Dear Friends and Family,

It has been a few months since our last newsletter, and there has been some exciting developments both with our family and our ministry.  Keep reading for more information on both.

Before I get into all the details, I wanted to take a moment to apologize for not getting an official newsletter out sooner.  I had composed an update a few months ago, but for reasons that, while unknown yet still certainly a result of my technical ignorance, it never was sent out.  While we do have a number of mediums where we try to keep people up to date, I realize that many of you rely on our regular newsletter to know what is going on and how to pray for us.  I will get things sorted out and make sure that this is done more regularly in the future... thanks for the patience up to this point.  I will make sure this isn't an issue moving forward.

Now, without any further delay...

The Last of the Manthe Kids

To The Highways and Hedges... and Back...

Since our last published newsletter, we have been what seems like, all over the Philippines.  In our nearly 75 games over the last few months, we have driven 10 hours north of Manila to share with former headhunters (Click the link below for Bugkalot Basketball Outreach), we have been as far as 4 hours south where we played (and won) 5 basketball games in 1 day and every court we could find in between.  During each game, a full gospel presentation was given and people were connected with local pastors and local churches.  We don't always keep track of numbers, but one of our visiting team members led nearly 15 people to Christ on his own, not counting the work the dozens of other players contributed as well as the efforts of the pastors and churches after we left.  In the town of Padre Garcia, located in Lipa City, Laguna, the place where we played 5 games in one day, we have already been asked by local pastors, and were able to provide over 100 Tagalog bibles that were used to start Bible studies made up of the close to 1500 people who watched our games in just that 1 day.  We also had a visiting church commit to purchase 300 square meters of land for a host church in Laguna, so they could keep moving forward with their new church building plans.  God is doing amazing things in the Philipipnes using a little round ball... things that have nothing to do with basketball are happening, because of those who are willing to use the talents and abilities God has given them.  Thanks for praying for the 10s of thousands of people who have heard the Gospel in the last few months... Thanks for praying for God to send more basketball players who want to see Filipinos come to know Christ... Thanks for praying for the dozens of Pastors who we have helped promote through our organization... Thanks for praying about coming to the Philippines yourself, and seeing how you can help!!!

Discipling through Coaching

Since we arrived in the Philippines, Val and I have both been involved with Faith Academy athletics.  Given our background in sports, participation in sports represents a very high value for our family, and our ability to impact the children of missionaries through sports is a great challenge as well as a tremendous blessing.  As many of you know, I was the assistant coach for the boys varsity basketball team last year, who won the Far East basketball tournament (State Tournament Equivalent).  Val picked up coaching again this year after taking a hiatus to run the New York Marathon last year.  With the exceptio of taking 5 days off to give birth, she has been in the mix every day.  We are very fortunate that Faith Academt will be hosting the ACSC (Asian Christian Schools Conference) and Val will not have to leave the country for the end of year tournament.  I have also stepped in to help with the girls volleball program as the Middle School Girls Volleyball Coach.  It has been especially fun as I have been able to include Mackenzie and Bella in our practices and some of our games.

When volleyball finishes, I will be the varsity boys basketball assistant coach again.  We lost 7 seniors last year, so it will be a very different team and will provide a lot of opportunities to build character, hard work and discipline.  We will have the opportunity to represent Faith Academy in Taiwan for our end of year ACSC tournament, since last year was our last time to go to Far East.

Please keep Val and I in your prayers as we take advantage of these opportunities to impact the children of missionaries through sports.

A big thanks to all of you who continue to support us through prayer and financial gifts.  We are so blessed to be able to have a part in God's work in the Philippines, and none of that would be possible without those of you who sacrifice your time and finances to make it possible. 

If you are interested in helping support the programs we are involved in here, please reply to this email and let us know.  We can answer any questions you might have and/or give you the details on how to go about support.

Won by One,

Josh and Val, for Mackenzie, Bella, Deacon, Caleb and SImeon