For your viewing enjoyment.
Here is a YouTube video from a group that went to Dibagat.  (330 Media)

 

Dear Praying Team,

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what he has done.” Psalm 105:1

Someone had said that I should let friends know the “rumors about my demise has been greatly exaggerated!” I got a voice message on my cell phone from my good friends and colleagues who are in Michigan, that said – “Hey Nard, we heard a rumor from our church that you have moved on to your eternal rest, and we wanted to verify – well if you are truly gone, then we won’t hear from you, otherwise please give us a call.” Then to make sure as not to upset Sandy if it was true, they called another colleague first to check out the rumor. The colleague told them he just talked to me 25 minutes before they called! Then they called and told me about it! It was funny, but you all probably thought the same way since you have not heard from me since I got back from the Philippines in April, so this was a good reminder for me to get you all updated! So, if you hear about that rumor, I am very much alive and trying to live up to what the verse above says to do! Trusting that you are doing the same. We never know when God calls us home and our ministry on earth is done, so we have to be ready at all times –“in season and out of season!” And, Jesus said - “As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” John 9:4

DIBAGAT MISSION 2012

March 18, 2012 was a special event for me as it took only 3 hours from the time we departed Manila until we reached Dibagat (via Philippine airlines, then New Tribes helicopter), otherwise it would have taken almost two days to get to Dibagat. Most of our team ranging from ages 82 to 20 arrived Saturday and were ready to start the project. Since I was on standby with another team member(thanks to a friend who gave me two passes with Delta), our flight didn’t get in to Manila until a day later and arriving in Dibagat by Sunday March 18. When we landed behind the Dibagat Bible Church, the first two people that met us were my youngest brother Francis and younger sister Benita!



First ones to meet me where my youngest brother Frances and
younger sister Benita -- on my left

What a treat for me to see them as I have not seen them for 5 years – and they have gotten older as well. It was another humbling experience for me seeing all the relatives and friends in the village, because the Lord could have made me stay there instead of living where I am now. My mind wondered and asked – what if….. Dick Roe didn’t come in 1956?, What if…. Elmer in 1954 decided they didn’t need to be there? What if….the officials in Kabugao said – ‘go to another village’, but instead directed them to go a little farther upstream on the Abulug river to the village of Dibagat where they could live and learn the Isnag language. Little did anyone know God had placed a little boy in that village needing to hear about Him and would return full circle to continue the ripple effect of what God had started! – “You have not chosen me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit for me, fruit that will last….” John 15:16 - the orchestrating hand of God is amazing. It got too emotional for me when I think of His grace! Of course the question continues – what if….Rudy Barlaan hardened his heart against the Lord, or continued his profession of mechanical engineering? What if….he didn’t listen to God?? Lots of questions- but seeing Rudy continuing the Old Testament translation and mentoring Isnag young people to reach the Isnags was one of the highlight of our trip. The young people are taking the leadership in the church- showing the Jesus film and distributing Isnag New Testaments village to village, doing Bible studies and Vacation Bible Schools is an exciting outpouring of the work of God among the Isnags! The Dibagat Bible Church under the leadership of my nephew Mark Pugyao as pastor, Bible translator with Rudy, training Isnag believers to do outreach is also exciting to see the growth! I wish I could take you all to visit Dibagat and hike up the mountains along with Jojo, Christopher, Elvin, Mark, ReAnn, Nancy to name a few and many other young men and women to show the Jesus film.

Team of nine

By March 19 our team of 10 along with the Isnags got right to work – jacking up the metal trusses, removing posts and knocking down walls, chipping away cement so the footers could be formed and poured, putting columns and beam and etc! Of course the Isnags have hauled in tons and tons of sand and gravel, made over 1200 hollow blocks ahead of time, carried all the rebar, angle iron, cement, plywood and anything else we needed to replace all the wooden structure of the church. They carried everything on a 65 degree inclined about a mile up the hill to where the church is. The Isnag team and our team were eager to get all the termite infested wooden structures of the church replaced! Within a little over a week, the concrete columns, beams and blocks were installed, and the timing was perfect as the Isnags didn’t have to get to their rice fields yet, and it was also nice weather except when we left that it started raining so we all had to scramble on canoes down river to Kabugao to get back to Manila. All were satisfied because the work was done, the Isnags were all very happy termites will no longer eat their church – but the bad thing is, termites will move on to their houses.

Church completed -- Dibagat Bible Church



MEETING WITH WYCLIFFE PHILIPPNES BOARD AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS STUDENTS

Maribel Fernandez - single. She has no experience in Bible Translation as
her ministry exposure had been in the music ministry and leading small group
Bible studies with single women. After ALP, she plans to be part of the SIL
training services team.

Rodessa Galao, single, a member of Northern Mother Tongue Translators
Assn., working with Ibaloi Scripture Translation Team

Joefrelene Vinzon, married; He is from Bukidnon, and a member of the
Hiligaynon Bible Translation Team

Ronie Amaran, single, a native of Subanen from
Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao. He is a member of the Southern
Subanen Bible Translation Team

 When I got to Manila, I had a chance to meet with Wycliffe Philippines board members along with 9 students who are doing their masters in Applied Linguistics (ALP) at the Asian Center for Christian Ministry (ASCM) and are funded by the G. Richard Roe Scholarship Fund. What a treat for me to see the continuing ripple effect of what God started through Dick Roe when he got into Bible translation work back in 1953 and arriving in Dibagat in 1956. Thanks to the generosity of Bill and Patty who sent me the initial amount for the scholarship when Dick Roe died in 1995. Last year another faithful supporter sold their airplane and gave all the proceeds to the scholarship fund which enabled us to help provide funding for these 9 students, and many others who continue to contribute to the scholarship. It was also good to hear personal testimonies from the students who are mostly mother tongue translators. They want to do the Old Testament translation in their heart language, thus they are training for that purpose. It was great to see their excitement of someday doing Bible translation work in the Philippines or anywhere in Asia and around the world after finishing their own heart language!

Meeting with Wycliffe board members in Manila

At the beginning of this school year which is June in the Philippines, we had 10 more who applied to the scholarship, and that would make it 19 students doing their masters in linguistics this year. Would you pray we will have enough funding to help them all, and if you want to be a part of investing in Bible translation through this scholarship, email me or call me at 704-996-3237 and will give you the details. I thank God for faithful supporters of this scholarship along with new ones like a church in Vilas, NC who promised to provide around $1500 to be given in 2013. This will help the 19 students currently enrolled in linguistics in the Philippines to finish their master’s in linguistics.

HOME FROM THE PHILIPPINES

After returning from the Philippines, where the temperature was 95 degrees, I headed to Edmonton, Canada a week later and temperature was minus 5 degrees! What a contrast, but surviving that one as well. Then got involved in flying our JAARS helicopter in NC, SC, MI, PA, ME, OH!

Nard with the Bouwkamps in Michigan

Aside from flying had also been in conferences in MI, PA, NC, SC, OH & NY. My final meetings are scheduled in places below in case you wanted to know! We can have a cup of coffee together –

Oct 20-21 – New Life Christian Church – Saginaw, MI

Nov 1-3 – Laguna Beach, CA – Wycliffe Associates

Nov 4 – Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church – Coronado, CA

Nov 10-11 – Heritage Christian Church – Columbus, OH

SANDY’S INVESTMENT IN ESL AT OUR CHURCH IN CHARLOTTE

Sandy teaching pronunciation on her ESL class!

Sandy's ESL pronunciation class

Sandy has been investing in the lives of adult men & women coming to the US and in the Charlotte area through her ESL (English as a Second Language) classes at Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC! This is her 8^th year teaching ESL, and meeting some of her students with excitement of trying their English pronunciation and conversation in English is great to hear. She uses verses of Scriptures on their vocabularies, words to pronounce and etc, and has enjoyed doing Bible studies with her students. Her students come from different parts of the world, all trying to learn English! She finds enjoyment in teaching them learn English plus tutoring individual students when they need help! She also enjoys taking her therapy miniature Dachshunds to the hospital to visit patients, plus visiting a couple libraries where kids read to her dog. She is also involved with a bunch of ladies crocheting blankets for babies at the Presbyterian hospital in Matthews, NC where she takes her therapy dogs to visit patients!

THANKS FROM OUR HEART -

Nard's oldest sister Emma on right and youngest sister Merlina

Finally, thanks from our heart for your faithful support to us these last 35 years in ministry with Wycliffe. We are humbled in every way, and we will continue to be faithful to the Lord for what He called us to do – you have been a vital part of what God is doing as expressed by the verse below. Together we proclaim Him to the nations until all the remaining 2,000 languages have heard and read in their own heart language Jesus is Lord!

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7

With our gratitude to the Lord for all of you,

Nard and Sandy Pugyao