Hallo!

Things have been going well for our work here in the Philippines. We are currently in our 7th and last session of classes for the year 2009! We completed Session 6 on October 30st and had our graduation the next day. Halloween was a big day for us, but not in they way you might think. Filipinos don't dress up and go house to house in search of candy over here. Although it WAS my brother Jon's birthday. I've actually never experienced a traditional U.S. Halloween. Instead, the malls host a Halloween event where the children can dress up and go around to the different mall stores and get candy. I can remember doing this one year, I was a cat. It was a lot of fun, when I was a kid. This year I had to watch my step and make sure I didn't squish some unsuspecting child, or get run over by the mobs :). Good times... This Halloween we spent by having our weekly Saturday Children's Bible Class in the morning, Session 6 graduation in the afternoon and our 5th Saturday game night at the BSC in the evening. We had some people dress up, but I didn't get to. I would have, but I couldn't figure out what I could be without having to buy something new. I just pretended to be someone who forgot to dress up for Halloween. I don't think anyone noticed. :)

After Halloween was All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day (November 1 & 2). If you are familiar with Catholicism and El Dia de los Muertes (or The Day of the Dead), then you may have an idea of how this works. Family members of people who have died will go to the cemeteries and visit their departed relatives. Some light candles for them, offer prayers to release their souls from Purgatory, and even share meals with their dead relatives, bringing their favorite foods and anything else their relative liked while they were alive. There are a few reasons for this. Some people believe that if they do not do this, their dead relatives will come back from the dead and haunt them. Others do this because it is a day of remembrance. Still others use this as a opportunity to help their relatives escape the torment of Purgatory.

After graduation for Session 6, we didn't skip a beat and immediately began enrollment week for Session 7. As per our usual arrangement, we had a seminar for our enrollment week and we had the assistance of my grandfather, Ken Wilkey, who taught our seminar for us. He spoke on Paul's view of God as written in 2 Corinthians. Our students enjoyed the seminar and we had a good enrollment. Thanks for your prayers for our work. They do help! :)

On a family note, as far as I've heard, Rachael, Clint and Andrew are still in the U.S. :) Last I heard they had just arrived from Georgia where they visited Clint's brother, Kade. They still have two months left for their U.S. trip, so if you haven't seen them but want to, get in touch with them!

Jon, Gina and Sean are doing well. They just took a trip to Manila, the capital of the Philippines, to visit the U.S. Embassy to apply for a visa for Gina and Sean. While they were there they discovered that there is a possibility that Sean might be able to get U.S. Citizenship. If this is possible, Gina's visa will be different, so they have to process the paperwork for citizenship before they can find out what else they need to do. More patience and prayer.

Mom and Dad are doing great! We have all started going to a gym in the mornings and this has given us even MORE time together, but who's complaining? :) Amy has been doing great. She has been working on her Teacher Training and kept me up till 2:30 the other night so I could listen to her practice teaching. I didn't mind, though :) What are sisters for? I've just been trying to keep myself busy :)

Last but not least, I have wonderful news to share! After the end of last session, we had two students who decided to be immersed and join the family. Samuel Gacrama was a pastor for another religious group but decided to come and study with us because he felt that something was missing in his understanding about God and the Bible. Fred Taboada is a man who lives in Toledo, a city to the north of Cebu, who travels down to the city and stays with a friend for his classes. We are overjoyed to have these two new brothers!

Well, that about sums up what we've been up to. Please keep our students in your prayers, especially our new brothers Samuel and Fred. Also pray for the safety of Rachael, Clint and Andrew in their travels. Please pray for Sean and Gina's paperwork for their visa and Sean's possible citizenship. Also pray for the safety, health and well being for us all over here in the work, as well as the success of that work :).

I would like to make a special request as well. The mother of Becky Emperado (a fellow missionary of ours here in the Philippines), Jane Cox, is very sick right now. Please ask God to watch over her and heal her.

God Bless you all!

In him,
Sara Murrell