* Berean PRCP

Our Sunday schedule is a varied one.  Every Sunday of the month is different.  Sunday #1: First Reformed Church in Bulacan; Sunday #2: All of Grace Protestant Reformed Fellowship in Gabaldon; Sunday #3: Christian Faith Ministry in Batasan Hills; Sunday #4: Berean Protestant Reformed Church in the Philippines; Sunday #5 (if there is one): All of Grace Protestant Reformed Fellowship in Gabaldon.

Signs of the BPRCP

This past Sunday we were in the Berean Protestant Reformed Church.  Their services are at 1:00 and 3:30 PM.  The two missionaries, Rev. Smit and Rev. Kleyn, usually each preach once on this Sunday.  At the moment Rev. Kleyn is working through a series on the 7 letters to the churches in Asia Minor, as recorded in Revelation 2-3.

Seating

(taken during a presentation to visitors)

So that no one gets too hungry, crackers/cookies and coffee are served between services.  On special occasions and when visitors are present, we often have a special "merienda" (snack).  Then we get to enjoy pansit (a common noodle dish), spaghetti, a cake, and other goodies.  This provides a good time for fellowship as well.

Serving the Merienda

Enjoying the Merienda

Some of the YP and YA

More Fellowship

Also between services, Rev. Smit teaches a catechism class - the children one week and the young people the next.  The Bereans rent one room, so the congregation sits in the back and visits quietly, or else listens in on the class.  Or a combination of both.

Rev. Smit Teaching Catechism (Essentials)

Finally, a few more shots of the BPRCP.

Congregational Meeting

Consistory Members, with Rev.'s Smit & Kleyn

Berean PRC

(along with quite a few visitors)

  

* Sunday in CFM in Batasan Hills

This past Sunday we worshiped in the CFM (Christian Faith Ministry) in Batasan Hills.  Batasan Hills is in Metro Manila, and a little over an hour from home (depending on traffic, of course).  We left here at 7:15 so we could be there in time for their 8:30 a.m. worship service.  This is a group that has been in touch with the Berean PRC for quite a few years.  We visit here the 3rd Sunday of every month.  Here are a couple pics of the side street that leads to the CFM's church building.

A Street Full of Activity

Watch Out for the Children

Standing by the Door of the Church Building

Pastor Oseas Andres, Pastor of the CFM

Rev. Kleyn led the worship service and preached on Lamentations 1:12 - "Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto My sorrow."  He did everything in English, but the members did have a Tagalog translation of the sermon on paper.

The Members of the CFM

Mrs. Fe Andres Accompanies the Singing

After the worship service, the children all went downstairs to their classes.  They normally do six classes for the children, but they combined them into two on Sunday so that most of the teachers could be in on the class for the adults.

Some of the Children

Friendly

Cute

The adults are starting a class on Reformed church government.  We are going to work our way through the Church Order.  This past Sunday we had an introduction, and also covered Article 1 of the Church Order.

Leading a Class on the Church Order

The Adults in the CO Class

After class we had lunch at the Andres' home.  They live in the same alley as the church and their house was very cool.  We had a delicous meal and an enjoyable time of fellowship with them.

During lunch we asked the pastor's daughter Charity to write down the names of all the members by family.  That hopefully will help us get to know the people.  It's a little hard because we get to visit these groups once a month, so having the names written down will help.

Lunch in Andres' Home

After lunch we had another meeting.  Pastor Andres led some singing, prayer and Bible reading, and then Rev. Kleyn spoke on Lord's Day 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism.  The fellowship is interested in learning the Reformed faith, and a class on the HC will, with the Lord's blessing, be helpful to that end.

View out the Back Window of the Church Building

We made it home again by about 4:30.  The Lord gave us a good day of fellowship and worship with the saints in the CFM.  We look forward to our next visit.

  

* Corregidor Island

Corregidor Island is strategically located in the entrance to Manila Bay, and was crucial to the defense of the Philippines in World War II.  When you visit this beautiful island today, it's hard to imagine the terrible destruction and death faced here during WWII.  But the reality of this hits home when you see the ruins and hear the accounts and stories of battles and bravery on this island.  We had the opportunity to visit it about a week ago when Sharon's parents and Aunt Elaine were here.  A very worthwhile visit.  But at the same time rather sobering as you hear of and see the awful effects of war.

Statue of Gen. Douglas McArthur - with his promise to return

[Notice in the background the proximity of the Bataan Peninsula]

                           Battery Hearn

[That's a bomb crater on the other side of the gun]

Battery Way

[Front gun on right was the last to fire from Corregidor]

                                         Look who's down the Barrel!

       Ruins of Mile-long Barracks on Topside

[Barracks was 1/3 of a mile long, and 3 floors high,

                            thus the name]

More Bombed-out Ruins

                               And More Still

 Memorial to the Parachutists - Depicting a Parachute

[They led the reconquest of the island from the Japanese]

Memorial under the Dome

[The sun shines through the dome directly onto this memorial

at exactly noon on May 6, the day Corregidor fell to the Japanese]

                                    Overview of the Pacific War Memorial

                       Malinta Tunnel

[McArthur's Headquarters, the Hospital, etc.]

The Main Tunnel

[Rebuilt - Japanese blew themselves up inside it rather than surrender]

                                One of the many Laterals inside Malinta Tunnel

Memorial to General Jonathan Wainwright

[The unsung hero of Corregidor]

    

* World War II History

USA and Philippine Flags

The American citizen can enjoy some of his country's history here in the Philippines.  Most of the history is from World War II.  These monuments and markers are reminders of the suffering and imprisonment American soldiers endured after the surrender to the Japanese on April 9, 1942.

Death March Marker in Clark

Death March Monument in Capas

A Close Up

The first Japanese Kamikaze sortie took off from the site below on October 21, 1944.  By the time of the last sortie on January 6, 1945, 322 U.S. Navy vessels were sunk or heavily damaged, over 12,000 American sailors were killed, and 36,000 Americans seriously wounded by the suicide pilots.

Located just outside Clark

Kamikaze Airfield Monument

Japanese Tunnel/Bunker at the Kamikaze Airfield

When we arrived at the prison camp site below, a grounds keeper gave us a sheet with a map of the original camp and some of the history of the place.  Late in 1942, 6000 American soldiers (some of them survivors of the death march) were interred here along with many Filipino POWs.  Within a few months, 3000 Americans had died from executions, disease, beatings and starvation.  Later 2000 were transferred to Japan.  On January 30, 1945 American Rangers released the remaining 500 POW's by penetrating 27 miles into hostile territory.

Cabanatuan Prison Camp Site

"Old Glory"

Supports for the Prison Camp's Water Tower

(the only thing left from the original prison camp)

Memorial Wall for those Who Died Here

An Overview of the Memorial

  

Sometime soon we hope to tell you a little about another significant WWII site, the Island of Corregidor.