🇵🇭🎄 CHRISTMAS 2026 IN THE PHILIPPINES — UPDATE #5
THE SUITCASES WILL SOON BE PACKED—BUT WILL WE HAVE SOMETHING TO PUT IN THEIR HANDS?
There comes a point when a vision stops being something you talk about.
The calendar begins making decisions for you.
Dates get closer.
Plans become deadlines.
Preparations become purchases.
And eventually—
YOU HAVE TO GO.
That is where we are now.
Today is October 4, 2026.
In just a few short weeks, Cecilia and I are scheduled to leave for the Philippines.
And suddenly Christmas doesn't seem very far away anymore.
Neither do the families.
Neither do the children.
Neither do the communities.
Neither do the needs.
For months we have been praying, planning, sharing, preparing and asking God to provide.
Now the question is becoming much more immediate:
WHAT WILL WE ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO WHEN WE GET THERE?
⏰ THE COUNTDOWN HAS CHANGED
Earlier in this outreach we could say:
“Christmas is coming.”
Then we said:
“We're almost there.”
In Update #4 we said:
“The time to act is getting shorter.”
Update #5 is different.
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF PREPARATION TIME.
That's not meant to frighten anyone.
It isn't meant to pressure anyone.
It's simply reality.
Soon we'll begin packing.
Soon we'll be traveling.
Soon we'll be standing on Philippine soil.
And not long after that, Lord willing, we'll begin meeting some of the very people we've been asking you to pray about.
People whose names we don't yet know.
Children whose faces we haven't yet seen.
Families whose circumstances we haven't yet heard.
Communities whose needs we'll better understand when we're actually there.
But God already knows every one of them.
👧 SOMEWHERE A CHILD IS GOING ABOUT THEIR DAY
Think about this for a moment.
Somewhere in the Philippines today, a child woke up.
Maybe they ate breakfast.
Maybe they didn't.
Maybe they went to school.
Maybe their family is struggling to afford what school requires.
Maybe they are excited about Christmas.
Maybe their parents are wondering how they will provide one.
That child has absolutely no idea that people thousands of miles away are reading this message.
They don't know we're coming.
They don't know you may be praying.
They don't know somebody may give $5, $10, $25 or more that eventually becomes part of something placed into their hands.
They don't know someone may share this post and introduce this ministry to another person who decides to help.
They don't know any of that.
BUT GOD DOES.
And perhaps somewhere in the Philippines right now is a family whose prayer is about to intersect with yours.
💔 CHRISTMAS DOESN'T CANCEL HARDSHIP
We love Christmas.
The lights.
The music.
The food.
The family gatherings.
The laughter.
The presents.
But hardship doesn't take December off.
Hunger doesn't disappear because Christmas lights are hanging.
Bills don't stop arriving because Christmas music is playing.
Sickness doesn't check the calendar.
Grief doesn't take a holiday.
Financial hardship doesn't disappear because someone says, “Merry Christmas.”
And parents who are struggling don't suddenly stop worrying because December 25 is approaching.
For some families, Christmas can magnify what they don't have.
That's why this outreach matters.
We cannot solve every problem.
We cannot feed every family.
We cannot give something to every child.
We cannot repair every home.
We cannot meet every need.
But we refuse to allow the size of the need to paralyze us.
WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN FOR WHOMEVER GOD PUTS IN FRONT OF US.
🎁 WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO PUT INTO THEIR HANDS?
Yes, we'd love to put presents into children's hands.
But that's not all.
We want to put food into homes.
We want to put Bibles into hands.
We want to put practical assistance where there is genuine need.
We want to put encouragement into discouraged hearts.
We want to put hope where circumstances have produced despair.
We want to put our arms around hurting people.
We want to sit down with families.
Listen.
Pray.
Encourage.
Help.
And most importantly—
✝️ WE WANT TO PUT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WITHIN THEIR REACH.
Because eventually the rice will be eaten.
The presents will wear out.
The clothes will become old.
The Christmas decorations will come down.
But Jesus Christ changes eternity.
❤️ WHAT DOES COMPASSION LOOK LIKE?
Sometimes compassion looks impressive.
Sometimes it doesn't.
Sometimes compassion is a truckload of supplies.
Sometimes it's one bag of rice.
Sometimes it's helping an entire community.
Sometimes it's helping one mother.
Sometimes it's giving presents to fifty children.
Sometimes it's putting one small present into one child's hands.
Sometimes it's preaching to hundreds.
Sometimes it's sitting beside one person and saying:
“Tell me what's happening.”
We must stop believing that something has to be enormous before it matters.
Jesus noticed individuals.
The blind man.
The leper.
The woman at the well.
Zacchaeus.
The grieving sisters.
The thief on the cross.
People weren't statistics to Jesus.
And they cannot become statistics to us.
MINISTRY HAS A FACE.
💵 “PASTOR, I CAN'T GIVE MUCH.”
Then don't give much.
Give what God tells you to give.
And if He doesn't tell you to give financially—
don't.
Pray.
Share.
Tell someone.
Tell your pastor.
Tell your church.
Purchase one of our books if you were already looking for something to read—because 100% of our book royalties support our missionary and outreach efforts.
But please don't take money your family needs for food, medicine, housing, transportation, utilities or other essential responsibilities and send it to us.
That's not what we're asking.
What we are asking is much simpler:
ASK GOD WHAT YOUR PART IS.
Then do that.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
🤲 WHAT IF EVERYONE DID SOMETHING SMALL?
Imagine:
100 people pray.
50 people share.
25 people give $5.
20 people give $10.
10 people give $25.
A church decides to help.
Someone buys a book.
Someone tells a friend.
Someone shares this post.
That person shares it again.
And suddenly what looked insignificant individually becomes significant collectively.
That's how partnership works.
No one has to carry everything.
EVERYONE JUST CARRIES SOMETHING.
✝️ PLEASE REMEMBER WHY WE ARE GOING
We're not traveling thousands of miles simply to distribute Christmas presents.
Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International exists to carry the Gospel.
Our message remains:
✝️ JESUS SAVES.
❤️ JESUS HEALS.
🔥 JESUS FILLS.
👑 JESUS CHRIST IS COMING AGAIN.
Christmas gives us an extraordinary opportunity.
People are already thinking about Jesus.
Churches are celebrating His birth.
Songs are being sung about Him.
Nativity scenes are being displayed.
So while the world celebrates Christmas—
WE WANT TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO CHRIST.
Not merely the Baby in the manger.
But the Savior who went to the cross.
The Lord who rose from the grave.
The Christ who forgives sin.
The Jesus who still saves today.
🇵🇭 SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARRIVE?
We listen.
We observe.
We ask questions.
We identify genuine needs.
We work with people on the ground.
We pray.
We remain flexible.
And we allow God to redirect us whenever necessary.
Missionary work rarely unfolds exactly as it looked on paper.
There will be surprises.
Changes.
Unexpected needs.
Unexpected people.
Unexpected opportunities.
Maybe even unexpected miracles.
That's why we don't want every dollar locked into a preconceived plan before we arrive.
We want to be responsible stewards while remaining responsive to what God places directly before us.
📸 SOON WE HOPE TO SHOW YOU THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS STORY
For months you've been hearing about preparation.
Soon, Lord willing, you'll begin seeing ministry.
Instead of:
“We hope to help.”
We want to tell you:
“Here's who we helped.”
Instead of:
“We're preparing supplies.”
We want to say:
“Here's where those supplies went.”
Instead of:
“Please pray for the people we'll meet.”
We want to say:
“This is the family you were praying for.”
And perhaps—
“This person gave their life to Jesus Christ.”
That is the update I'm waiting to write.
THE UPDATE WHERE PREPARATION BECOMES TESTIMONY.
🙏 WILL YOU PRAY SPECIFICALLY THIS WEEK?
Please pray for:
🙏 The families God will place in our path.
🙏 Children who may otherwise have very little this Christmas.
🙏 Wisdom in identifying genuine needs.
🙏 Financial provision.
🙏 Bibles and Christian materials.
🙏 Food and practical assistance.
🙏 Transportation and logistics.
🙏 Divine appointments.
🙏 Protection for our workers.
🙏 Cecilia and me as we prepare to travel.
🙏 Open doors into communities.
🙏 Opportunities to share the Gospel.
And above everything else—
PRAY FOR SOULS.
Because we could distribute a thousand presents and still miss the greatest reason we're going.
❤️ MAYBE YOU ARE THE ANSWER TO SOMEBODY'S PRAYER
We don't know.
Perhaps somebody in the Philippines prayed today:
“Lord, please help us.”
Maybe a mother prayed it.
Maybe a father.
Maybe a grandparent.
Maybe a child.
Maybe a pastor.
Maybe someone who has exhausted every other option.
And perhaps God will answer part of that prayer through someone reading these words.
Not because we're special.
Not because you're wealthy.
Not because one organization can fix everything.
But because throughout Scripture God repeatedly used ordinary people who were willing to say:
“HERE AM I. USE ME.”
🤝 WILL YOU GO WITH US?
Maybe you cannot board the airplane.
But your prayers can go.
Your generosity can go.
Your Bible can go.
Your encouragement can go.
Your partnership can go.
Your love can go.
And through this ministry—
YOUR FEET CAN GO TO THE NATIONS.
That's why we call Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International:
YOUR FEET TO THE NATIONS.
We are your eyes, ears, mouths, and feet in Asia.
❤️ HOW YOU CAN HELP
🙏 PRAY
Please begin now.
Don't wait until December.
📣 SHARE
One share may reach the person God has already prepared to participate.
⛪ TELL YOUR CHURCH
Ask whether your congregation, missions department, Bible study or small group might participate.
📖 PURCHASE A BOOK
100% of our book royalties support our missionary and outreach efforts.
❤️ GIVE AS GOD ENABLES YOU
Our current GoFundMe campaign:
Other ministry support channels:
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No gift is too small when it becomes part of something larger.
🙏 LET US PRAY
Heavenly Father,
The days are moving quickly.
Christmas is approaching.
Our departure is approaching.
And somewhere ahead are people we have never met—but You already know.
Father, prepare us.
Prepare them.
Prepare the way.
Provide every resource necessary to accomplish what You want accomplished.
Not our plans.
Not our ambitions.
Not our agenda.
Yours.
Give us wisdom to recognize genuine needs.
Give us compassion that listens before it speaks.
Give us humility.
Give us discernment.
Give us strength.
Give us protection.
Stretch every dollar.
Multiply every resource.
Open doors no person can open.
Close doors we should not enter.
Bring us to the people You want us to meet.
And when we arrive—
don't let them merely see Americans.
Don't let them merely see missionaries.
Don't let them merely see Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International.
LET THEM SEE JESUS.
Bless everyone who prays.
Bless everyone who shares.
Bless everyone who gives.
Bless every church that participates.
Bless every person who quietly helps without recognition.
And Father, somewhere this Christmas, allow us to walk into the life of someone who has wondered whether anybody sees them.
Help us say through our words and actions:
“Yes. Somebody sees you.”
And then give us the opportunity to tell them:
“JESUS SEES YOU TOO.”
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
🇵🇭🎄 CHRISTMAS 2026 — UPDATE #5
Christmas is getting closer.
Our departure is getting closer.
The Philippines is getting closer.
And somewhere—
there is a person we haven't met yet.
A child we haven't seen yet.
A family whose story we haven't heard yet.
A prayer we haven't prayed yet.
A Bible we haven't given yet.
A meal we haven't shared yet.
A Gospel conversation that hasn't happened yet.
But soon—
PREPARATION WILL BECOME MINISTRY.
We cannot help everyone.
But somebody is waiting.
And perhaps together—
we can reach them.
HELP US HELP THEM—ONE SOUL AT A TIME.
PUT SOME FEET TO YOUR FAITH.
❤️ SUPPORT THE MISSION
GoFundMe: https://tinyurl.com/3nbpswsp
Cash App: $joybells49
X/Twitter Tips: @joybells49
PayPal Business
GiveButter
HELP US HELP THEM—ONE SOUL AT A TIME.
Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International
Your Feet to the Nations
We are your eyes, ears, mouths, and feet in Asia.
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