This past December, I got the privilege to assist in a drive-through presentation of Jesus’ birth and a nativity scene at my parents’ church in Kentucky. It was a unique presentation, in that, there were eight different scenes depicting the angels’ announcement of Jesus’ coming birth to Mary all the way to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In essence, it was a clear presentation of the Gospel! My part to play in this was that I was able to help install over two dozen spotlights for all of the different scenes. I am always grateful and happy to put my electrical skills, which my father taught and instilled in me when I was a teenager, to use. The drive-through presentation was a great success! Nearly 1,000 people in 214 cars drove through the 2-night presentation. To top that off, a young man who volunteered to help direct traffic wanted to know what the Christmas story was really all about. So, my dad and several other men were able to witness to him, and he got saved!
As you know from my last prayer letter, I mentioned setting the goal of getting back to the Philippines by February 2023. On February 25, I actually wrote part of this prayer letter while sitting on a plane with my family on our way to the Philippines! Our last two months in America were a whirlwind! In January, we were able to buy our tickets to the Philippines. I praise the Lord that I have good, Godly parents, who surrendered me to the Lord and who want me to do the Lord’s will for my life. It is because of them that I was able to buy my family’s airplane tickets to the Philippines! My parents have also personally supported me since my first church meeting on deputation in 2012. We currently sit at 96% support, but with a handful of churches that are pending approval/support, we can be more than 100% fully supported.
The last week of January, we sent the first 4 of what would eventually become 13 Balikbayan boxes to the Philippines! Balikbayan boxes are big boxes that are usually 24” x 18” x 24” in size. They average in price around $80 – $100 as a flat-rate shipping cost, so there’s no weight limit. We have put everything from books to Bibles to toys to clothes to vitamins to basically anything we could fit in these boxes!
In my last prayer letter, I also mentioned that I would give a checklist of items that we needed for traveling and for our home in the Philippines, but God has already provided for most of that! My parents’ church in Kentucky gave us a send-off service, as well as my sending church in California!
As I close this letter, I ask that you would consider donating and praying that we can raise $1,450 to help send 150 teenagers from our church and town to an upcoming Youth Camp April 3-7. You can scan the QR code below for more information and for donations. Thank you!
Ye are the light of the world,
Ian and Czarinna Vincent
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- Drive-through Christmas story at my parents’ church in Kentucky
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- Scan this to find information about our upcoming Youth Camp April 3-7.
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- The first 4 of 13 Balikbayan boxes we shipped to the Philippines
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- Using my electrician skills to help with the drive-through Christmas story at my parents’ church in Kentucky