learn,"…indicating thought accompanied by endeavor). It is used of the "disciples" of Jesus ...especially of the twelve apostles … and… of all who manifest that they are His "disciples" by abiding in His Word, In the book of Acts, it is used of those who believed upon Him and confessed Him.
This is our passion, to make disciples of Christ. The verses that give us direction, strength and encouragement during our time on the mission field are: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matt 28:19-20
God has been with us as our stronghold through everything we’ve experienced. We thank God for His faithfulness towards us for 21 years.
We went to the Philippines to work alongside veteran missionaries, Dr. Charles and Mickey Richards. “Chuck” and Mickey were involved in Bible translation and seeking another couple to work with them among the Itawes people in Northern Luzon (300 miles north of Manila.)
Rodger immediately became involved with the four Itawes preachers assisting them to accomplish their dreams and goals for the churches. Our family “vehicle” was a 70cc motorcycle and Rodger traveled far and wide along with his Filipino co-workers on this conveyance.
During this time we assisted in developing leadership among the members of the Itawes churches, developing Sunday School for children by training teachers and starting a new church in the city of Tuguegarao. Today that church is thriving and has an average attendance of 200, Sunday Schools and Vacation Bible Schools continue to be offered for the children.
Eye Doctor visit
Hello,
Yesterday Dixie went to the eye doctor regarding some pretty intense pain she has been experiencing in her left eye when sleeping . We were shocked when given an eye test and she could not read the largest letters on the chart with her left eye. The doctor determined that she has some erosion of the cornea and prescribed some ointment to allow the erosion to heal.
Pray that the eye will heal and vision will not be permanently affected.
This cold weather is certainly not what we are accustomed to in the Philippines--but we are staying warm and inside.
As soon as we figure out how to do it, we will post our latest newsletter and a brief history of our missionary experience. Will work on posting a photo next week.
Wishing you a wonderful and blessed Christmas,
Rodger and Dixie
Yesterday Dixie went to the eye doctor regarding some pretty intense pain she has been experiencing in her left eye when sleeping . We were shocked when given an eye test and she could not read the largest letters on the chart with her left eye. The doctor determined that she has some erosion of the cornea and prescribed some ointment to allow the erosion to heal.
Pray that the eye will heal and vision will not be permanently affected.
This cold weather is certainly not what we are accustomed to in the Philippines--but we are staying warm and inside.
As soon as we figure out how to do it, we will post our latest newsletter and a brief history of our missionary experience. Will work on posting a photo next week.
Wishing you a wonderful and blessed Christmas,
Rodger and Dixie
Sunday, December 14, 2008
WELCOME
Welcome to our new blog. We will be adding information here about us and our mission work in the Philippines.
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