PMI Missionaries

Rene & Lani Quimbo

Ministry Area: Philippines
Responsibilities: Study center, evangelism, Muslim outreach
E-mail Address: renequimbo@yahoo.com
Project: The House of Hope

Rene and Lani graduated from Covenant Seminary in May 2000, he with his M.Div. degree, and she with a Master of Arts in Theological Studies. Their family now lives in Cagayan de Oro, on the island of Mindanao, in the southern Philippines.

"The Portal Study Center" is a ministry to high school and college students and professionals and is also the base for a growing number of ongoing Bible Studies and short seminars on Christian living.

In August 2001, Rene and Lani established the "House of Hope Ministry Center", a ministry to the Bajau tribe, a very poor Muslim group that is shunned by almost everyone.

The Quimbos oversee programs for the Bajau people such as literacy classes, a daycare center, regular education, a clinic, and cell group meetings. There are also a number of livelihood projects, helping Bajau men and women to earn a living rather than begging in the streets. Similar programs are offered to a mountain people called the Higaonon tribe at the "Hillside Learning Center", established in 2004.

Latest Report: (updated 1/5/2012)

Dear Friends,

This is the third week since Typhoon Sendong hit our city (on the wee hours of December 15). Still, TV and radio news coverage continue. The strong winds and heavy rains did not cause alarm to many residents in the city. We sort of expected it knowing that a typhoon was coming. What we did not know was that there were landslides and a dam broke out in the adjacent province. Raging river currents bringing logs and rocks destroyed villages causing islands to form in some areas, in others, widening the width of the rivers. Houses and vehicles looked like toys thrashed everywhere. Just about a hundred or so meters from our house is the Cagayan River. When we passed by that place the morning after the storm, you can hardly recognize it — houses gone, trees broken, and there were thick mud all around. There was no electricity for a day or so, internet service was disconnected, and water supply was cut off. Until now we get our water from a fire hydrant close to a wet market, and there are long lines day and night. A local college offered its deep well water for free, but none except our family fetched water from it (We did only on the first day). The water was brown and smells a bit. Two bridges going to Lacolac Ministry Center were washed out. A family who used to worship with us moved to this community to take care of a sick relative. Their house was closest to the river, and a married daughter's house was just behind theirs. None of the two families survived. Their bodies (some) were found floating down the river, the others are still not found. Two of our co-workers went to the funeral parlors to look and help identify dead bodies. A guy who goes to Lacolac on a regular basis selling fish on his motorbike, climbed a coconut tree carrying his infant child and were saved. We fetched a family whose house was no longer fit for habitation, (they said they had to go up the roof to stay alive — this is the same story you will hear from friends and co-workers, and from others whose houses were located in low-lying areas) and we gathered used clothes, shopped for food and helped those we know who have lost homes and are in need of immediate help. In Hinaplanon community in Iligan City, we could not hold our tears as we see collapsed bridges, houses gone, thick mud, and the streets looked like rivers. Yayet, who used to help us in the ministry (before she moved to a different place because of work), is from Hinaplanon. She said they lost their house, but their family, for the first time, worshipped God together, an answer to many years of prayer. Our son Iking and two of his high school friends pooled their Christmas money and shopped for rice, canned goods, and noodles, and they packed them in bags, and distributed them to two different locations. We cancelled our New Year's church party and used the money instead to help a family who lost all material possessions. A family in our church cooked pots and pots of food and brought them to evacuation centers.

As of this writing, 15 people have already died of leptospirosis, and cholera is already widespread. LBM and measles are common. The Department of Education insisted not to delay but begin classes as scheduled. Classes in schools that were destroyed by the flood met in tents. This has been done to bring some sense of normalcy to the life of students affected by the flood.

Going to Lacolac ministry center is a challenge. Because one has to get on and off different vehicles — jeepney, pump boat, motorcycle, a rubber boat or a floating steel bed that is tied to a rope that is set up on both sides of the river, then a jeepney — fare is doubled, and labor cost to transport heavy things (such as rice or corn bags) just adds to the burden. A co-worker reminded Lani when she insisted to bring 9 sacks of corn and 3 sacks of rice to Lacolac a week before the storm. She told Lani that the storekeeper was advising us not to purchase so much corn because it would easily spoil. And Lani responded "It would be better to pick out worms from the corn that is already in our kitchen, than to have good quality corn that is still in the store". We cannot thank God enough for the insight. Several parts of the road leading to Lacolac ministry center is covered with landslides, which makes them extra muddy, impassable even to motorcycles. Coming down the mountain to go to the city, one must start walking at around 2 am to make it to the 4:30 am jeepney run. After the steep mountain path, and crossing a slippery stream, walking becomes easier. Lacolac was not flooded, but people there are victims of the effect of the flood. Their farm products are sold cheap because of high labor and transport costs. One family in our church has more than half of his corn farm covered with mud from the landslide of a nearby hill. Most corn crops have been flattened by the strong winds. Christmas celebration up there was quiet, with bread on the table as the most coveted Christmas treat. New Year's celebration was as quiet. Food was scarce. Testimonies covered mostly good health, complete families, and perseverance.

As part of our assistance program, we invited men and women to help us harvest our peanuts (they get a share for food and as planting materials), plow the farm to make it ready for planting to several crops (peanuts, coffee, sweet potatoes, fruit trees), bag coffee seedlings (that they can find in existing farms) for a small fee, and weeding.

Our Christmas celebration is quite different this year because of the tragedy that the floods brought to our city and how it has markedly changed the way of life of many people. For others who lost loved ones, life will never be the same. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh in just a blink of an eye. To most people, this is difficult to understand. There was even a man (whose wife and children worship at our church) who, during a Bible study in his house, said: "many born again were lost in the flood, and even before the flood, many born again died a painful death (referring to the woman and a family who started to worship with us and soon after was shot dead by unidentified people)". The length of life — lived in want or abundance anywhere in the world finds its true meaning only in Christ. All the more we double our time in prayer, in visitation, in Bible studies, and fellowship, that people may accept that even in tragedy we whose life is centered on Christ can hope for a bright future. Indeed, while there is still so much suffering around, it is for our benefit that we remember this God is our God forever and ever, He will be our guide even to the end (Psalm 48:14). No tragedy, how heavy it would be, can take anything away from the glorious message that Christmas brought to us — Christ was born to wear the crown of thorns so we by faith can wear the crown of glory as we follow in His footsteps.

Long before the storm, we busied ourselves with short seminars that were conducted in different ministry areas: at Portal Study Center — Christ alone is our hope for glory; at ONSTS — God's gift to men; at Arena Blanco Ministry Center — Can we be entrusted with the word of God?; at House of Hope Ministry Center — Fear God rather than men; at Hillside Learning Center — How to share your faith without argument. Tutorial classes for Bajau elementary and high school students were continued and leadership classes for Bajau men and women were also started. At Lacolac Hillside Learning Center, we prayer walked around the community, and we also built a new house for William (he was the one who was paralyzed when the frame of the house he was dismantling fell on his back; the roof of his house was leaking all over, and the posts were already giving way, his old house was too dilapidated to repair).

Dear friends, we covet your prayers for our people, and for us. For the first time in 12 years of ministry, funding has become critically low. We have already slashed our budget and have existing projects that help fund or support some existing programs. We are hoping for an increase in giving if only to be able to continue programs we believe are necessary to bring the ministry forward. Thank you very much. You all have been faithful partners in ministry throughout the years. There are no words to thank you enough for standing with us through tears and joy. Thank you and we wish you all a bountiful New Year!

Love in Christ,,
Rene and Lani Quimbo