DECISION MADE

On Friday, March 31st, I had no thought or desire of going on a Training Leaders International trip to the Philippines. Then came the email inviting me to return again to the Philippines for a trip at the end of May. They needed one more teacher. Since my last trip to Tanzania was not well supported I was reluctant to take another trip so soon and so left the decision in your hands by asking who might support this trip and deciding that I would go only if 80% of the funds were pledged. As of Sunday morning exactly 80% of the funds were pledged.
Here is how the pledges came in: By Monday night after my blog was sent 57% was pledged. I was very encouraged. By Tuesday night 58% was pledged. I was starting to doubt that this trip would happen. By Wednesday night 63%. This trip may be possible??!! By Thursday night 67.5%. I began to feel in my heart that I wanted to make this trip so what would I do if less than 80% came in? By Friday night no change 67.5%. Now I was starting to worry that I would no be able to go if I stayed true to my 80% goal. By Saturday night 73% was pledged. Oh so close. Sunday morning I received a pledge that took me to 80%. After church I emailed TLI to confirm that I would join the team and since that time have received pledges to meet the rest of the cost of the trip.

I want to thank all of you who have generously pledged donations for this trip to the Philippines and most of all I praise God for His goodness to me and to the Pastors we will be teaching in the Philippines. I am now looking forward to this trip and especially since I have reviewed the curriculum. We are teaching "Interpreting and Preaching the Book of Mark". The students have now taken Hermeneutics, Biblical Theology, The Attributes of God and the book of Ruth and Jonah. We will be reviewing and then taking what they have learned in all these courses as we study the book of Mark, helping them to put all the components together to form and preach a sermon. Each student will be preaching their sermon from various passages in Mark to the class. In this course we will be seeking to mesh the theoretical aspects of how to study and interpret a Bible passage, recognize its theology, see its place in the canon of scripture, and its application to our present culture and then form that into a preachable sermon. This course will be a challenge to teach so please pray for me and the other three teachers. There is much content to cover and practice to take place.

I would now ask you to please send your pledged donations in:
1) By mailing a check to Reach Beyond Canada, Unit 3- 44 Saltsman Dr, Cambridge, ON, N3H 4R7. Include a note which says for Ron Latulippe Philippines May 2017 trip.
2) Online at <http://reachbeyond.ca/> then click DONATE button, and then from the drop down menu select - "Donate to a missionary and indicate name below in message", then enter "Ron Latulippe - Philippines May 2017" in the "Message for Reach Beyond" box below, then fill out remaining credit card information.
3) Please send me an email <rtulip231@gmail.com> when you have sent in your donation so I can keep track of my budget for this trip. If you have any questions please email me.

Again I praise God for your fellowship (working as partners) in the training of Pastors and the increase of the Gospel. ron