Author: vicky@livingwatersphilippines.org

It is May 2016 and our annual Flagship is off to a strong start. There were 40+ in attendance, during our first meeting on Tuesday. The participants include those coming from as far as Batangas each week while others have actually relocated to Manila for these upcoming 25 weeks. They range in age from 17 to 62 years old. Even with the large number in attendance this past Tuesday, there are six who we are still expecting to join us next week.

We began with a beautiful time of worship lead by Janel Bauza, after which Jayvee Dychioco followed with a teaching on how we are a good gift to each other in life. A well rounded overview was also given by Jayvee to help each participant know, as much as possible at this point, what to expect in this upcoming time together. Each team member, coming from varying experiences of struggles and healing, also gave short testimonies with the hope the Holy Spirit would begin establishing a sense of safety for sharing from the very beginning.

The night was then concluded with a large ministry time where participants, committed to this process of healing, approached the cross for prayer ministry from the team. We are grateful for God’s presence throughout the whole evening. We ask for your prayer covering during this time, especially for the protection of the commitments made by the participants over this 25 week period and that each person would have personal encounters with Jesus as they risk in transparency. We also pray that we, as a team, would be trustworthy of the sacred stories and lives entrusted to us during this time.

More to come…

This session of Women At the Well (WAW), an eight week women’s healing program, is quickly coming to an end. This eight week program was designed to look at relationship idolatry and relational and sexual brokenness in the lives of women specifically. The six participants and 4 leaders met once a week for a large group teaching time which was then followed by small group ministry time.

The women involved courageously looked at areas in their personal lives which need the healing presence of Jesus. They not only looked at these areas but actively took ownership and invited Jesus into these areas to bring healing. The changes in these women’s lives have been powerful and continue as they walk their journeys out daily.

If you have any interest in joining such a women’s group, please call the Living Waters office and ask for more details. The program is only offered periodically so keep this in mind as you inquire.

Following the Retreat on Living A Resurrected Life, three from the Living Waters Philippines leadership team, JayVee and Vicky Dychioco and Shirlee Ashworth (current intern for LWP) accompanied Andrew Comiskey to Ubon, Thailand. They joined the international team also composed of Sue Hunt, Mam (from Thailand) and Peter Lau (from Hongkong) to help with a seminar, “A Pure Life by the Power of the Cross”.

The Thai team in Ubon is in early stages but so eager to receive from the Lord and experience more of His healing. The conference was designed to address some of the Living Waters foundational topics such as Living an Undivided Life, Mother/Father Wounds, God’s Heart in Marriage and Returning to the Father. The participants were open, receptive, and quick to respond to what Jesus wanted to do in them and their hearts. Andrew’s teachings made an open pathway for Jesus’ heart to be conveyed to those in attendance. We are excited some of them plan to join the Leadership Training here in the Philippines on May 2017 and are actively working on the development of the ministry God is building there in Ubon. Please join us in continuing to pray for the furtherance of what God is doing in that area. We look forward to returning and partnering more in the future with these beautiful people.

Approximately 40 men and women gathered at Tagaytay for a retreat with the founder and director of Living Waters, Andrew Comiskey. Those in attendance represented long time founders of Living Waters as well as others who were just being exposed to Living Waters for the first time. Andrew walked us verse by verse through Isaiah 54 and 55 challenging those in attendance on how to live a Resurrected Life on a daily basis. His messages were timely and powerful as the retreat was on the heals of Easter.

Andrew reminded us that in Living Waters we don’t have the freedom to live simply as the “victim/patient” or even the “doctor”. We are always in a state of healing ourselves while we are walking along side others who are also in the process of healing. We never “arrive” and yet we also never are only “receiving”. It is in giving that we receive even deeper healing.

He spoke on our personal barrenness, shame, singleness and all that society says about these places in our lives. About how traditions of man contribute and help define these very places. He also encouraged us that even in these places and especially in these places, regardless of how we feel, a double portion of resurrection, mercy, and blessing is for us.

We heard of and sat with the whole reality of Divine mercy and how that intersects with our lives being the only means by which the evil in our lives not only be turned around but changed to work for the good.

We continued by looking at fear and the necessity of repentance in our lives. The importance and impact of repentance in our lives, as leaders. If we as leaders do not practice daily repentance, how will the others who share in this journey with us feel the impact of and freedom to repent as well. And as we looked at all God brought to light in our lives, we were encouraged to nurture hope, even and especially, in the midst of grieving.

Small group times, large group ministry, and times designed especially for silence were opportunities pregnant with God’s healing presence.

Retreats are created to make room for rest, motivation, and encouragement which I think we call all say happened. However, finally to finish our time together, Andrew and those present, blessed Benji and Hazel with a beautiful send-off on to their 1 year sabbatical-time of rest, while welcoming and blessing the passing on of responsibilities of Directorship to JayVee and Vicky for this coming year.

I pray we all can find that true authentic rest present only in the saying “yes” to Jesus.

As Good Friday and Easter approach, three Victory Asia churches came together in Fairview for more equipping and healing. Official along with lay leaders came to experience what God had to offer through the ministry of Living Waters Philippines. Pastor Irvin shared that as they are expecting a great “harvest” to come into the church, the church needs to be healed and ready for those coming.

There were approximately 60 participants who were committed to these two days of encountering God. Talks on how we were wounded and how we wound others were shared. After which talks on the redeeming virtues of men, women, and the church were shared. The men and women courageously connected with their hearts and shared what was inside. After hearing from God and how He wanted to meet them in those areas of pain, the healing process began. They are off to a strong start and are looking forward to more healing occurring as they commit to accountability groups and vulnerability with each other.

We are grateful for another opportunity to share in the discovery of others in how God is faithful to meet each person in their place of pain and transform it into a new sense of Life. Some expressed an interest in the upcoming Leadership Training while others are interested in joining the 25 week Flagship program. Others have already committed to accountability groups. They are people with vision and plans for the future. Join us in praying for this group as they sort through how they will continue with what God is laying on their hearts.

Last March 10-12, a portion of the LW team went to Butuan for an Intro to Healing conference for NFS Pastors in that area. One of the significant parts of this conference was the location. We were joining and connecting with those who minister in the area which was in existence even before the Philippines was recognized; the entry place for Christianity into the Philippines. We went back to the very beginning and entry place of the establishing faith of this country. It was an extremely profound and significant time. We had the privilege of not only providing a safe place for struggling Pastors but to also visit historical places and pray life and restoration into the place, culture, and people.

We saw hope restored as first time confessions were shared in that sacred place of safety. Secret worlds were brought to light and cleansing tears honored. Forgiveness was experienced and hope renewed. There are more invitations to the Mindanao area for ministry for which we are grateful.

Our spiritual eyes were opened to even more which is happening as healing is brought to others, while an even deeper, profound authority given from which to pray. We are grateful and humbled by all the Lord is doing in this nation and among His people. Thank you for your prayers!