Dear Friends,

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years greetings to all of you! We love this time of year, even though we’re a long way from our States side family and though there certainly won’t be any snow to enjoy.

It’s all about Him anyway! Of course this is the time of year many missionaries get a little nostalgic as we think about family gatherings, snow, hunting (some of us), and etc., but we certainly don’t miss out on everything as you will read from a recent letter to our family,

“We've been having a good time preparing for our Thanksgiving meal with missionary friends. So far we've prepared apple pies, a 13 pound Australian ham, squash casserole (in place of sweet potatoes), green beans (found in Baguio), cranberry "stuff" (made from dried cranberry's sent by friends of our missionaries in the States), sugar cookies (made from sugar cane which we ground ourselves... not!), and blueberry delight (which required our entire life-savings, kidding!) Six of our families will be meeting at the Frazer's house (about 40 min from here) and I'm (Tim) planning to be the horseshoe champion this year!”

I wasn’t the horseshoe champion but we certainly had a wonderful time with our friends!

Becky had an interesting experience recently as she attended the delivery of a baby in a village near our home. The “hilot”, your basic witchdoctor, was the one in charge of the delivery but Francesca (the

mother) wanted Becky to be with her. The “hilot” did a lot of very strange rituals and even chanted some kind of mystical prayer, but Becky was able to pray for the baby in Jesus name and to invoke His presence in this dark place. She even had the privilege, at his mother’s request, of naming the newborn baby boy.

His name is Levi. I (Tim) went with Becky to the home yesterday and prayed that the Lord would touch this young life, save him and his family, and make him a spiritual priest unto God (as his name implies). Pray for Francesca and her family.

In the pictures below you will see that Jesse was privileged to share in the wedding of one of our former college students. Cecile and her new husband, Aquino, are now ministering at Haluwan BMC.

Valerie celebrated her 15th birthday Nov. 9th with her friends. Becky’s 3_th (she might censor this letter) was Nov. 2nd!

We praise the Lord for the spiritual victories He continues to give. Some incredible times of blessing, refreshing and cleansing have come our way by the

Spirit of the Lord. Several churches have reported a

new spirit of prayer and intercession. Others have reported conversions. In our campus church an uncle of one our members who has been far from God for many years has been seeking the Lord. I don’t think there has been a Sunday in the past year when there hasn’t been at least one brand new visitor here; many of them returning. Our family is growing. The family from Lipay that started attending our church as a result of an accident, involving myself and their mother, continue to come and seek the Lord. In fact even more family members are coming now. My van is full! Please

pray for them. They seem so hungry. Our local youth

are also experiencing a measure of revival. Just last night they had a bonfire in which they burned worldly DVD’s, CD’s, t-shirts, posters and other items, and testified of their desire to live a life set apart for God. Pray for our young people as they face so many temptations in this society so tolerant of “fornication and uncleanness”.

The Lord continues to meet with us so graciously in our early morning “Dawn Watch” prayer meetings here.

My own soul has been so challenged by these daily times of intercessory prayer with faithful brothers and sisters. We are learning that prayer is the key to unlocking the windows of heaven.

Pray for the new pioneering church plant in Cordon, Nueva Vizcaya, and for pastor Edwardo Lay-o as he leads this effort. And pray that the Lord will grant our desire for a new congregation in the heart of some city. Pray especially for the right man to lead this vision and for the resources needed to move ahead.

Thank you for all that you do to stand with the Philippine church and with our family! We can’t put in words just how much your faithfulness means to us.

We often feel our weakness and know for sure that we couldn’t take another step with God’s grace flowing through your prayers. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

In Christian love,

Tim and Becky Keep (with Valerie, Timothy, Jesse, Carolyn Grace, and Samantha Elisabeth)

Missionary Pictures Bible Methodist Mission