Hawaiian Journey

August 4, 2014. I set off on the island of Maui in Hawaii to work with Bishop Marben Lagmay training disciples for missionary work in the Philippines. I am staying in a tract house in Kahuini, Maui near the Haleakala Volcano, just 5 min. from the airport

My room is very comfortable. I share it with a green-grey mouse who lives behind an LBC box in the corner. I told Laura (Owner, daughter of Marben) of the mouse so she is not freaked out and I assured her it is not a problem. This home is the residence of Laura Lagmay and her son Lance, age 4, and of Marben's wife, Amy, as she needs medical assistance at times due to short-term memory loss from a stroke suffered several years ago.

I think we actually do not leave Maui the entire trip. I am enjoying it very much. Not restful. Very busy in a spontaneous way. He is training a Discipleship Team to go with us to Philippines in  January. He has about 8 groups of students. Each forms a "family" for bible study twice a week. They comprise teams of 3's within the family.   Each day we have at least one teaching time or bible study with a group or two. It is intense study. I love it!

They were in Genesis 6:14-22, studying the inner meanings of the story of Noah's Ark and then each diagramming and teaching their spiritual insights from the Bible lesson. While I am here, at each meeting Amy leads worship and I give a teaching and then we break for lunch or dinner and then the teams present the natural meaning (literal reading) of the scripture and then the spiritual understanding they received from it.  Then Marben  connects their learning to new scriptures, his critique to their interpretations and gives deeper understandings and new assignments.

For example, in Genesis 6:14-22 they were assigned to explain what these items represent spiritually:
 

1. ark
2. noah
3. gopher wood
4. waters
5. pitch,
6.  door
7. window
8. 30
9. 50
10. 300
11. 120
12. 40

They relate it in the story of the ark, connecting to Moses, Jacob, and Jesus. Finally, Marben  connects it to Hosea 18:17,  exodus 2:3-5, Rev 11:19, 1cor 3:16, Isa 18:17, and rev 7:19 .

This is intense study and very disciplined! Each meeting group is about 30 people and we meet in homes. The students are mature and committed! It is awesome and exciting for me. These people are established and have good jobs. An Allstate Insurance group, the extended family of my McDonalds people from Manila, a mechanic, a travel agent, several nurses, an express delivery guy, etc.  Class often goes to from five pm to one or two am but they are enthusiastic and working very hard! Each is very committed to attending the class each week. Several come all the way over from Oahu were they live in order to make the meetings.

Besides the discipleship classes Marben has several Bible study classes going during the week that fit within the schedule and are raising up new students for joining the discipleship training later on. He is advising the disciples that they will the training the Bible study students soon. He will then begin a new round of discipleship training. His objective is to raise up 120 disciples on Maui and then to reach out to the other islands. This is the same pattern in the Philippines to establish the over 650 satellite churches that represent Caleb and Elohim covenant church community.

Marben is going to Ghana  via Seattle in October so will undoubtedly stop by Caleb House on his way with two companions. You can meet him then. He will be in Seattle 4 days but must go to Hermiston part of that time. I hope we can fit in a Spaghetti Feed. It will depend on what time he arrives on 4 October as that is a Saturday.

But I am very comfortable though tired from the pace. Marben pushes constantly and gets sick still at times. His left eye is very bad from Glaucoma and he has Barrett's Esophagus like me but does not treat it wisely so suffers for this. So I am given the podium so-to-speak often with no warning. We work well as  a good team I think.

We began my first full day, October 5,  a Tuesday by meeting one of his two assistant teachers pastor Anthony Milo. He came to the house and breakfast time. We visited and prayed together. That after noon we went to Costco, where I picked up some supplies for my food. I was surprised to find Costco is selling gas for four dollars a gallon just like back in Seattle where is everybody else's selling for nearly 5 dollars. The items in the food court of the same price at Costco here as in Seattle with the famous $1.50 hot dog and slice of pizza. I had the Caesar salad without the Caesar for $3.79 including beverage.

From there we went to a private home for a Bible study held on the porch. I taught on the woman of Samaria. A light brunch was served after the study, which had nine students. From there we came home and changed due to the hot weather and then headed up towards Haleakala crater to a small community called Malwakeo. We met in a large house on the extended porch with a discipleship training group Marben calls New Hope because all of the members are from Wayne Cordero's New Hope Church in Honolulu. There were about 30 people present. Amy began the meeting with music on her guitar and worship time. This was followed by my preaching on the call of Timothy as a disciple. Then we had an interval of feet washing after which we enjoyed a potluck dinner. Then each of the disciples in teams of two or three explained the spiritual understanding they received from their study of Genesis 6: 14-22, the story of Noah's ark. There were eight presenting groups, each doing an outstanding job. Bishop Marben then explained the significance of many of the items in this story.

13. Ark-the word of God
14. Noah-rest
15. gopher wood-acacia wood representing tight covering of the flesh
16. waters-God's judgment
17. pitch- protection of the Holy Spirit inside and out
18.  door-Jesus
19. Window-Holy Spirit
20. 30-number of maturity as represented by Jesus beginning his ministry
21. 50-number for the Holy Spirit
22. 300-number of completeness, representing the total value of all letters of the Hebrew alphabet
23. 120-the time of divine probation
24. 40-end of all flesh

As you can see there is a great deal to be cleaned from these few passages of Scripture students are very committed to doing the work well. He has been teaching these classes and the students since last March when he came to Hawaii after our trip to the Philippines.

We arrived home about 2 AM. Wednesday was another home Bible study for new students and their I taught on Samson and Delilah. We had a potluck brunch and then came home for the weekly core meeting of Martin's team. These people comprise those who will probably accompany us next year in the Philippines. They are all raising money for the airfare and were anxious to hear from me just what and where we go and how we proceed in the villages.

Thursday morning, another of Marben's leaders arrive for prayer and discussion. From there we went to visit a family living in Sandhill Estates and what only can be described as a mansion. They are part of the family of our sponsor from Manila many preparations were underway as they are having a wedding on Sunday evening of the brother of this homeowner. We have a small Bible study in the afternoon and then go to another discipleship meeting Thursday evening in the same house. The home is owned by one of the sons McDonald's people and his wife, who grew up with Marben. Each of the families involved in this discipleship training team are well-established families with businesses such as an Allstate insurance agency, package delivery, import export business, and similar Enterprises. Their living room makes an excellent site for discipleship training exit dwarfs our blackboard but provide so much comfort. And yet when called upon. The team comes together and again teaches just as they did on Tuesday night at the other class. The level of dedication is very similar. Friday my camera dies. We go back to the Sandhill Estates home where we meet many of the guests coming from out of town for the wedding to occur on Sunday night. In the afternoon we have a core meeting and then Friday evening we have a Bible study again with another group on discipleship training.

Saturday as plans are underway all about us for the wedding. I am called upon to give marital counseling to the bridegroom. Following this, we go to church at a nondenominational meeting held in the carport with two canopy stretched in the driveway. Amy leads the worship and then I preach on. Deuteronomy 30. This is followed by a potluck and then back to our house to change so that we can return to Sandhill Estates to discuss the final wedding plans

Sunday morning we attended church at Faith Gospel center and evangelist has just returned from a Oahu that the pastor calls upon me to give a brief message and then invites me to give the full message the following Sunday. Sunday evening is all involved in the wedding, which takes place at the Filipino community center. There are about 300 guests. Food is served at a sit-down dinner and then Marben performs the ceremony. We returned home about midnight.

Monday we are invited to lunch at Sand Hill Estates with flow and Jenny, the bride and groom. Lunch consists of leftovers from the Sunday dinner. Laura then picked me up and took me to Costco, where I was able to replace my camera with a new one. From there we proceed to another small house were we now have another Bible study group of eight people. Marben teaches on the woman at the well, adding much to what I gave the previous teaching to the other group. Monday evening. We returned to the Filipino community center for a bridal shower for Jessey & Andrew, a couple scheduled to be married this Thursday, the son being one of Marben's teaching leaders offspring. I was surprised to be invited to a bridal shower is it is not an event normally attended by men but the custom is clearly different here.

Marben and Amy thought it might be fun and supportive of the family, but when we got there they were very surprised to find how worldly it was. They had a again a sit-down dinner at and click games, traditional to bridal showers , but a little more risqué than I would've expected from a pastor's family.

It is now Tuesday afternoon and we are going once more up Haleakala to the discipleship training program group to see what they have done this week with their further study of Noah's Ark.

At the discipleship training on Haleakala we enjoyed another potluck dinner. This time someone was kind enough to bring me vegetable wraps to eat with chicken so I did not have to worry about the seafood. I taught on our interrelationships with each other and with Christ and the importance of seeing the heart attitude of others. I used for my examples. Some of the early episodes of my mission trips to Romania and how they receive me through the underground church. After dinner the disciples gave their newer understanding of the spiritual interpretation of Noah's Ark. At 7:30 we broke and went to a home church service for new Hope Church. He was in a two-car garage and with the door opened flowed out onto the driveway as the other churches have. Pastor gave a great message on Nehemiah chapter 5 and has invited me to give the teaching this coming Tuesday night in their fellowship.

Wednesday we began with a morning Bible study in a small home attended by two neighbors, the husband and wife and their daughter and her sister along with Marben and Amy. I taught on the encounter between David and Goliath in second Samuel and the spiritual significance of many of the symbols in that battle. We had a good time of fellowship. The gentleman host is a campaign manager for a local candidate for governor of Maui and is very involved in current events. His focus is pro-life and Christian values. We got along fine.

Returning to the home, we rested for two hours and then went to the sandeville mansion for a core meeting and potluck dinner. Once again, I enjoyed a lettuce salad as there was nothing else suitable for my diet. For the teaching. I drew upon Ephesians 2:8-10 , and the importance of relying upon the Lord and becoming part of his plan rather than having our own agenda as we serve him. I spoke of my visits to Bulgaria in 1991 and the spiritual encounters and healings that occurred in Borgas. After, the core group discussed their plans for raising funds to sponsor the team going to, including Marben and Amy. We adjourned and return home, 11:30 at night and exhausted from the heat.

It is now Thursday and the plans are to attend the wedding of Jesse and Andrew at one in the afternoon and the reception for them at the Filipino community center at seven o'clock tonight, pretty much consuming the entire day.

The wedding and reception indeed used up the entire day and then some. The setting for the wedding was the Haiko mill which is 3 miles off the Hana Highway off in the country. It is absolutely beautiful setting and probably as close to paradise as one can get for the rental of $3000 an event. We finally reached the setting there was an old plantation house and an old sugar mill with water, forming a waterfall as a backdrop to a landing atop 12 stone stairs at the end of an Arbor. When you see the pictures you will understand. The location was very difficult to get to but most of the guests made it. The wedding was beautiful beyond words. The evening reception was outstanding, encompassing the entire Philippine community center with a sit down dinner and entertainment. The couple were very nice and most of the guests were young.

Friday morning I showed three episodes of “that the world may know” which captured Marben's interests. I have now ordered the entire set of the videos for Marben to use in Hawaii with his discipleship training group because it will not play in other regions of the world with the DVD protection. We watched another two episodes this afternoon and he is very excited about them. I would download my notes and class discussion questions for him before I leave so that he may use them with his discipleship classes. It is now Friday afternoon and we just completed a Bible study class in a home where I taught on the garden as Gethsemane, the symbolism of the winepress and the failure of the disciples to keep watch night. This evening is a time of rest, but tomorrow is another busy day.

Saturday morning was the big nondenominational service in the carport, driveway and into the street. Amy lead the music worship time and Marben had a season of prayer after which I gave my sermon on the seven places where Jesus shed his blood. This is a very emotional teaching and took a lot out of me. Everyone asked for copies of my notes which I gladly extended to them. When we came home I was exhausted and lay down for a nap for three hours. This was followed by a four o'clock Bible study it which I taught on the meaning of the Exodus and its relationship to the Passover supper. It is now Saturday evening and we're having the night off and went to Wendy's for dinner. The potluck at church this morning was a disaster for me. The only thing they offered that I could eat was a slice of melon. They serve cookies, cakes, Orioles, bags of chips, hot dogs, ice cream and soda pop. Apparently, everyone here believes any soda pop, which does not have gobs of sugar in it is no good. They never served diet pop.

Sunday morning, August 17 we visited Marben's church faith Gospel Fellowship and I preached on the seven places where Jesus shed his blood. This is the same teaching. I gave yesterday but several had requested that I do it again. As always, came out a little differently as does each time. After the service a gentleman came up and took the microphone to speak. He announced that he had been suffering neck pains for two weeks. He had severe pain on the right side of his neck and went to the doctor. The doctor had him put ice packs on it and the pain shifted to the left side. He went back in the doctor recommended more ice packs and the payment to the center of his neck. He said he was in severe discomfort and he had a number of ailments from clear back when he served in Vietnam. He said that during the sermon when I spoke of Jesus taking stripes for us and that the exact moment I quoted from Matthew “ by his stripes we are healed” he was fully healed on the pain was gone. He said the pain was gone from injuries she had from the Vietnam conflict and several other injuries yet had since and he had no more pain or discomfort whatsoever and was so excited to share it with everyone. God is so good.

Following the church service and a potluck, we returned back to the house to rest for 45 min. before heading off to Kehei for a Bible study. This was in a nice apartment of an elderly woman who was quite a delight. I taught upon the covenant relationship between the Israelites and God first established at Mount Sinai in Exodus 4 and then reaffirmed in Exodus 24 and nearly totally forgotten by Joshua 24 verse 24. “as for me and my house, we choose to serve the Lord." I then told them about my adventures with the Moldovan soldier who wanted to kill the American.

We then left and journeyed across Maui to the old Mill Road and beyond to another house where we had a discipleship training session on the gifts of the spirit. This was a very intensive teaching based upon first Corinthians 12, and the purpose for which the gifts are given. Marvin and I then categorized gifts into those relating to revelation our knowledge, those imparting power, and those of utterance. We demonstrated each several times and then had the students elect which if any of the gifts they wanted to receive. We pray for each and worked with each until  they all had received their gifts. By 10 o'clock. Everyone had been slain in the spirit at least  once and all were practiced in receiving and interpreting words of knowledge, and discerning spirits. They come from the spirit of man or the flesh, the Antichrist, the Holy Ghost or from Angels. It was an exhausting evening. We got home past midnight.

Monday we had a Bible study in the morning and another in the afternoon. I taught on Romans one – three at the first study and on Jacob's ladder at the second study. Monday evening was laundry and rest. Tuesday began with a Bible study back at the old mill road in PAIA off the Hana Highway. There they asked me to teach on becoming mature Christians which fell right into a review of my book

“Building Saints along the Chorba Trail”. This was followed by a potluck dinner at which I was served an egg salad sandwich and vegetables. From there we journeyed across Maui to the New Hope church of Wayne Cordero, where I have been invited last week to preach. Many of those in discipleship training showed up to hear my teaching but sadly the pastor forgot of the invitation and Todd instead his lesson on Nehemiah, which was very good. After the meeting we visited and he became aware of his forgetting of the invitation and asked me to come and speak next Tuesday night, which is my last opportunity as I leave for Seattle on Wednesday. We agreed to come back. From there we went to visit Zippy”s restaurant because the group one of the search. It was nearly midnight and I settled for a small cup of turkey chowder. I am trying to maintain my diet as best I can but it is difficult in this culture. It'd been a long day, but a good one.

 Wednesday we inaugurated two new Bible studies. Each time Marben had me teach. At the first one in a private home, I spoke on the contrast between the building of the tower of Babel and God reaching down to the Israelites through Jacob's ladder. The second Bible study, which was held in a carport, I spoke on the book of Romans going through the first three chapters. Between the two Bible studies. We visited Wendy's where I had a strawberry fields salad. In the early afternoon we went to Pias’ home. She is very much involved in the discipleship training, and is the daughter of our sponsor from Manila. She faced a huge salad for me for lunch so that by the time I got home after the second Bible study I was pretty full of proper salads. The Filipinos seem to think in terms of fruit and not lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, and other greens for salads. I had mentioned this and they made up the deficit.

Thursday was yet another new Bible study, again in the garage or carport area. This extended family of 16 was exploring the idea of reaching out beyond their Catholicism to find more truth about the Lord and the word of God. It was a radical departure from their family traditions and an experiment on their part that went very well. I taught on Romans 13 as requested by Marben and then elaborated on the freedom I have in my life as a missionary living on faith and relying upon the Lord. They were very interested and have decided to continue on with the Bible studies and inviting more people from their friendships. Marben expects this to be the newest and largest Bible study class and will assign three of the disciples to train it.

Following the class on Thursday we returned to our home where we had a core meeting concerning the upcoming journey to Ghana for Marben and Pia and Kuhio, scheduled for October where they will team up with Caleb ministries and Chibuzor Eze, our African director from Nigeria. They will stop in Seattle on their way to Nigeria and visit us at Caleb house. This trip will be their first missionary trip since the discipleship training program started in April.

Friday afternoon was Bible study in a home where we had been before, and the topic I chose was a comparison between the story of the Tower of Babel and the events depicted in Jacob's ladder. This led to spirited discussion and a very interesting Bible study for all involved. Friday evening we went to the Sandhills home of our hosts from Manila for a meeting of the discipleship group in that area. After dinner. Marben began his teaching and then suddenly asked me to again present the teaching on the tower of Babel and Jacob's ladder, without warning. After my teaching, he contrasted the events of the lukewarm churches today with man's efforts as opposed to God's efforts to restore us to right relationship.

Saturday began with Pastor Milos church in his carport where I taught on the calling of the apostle Timothy in the book of acts. Chapters 14 and 16. Afterwards, we enjoyed a potluck and a four o'clock had another home Bible study. At 6 PM we journeyed out to the discipleship training home near old mill on the Hana Highway. There were about  20 discipleship students there and we set up the Skype program using my computer, Marben's laptop and the laptop of our hosts.

I did a Skype conference call to people all over the world who are affiliated with Caleb ministries. We had pastors and groups signing on from Seattle, Everett, Kauai,Hawaii, Maui, Nepal, pastor China's church of over 300 pastors in West Godavi, India, pastor Sandra of fairways ministry India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Kenya, Nigeria, London, Scotland, Romania, Bulgaria and Tibet. Pastor Barbara and connected his computer to Ghana and the Philippines. The host computer was connected to several groups in Hawaii to observe our discipleship training. It was truly a global experience. The students took over and interceded and prayed for healing and prosperity of the gospel and specific needs for people all over the globe. The reports coming in the next day have been exciting and the disciples have been enthused beyond words in their work to spread the gospel and minister to others in the name of Jesus. We are repeating the exercise to a few groups on Monday evening to demonstrate to the disciples who could not attend Saturday.

Sunday was a very busy day. We began with a breakfast appointment with Linda arrived at Marben's house on Friday afternoon with questions and concerns concerning her recent divorce. We ministered to her and she invited us to breakfast as a thank you. From there we went to New Hope church on Maui, where pastor Tipi preached on Caleb. From there we attended Marben's full gospel fellowship church and then went to the golf and country club at Kahalui for lunch. This became a disastrous occasion when a green worm crawled out of my salad and sandwich during my meal. The waitress was mortified, but I only asked if the worm was organic. She assured me it was. The humor broke the tension and our meal was comped.

From there we went to Kihei for a home Bible study where I taught on three of the parables in the gospel of John. Then we rushed back to old mill road for a discipleship meeting on Sunday evening. The teaching was on Caleb and the meaning of the names in the book of Joshua chapter 14. Following, there was a potluck dinner, during which they asked for my personal testimony of coming to Christ. We got home late as you can imagine. It was a great evening and a going away party for me from the people at this location. They gave me a large sack of gifts to bring back to Seattle.

It is now Monday morning and I leave Wednesday, so this will be the end of the report from Maui.

Once again I am reminded of God’s faithfulness as His Word goes forth to save the lost, heal the infirm, and impart gifts to His children.  All glory and honor goes to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for every ministry and insight we have had here in Hawaii.  Please pray for the remaining days of our ministry that our borders would be enlarged and that God’s gracious favor would continue to rest on the ministry team, and especially on Bishop Marben as he continues to work out the vision God has given him for the Philippine Church in Hawaii. 

- Jerry Brian Riess

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