Happy 20th Anniversary SONBI!!!

Today, Bembem and I went over to the Bible College near by. SONBI was celebrating it's 20th year anniversary. We only stopped by for a little bit, but it was really a blessing to have gone. I got to see a glimpse of the blessings the Lord has poured out on this Bible Collge for the past 20 years. Above are pictures of the students singing some praise songs. All the girls are in the missions class that I got to teach at the past 2 weeks. The picture with the gentleman is actually the back of Pastor Castillo. He is really a great guy, exciting personality, and really just a blessed joy to be around. A few weeks ago, before Dave and Jen left, they invited Pastor Castillo over to the house for dinner. It was great to get to know him that day a little bit better. Well all the students sang, and the ceremony continued on, but Bem and I couldn't stay for the feast they were about to eat! And it looked good! Haha. But that's ok because after we left, we headed up to the Bukid, where I had the opportunity to lead a Bible Study. It was a great time of getting in the Word, getting closer to Christ, and singing songs. After some time in the mountain, we came back to the house to find Mr. Doug Macrae inside. Praise God, Doug made it safely! He is now here and will be leading all the studies. That means I get to focus more on Worship and also hopefully get to help out working in the fields up by the Church. So far it has been a great 3 weeks, and I'm looking at almost another 4 ahead of me. Time sure does fly when your having fun serving Christ!

Well, today was definitely a busy day.. Bible College ceremony, Bible Study, Worship Practice with the girls, basketball, and finally just a few minutes ago, finished up with another Bible study with Je and Bem. It has been a blessed day for sure! God is good, and has worn me out! Je baked some amazing banana bread, and I ate about 3 pieces too many.. so I'm gonna go look for some more, and then head to bed, because I am tired.. or Kaboy sa Ilonggo...

God Bless.

Recap of the week!!!

It's been quite a while since my last blog posting.. sorry for the delay. A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN, AND THE LORD CONTINUES TO POUR OUR HIS BLESSINGS ON ME! Our days have been constantly filled with fun, serving Jesus every step of the way! We lost internet a few days back, so i'll catch you up to today.. Here are a few pictures! Enjoy!

This past Saturday, we loaded up the "Jeep" with a bunch of teenage girls from the church and drove them all down to Bacolod City, which is about 2 hours from us. Total, there were about 21 people, filled w/life in one car! It was so much fun! In Bacolod, we first went to a TV Show, called "Kapamilia Winner Ka"... I don't really know what it means or understand the game show..but it was a lot of fun! It was the first time that the girls have been to Bacolod and definitely the first time they ever got to be on TV as a live audience! They absolutely loved it, dancing and singing the whole time! It was such a joy! After the TV Show viewing, we went to the main mall. It's actually a really nice and big mall, I think maybe even as nice as the mall back home. We split up in four teams and played "Picture Scavanger Hunt" !!! This was so much fun to run around the mall, trying to find different things on the list that Dave and Jen made up.

(Picture above is at the mall after the game). It was hilarious to watch the girls play! They had also never seen a mall before so they were thrilled to see the "moving stairs", aka escalator! And the losing team got to wear those ridiculous looking hats. After the mall, and stuffing ourselves with chicken and rice (sooo delicious) we went to a mansion ruin near by, which was burned down during WWII. It was a beautiful structure, with a lot of really neat history behind it. We took a tour, and then had a picnic and played games out on grass field near by. By this time we were so tired and worn out.. we ate one more time at Pizza Hut! and then came back home to Himamaylan. This day was so much fun, and exhausting. When we got home, I was Peer-Pressured into eating "BALUT"!!! If you don't know what that is... well maybe you can google it.... I'd rather not explain.. it might bring up bad memories..haha.. just kidding! It wasn't too bad, but definitely not my choice of snack. But a great experience overall.

Sunday was a great day! It was the first time I got to lead part of the worship at a Sunday service. Dave played 2 songs, and I played 2 as well.. it was a blessing playing worship once last time w/Pastor Dave! The pictures is actually from last week's midweek service.

Monday, we headed back to Bacolod City, where we said goodbye to Dave and Jen as they headed out to the states, to be w/all of you! You are blessed to have both of them for a month back in the states! Take advantage of their wisdom and joy! It has been such a blessing to live with Dave for a few days.. I really learned a lot from him, and he has definitely helped open my eyes to the Filipino culture, and the wealth they have. They truly are a much wealthier country than USA. Not in monetary terms.. I'll let you think about that one. It was nice getting to know Jen better too. She really is a great wife for Dave, and has blessed me just with her hilarious sense of humor and loving heart for people. It has been so much fun w/them, and I know you will be blessed to have them both back in the states. When we got back to the house, Dandan had me try a fruit called "Durian". It smells a lot like.... like somebody used the restroom after eating a huge meal, and forgot to flush the toilet for about, lets say a week or two. It smelled horrific, but once I tried it, it was actually quite tasty. Kinda like a sweet avocado ish taste.. hard to explain.. I guess the stinkier it is, the better it's supposed to be... And believe me, it was pretty delicious... and pretty smelly!

Tuesday, I got to studying.. I spent just about the whole day studying for the Bible studies this week. Since Dave is now gone, and Doug doesn't arrive till Saturday, the opportunity has opened for me to teach the studies this week. So Tuesday I hit the Book, and began to dig into Genesis 22, and Exodus 13. Also tuesday night, I spent some time getting to know Jens two brothers a bit more (Bembem and Dandan). I told them my testimony, and then we walked through Colossians 3:1-17, what it means to now live with characteristics of "The New Man". I went through Genesis 22 this morning (wed) with the missions class at the local Bible College (SONBI). And then I just got home a little bit ago from another Bible study with a few high school teachers, and that was on the Exodus 13 study. Both were so much fun.. Lots of preparation and study time, but after it was such a blessing to be used in such a powerful way. To teach the Word of God. What a Scary/Amazing experience and opportunity! Its amazing because it's God's Word and always a blessing to dig into a bit, but scary because I know I am accountable to everything I say to these listeners. It's a huge privilege, and responsibility all at once.

Well God has been so good to me here. The more time I'm here, the more I become attached to the culture and the people, and the more I fall in love with them. It's constantly busy and never a dull moment, but constantly fun at the same time. Last saturday, right leg swelled up pretty good, but as of today it is looking pretty normal again. Maybe got bit by a spider or cockroach..haha. Everything is fine though, even though I know my Dad is worrying back at home about it! Don't worry Pops, everything is ok! I still have both my legs! Well I'm getting a bit hungry and diner is ready, so I'm gonna go grab some food. Rice, Chicken soup, and Dried/Fried fish! MMM-MMMM!!!

Thank you so much for all your prayers. They truly do help. Whether it was healing my leg or giving me strength to study and go through the Bible Studies. Please continue to keep me in prayer. Tomorrow is midweek service w/the church family in the Bukid, so that ought to be lots of fun as well, studying and spending time w/my Lord. I miss you all, and love you all dearly! God Bless.

In Christ,

Nick

No Internet Connection!

Yup! One of these busses here took out the internet connect! They are doing construction on the road by the house and they didn't hang the internet chord high enough in the air and a bus ran right through it! haha! I'm currently typing from a small internet game/cafe place. So, I'll be out of contact for a few days! I'm doing fine so don't worry mom and dad....more dad. :-) Things are going great here, and always lots of fun. I hope all is well..take care! Love you and God Bless!

Bible College - SONBI

So it's been a few days since a posting... sorry about that. Yesterday was a great day! I got to speak (and see) w/my WHOLE family over SKYPE! Two days ago was my nephew Eli's birthday! Big UNO! He's growing up so fast..haha. And yesterday (well I guess today back in the states) is my sister, Desi's Birthday! So lots of exciting and sweet times to be in joy for sure. Praise God for technology! It was great and a huge encouragement to speak w/my family! Here I am physically in the Philippines, serving as a missionary, and my family is back in the states keep me alive in Christ, through prayer! I am not the only one a part of this ministry! All of your prayers are the backbone, and for your prayers, I am eternally thankful! The past few days have been study days. Dave is getting ready for a lot of messages to give, both here and back in the states. I have been studying a bit for the week that I'll be teaching. Keep me in prayer for that, because there are 9 studies per week, and only by God's grace, I'll make it through.. haha! But seriously!

SONBI is the name of the local Bible College here in Himamaylan. This morning I had the opportunity to actually teach the missions class, and as I studied a good portion of the day yesterday, God led me to learn more and share about True Worship. I wanted to let them know that worshipping God is so much more than picking up a guitar and singing a song. And praise God worship doesn't end there, because if so, I'd be an Awful worshiper of the Lord. So, though I did not nearly cover the totality of worship, and probably just spoke heresy the whole time (only partially joking, haha), I chose to dig into John 4. It's a great chapter, speaking of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman. She had her eyes focused on the physical, while Jesus spoke to her about the Spiritual Realities. Of course, in the flesh, she did not understand, for she did not have Godly wisdom. She did quite the opposite of what Colossians 1:2 tells us to do. Jesus reveals her sin, bringing her in the light, and then tells her she does not know what she worships! Then continues by telling her that God seeks for TRUE WORSHIPPERS of the Father, worshipping in Spirit and Truth. So as class we got to look at what it meant to be a True Worshipper of Jesus Christ, and what it means to Worship God in Spirit and Truth! It ended w/the question, "What/Whom do you worship?" I emphasized that everyone, believer or not, serves a god, and worships that god. Like the Samaritan women, Jesus tells us that "we worship what we do not know". We think we are worshipping God, but often Christians worship church, or the ministry, or even the Bible (reading it as a text book to gain intellectual knowledge and be puffed up) rather than worshipping the Creator, worshipping not the Bible but whom the Bible points to and speaks of: Jesus Christ.

Now, I was pretty nervous, and bit scared, but I guess thats normal for me when stepping out. I know the Lord wants to bring me out of Complacency and streeeeeetch me to do things I never thought I'd be doing. Before I left this morning, knowing that I was a bit nervous and unsure of how the teaching will go, Pastor Dave prayed for Jesus to just fill me with the Holy Spirit - guiding, calming, and directing me. It was such a blessing to watch the Lord be in control of the study. It's amazing to feel the Holy Spirit teaching and guiding me as I share what I learned about Worship with the students. Again, it was such a blessing, and encouraging to be reminded of how great and faithful He is to me.

After the study, we worshipped God in song, and then I helped the girls put new string on their guitar at the bible college. They have a pretty old guitar, and they told me that they have had the same strings for 5 years!!! And you can definitely notice the wear on them. So, we helped them re-string, get in tune, and now they can continue worshipping in song on their own. Overall it was a great time worshipping God in the study, in song and in the fellowship!

Jesus is Good. Thanks for the prayers so far. Really, they mean a lot....

Specific Prayer Requests:

- For God to continue to poor out His Spirit in me, emptying me of myself.

- Godly Wisdom, to be in tune and sensitive to His voice.

- My family back at home, to continue to run the race, seeking Jesus.

- Dave and Jen as they prepare to head back to the states next week

- Bembem (Jen's Bro) to be guided and directed by the Holy Spirit & for Children's Ministry.

- Lives to be changed here in Himamaylan (National Disciples raised up by the power of Christ)

Love you much,

-Nick

Simbahan Sa Bukid...

...that means "Church in the Mountain". That is the name Pastor Dave decided to give to the church that the Lord is using him to plant here in Himamaylan. Today was the first service I have attended, at it was so much fun. We started out with leaving the house at 8am, picking up many people along the way inside of the jeep. We picked up so many people, that Dave, Bem, and myself hung on the back of the jeep. That was a lot of fun because we are driving on roads that would be considered "off-roading" back at home, and we get to hang on the back. It's not often in the states that you can pile up about 20 people inside a vehicle, 3 on the back and a few even on top. Here it is very common, and just the typical way of life transportation.

Dave and I both played worship today together... It's nice playing with Him because it helps me get use to playing and trying to learn the songs in Ilonggo. Bem also got go step out and play the Cajon for the first time in Worship, so that was great to see too. After worship, I followed Bem and his sister, Jeralyn, to the children's ministry and I got to hang out with all the kids! And I must tell you, there are a TON of kids!!! But if you know me, you know that I absolutely love kids, and being around them, especially when it is Jesus Christ who brought us all together. And that was exactly how it was this morning. We sang, danced, colored, did word searches, and after ate lots of bread and corn. Overall it was an amazing service, and the Lord is doing a great work here in the Bukid.

While the kids are great, they sure do wipe you out of energy. We came back home for the afternoon and I took a few hour nap... again, if you know me, you know how much I love to nap! I can really sleep anywhere. After the nap, I woke up to a huge lunch!!! Literally, so much food! I eat so much food here, and it is always changing. Yesterday, for breakfast, I ate dried, fried fish. It sits out for about 10 days, to dry, then we buy it at the market, and come home and fry it. It was actually quite tasty. :-) Today I tried a new fruit, "Atis"! It is amazing good! Why we don't have these imported to the US, I just don't know. But I loaded up on those today, as well as the best pineapple ever tasted and lots more food. Rice is served w/every meal, or its not a meal. And usually fresh fish and chicken are our meats.

We are about to head out again to play basketball w/the boys, and then mens bible study this evening. Its gonna be a fun night.. I'll continue to keep in touch w/all. Take Care, Love you much.

In Christ,

Nick

About Me... For His Glory.

I tried putting this all in my profile section, but it was too much writing.. If you don't want to read it all, I don't blame you... I wouldn't want to. Haha.. Be Blessed:

God is so Good to me and has been with me every step of the way. This is something my dad and mom have always reminded me. My name is Nick Nunez. I was born and raised in Southern California. I come from a family of six, (Mom, Dad, Danny, Sophie, and Desi, my sister in Heaven) but now I am blessed with a sister-in-law as well as my nephew Elijah!!! Also a niece on the way!

Before I began, I must tell you, this testimony really belongs to Christ, for it is all because of His finished work that I can even be here typing. And also, by the Love and support, and constant PRAYER from my family, begging God to transform my life. Because of my family, including my Heavenly Fahter, I am a man after the heart of God today, but still growing every moment. So I grew up in a great household. My parents taught me pretty much everything, and I always looked up to both my siblings in many ways. My life really just began about 2 years ago in college. See I grew up knowing about God and acknowleding Jesus as God...but that was it. Until my junior year of highschool, I found Jesus and began pursuing him, thanks to my older brother's obedience to God. He followed Christ, and I wanted to be like Danny, so I began following God as well. Things were looking good and life was so much richer than before. During all this time, I was also in a realtionship with a wonderful woman, Albertina. Other than the fact that Jesus was not the center of our lives and relationship, things with her were great and from a worldy perspective, nearly perfect. We stayed together for about 4 years, and to this day, she is one of my best friends! As time went on, I quickly fell away from pursuing Christ when I reached my first year of college. I started living for myself again, pleasing Nick, and fulfilling the desires of Nick rather than Christ, my King. I finally moved to Irvine for about a year, going to school at Saddleback college, pursuing my education to get into Med. school, to become a P.A. While in Irvine, I was tempted many times to go to parties and hang out w/the world, and fall into the image of the world. Fortunately, though it sounded great to me at the time and God knows I wanted to, the Lord had other plans for me. Plans far greater than I could ever imagine, or ask for! He plugged me into a small bible study at the college, with some eloquent students. Now the Study was a bit bizzarre, not my flavor, but I was starting my walk over again, and at the time didn't know any better. What I enjoyed is that we read the Bible and during that time, they were going through the book of Romans. Finally, one study, we came to chapter 12, and at first glance I kinda just read right over verses 1 and 2. But later that night I opened my Bible to ch.12 knowing that those 2 verses had for some reason stuck out to me. I would quote them for you, but I rather you go open a bible and check them out for yourself, and be blessed! So these verses stuck out to me, particularly Romans 12:2. I new my life need a change, a transformation, and I tried and tried on my own, but fell miserably short. So that's when I knew I needed to turn to Christ. I began pursuing church every wednesday night at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, and also another College group study on Thursday nights. God had suddenly placed Christians in my life, and began encouraging me, and allowing me to grow slowly but surely into the man He desired me to become. I moved back home, for I had had enough of the "OC" and living in the flesh. I moved back home, stopped going to school for a PA, and joined Bible College!!! I decided to do this after the Lord graciously brought me out to Japan! In Japan I stayed at the Calvary Bible College, and really was the first time, I got to step out and serve my Lord! Wait a second, suddenly Jesus my God, became MY LORD!!!!!!!!!!! This is the beautiful transformation He has made in my life. Going from God, to now my Lord and God! See, calling Jesus God is easy. Even the demons believe that Jesus is God. That is a no brainer if you have a tid bit of knowledge. But calling Jesus, Lord, is quite different and extreme. While I acknowledge Jesus as Lord, at the same time I am acknowledging and calling myself a SERVANT! A servant of whom? Jesus Christ! And that is far better than any title, degree, or salary could label one as. A servant of Jesus! Since I got back from Japan, I got plugged into childrens ministry at home church, and also was blessed with a short term missions trip to the Philippines! Today, as I type this, I have finished my first semester at Calvary Chapel Bible College, and am currently sitting in a bamboo made chair, back here in the Philippines! God knew that my desire for life is to serve Him, and also that I love the people here in the Philippines! So again, by His great mercy and grace, He has called me back here to serve Him, and his children, and I am open to whatever He wills for my life. It has been truly a blessing living for Christ, and not for the world or myself. My whole family is Saved, so it is great growing together all the time. I love hearing from all of you. Each time is a new blessing and encouragement. Please continue to pray for me, as I pray for you... and don't be a stranger. Tell me the new things that God is doing in your life. I truly love all of you, and I thank Jesus Christ, my God and my Lord for putting you in my life. Romans 12:1-2 In Christ my Lord, Nick

Philippines Missionary = "Suffering For Jesus!"Right?

We Serve a Creative God!

Yes I know.. Dave calls it "Suffering for Jesus" !!! These are the beautiful water falls we went to and the ones I was referring to in my first post.Look closely and you can see the two rainbows in the picture.

Chicken Poultry or Church Building? or Both?
This is the church building that the Lord has used Dave to establish here in Himamaylan, up in the Bukid (The mountain).


I had the opportunity to learn to drive the "Jeep" up in the moutain.. it was so much fun. Basically off-roading everywhere.
I told Danny, my brother, that he would love driving up here. I thought that road to santa rosa was intense... Haha! That had nothing on these roads.I absolutely Love it!!! Everything is great here. The people, roads, FOOD, and best of all, the Same God dwells here than the One back home.He is good. Enjoy the pictures...

Step By Step

Hello family and friends,

Through God's Grace, I just started this blog and am pretty excited to see how the Lord will lead me, day by day. I started this blog because I figured it will be a good way to allow friends and family to see what is going on in my life (hopefully daily), that way you can all keep in prayer, and know what exactly I'll need prayer for. I have a few friends with a blog, and it has been a blessing keeping up w/them as they go on long term missions trips, and also study in other places, such as Japan. So, by God's grace I'll be able to continue to update this until I come home for good after studying in Jerusalem!

So first off, I think I should tell you that as of right now, I am sitting upstairs at Dave and Jen Hinchey's house, in HIMAMAYLAN, PHILIPPINES!!! Yes. The Lord has been so gracious to me, and brought me out here to the Philippines, to watch Him at work amongst the people. I have been here for 3 days already, and each moment is a new blessing! From 'All you can eat mango's' to the teachings of Pastor Dave, every step that the Lord is leading me to take is incredible!

I decided to title my blog Step by Step, YHWH is With Me Always, because it is so true. I was reading this morning in Exodus 4, where the Lord calls moses to a great work: lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, out of affliction. "But" - is the exact word Moses used in his response to God. Moses was called to do a work for the Lord, and he wrestled with God until God finally had enough of it and called Aaron to do it. Moses told God that he wasn't eloquent and he was slow of tongue. But God, the designer of our mouth, knows all, and rhetorically asks Moses, who made your mouth? Who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Then verse 12 is my favorite: "Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say."

Since I have been here, I have been encouraged twice to read Matthew 28:18-20. My Dad first told me to read it, and it was encouraging to Read that The Great Commission from Jesus commands all of us to not "Go" but to "Make Disciples!" I love this part, because my heart is to see souls Saved to Jesus. And it's great being out here in the PI watching disciples being raised up, under the wing of Pastor Dave, guided by Christ. It's really something sweet. The second time I was encouraged w/this verse was by my sister. I read it again, and caught in verse 20, "... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." I absolutely love when Jesus tells me that He will be with me always. Who else do you know that is that faithful, to be with you always. None that I know in my life. Only the Holy Spirit can go everywhere I go, and always be with me, always guiding me, directing my words and actions, teaching, and humbly showing me the path to Righteousness, Step By Step. I was talking to Pastor Dave last night, and he reminded me that the Lord leads us one step at a time. He said, "Go up to the waterfall cliffs, in the mountain, in the evening time, and shine a flashlight down at your feet and only at your feet. Now try walking around, and hopefully you won't fall off the edge of the cliff. You won't know where you're going, and all you can see is your feet." I must learn to put full Faith, real living faith, in a real living God, and trust to take those steps of faith for the Lord.

As of right now, I'm not sure how my time here in the Philippines is all gonna play out. It's a bit scary and exciting all at the same time. I know I'm not a great guitar player, I can't understand Ilonggo, I'm not capable of teaching well, but as Dave told his missions students, I have the Holy Spirit living inside of me, and that's all I need! Jesus is all the source I need to rely upon. I just often forget that. So I'm here, desiring to be used by the Lord, in whichever way He wills, and by prayer, I will walk by Faith, seeking Jesus in all that I do, in all that I say, and on each step that I take, I will place my foot upon solid foundation, the Living Stone: Jesus Christ.

I will try to update this as often as possible, so you can keep up with the work the Lord is doing in the lives I come in contact with. I hope you will be as blessed as I have already been, as Jesus directs me step by step.

Love you all very much! Keep me in Prayer as I Pray for you.

In Christ,

Nick