A couple from our church has been going back and forth to the Philippines for years. A few years ago Harry and Dee Smith heard of a village named "Canoe" that had problems with their rice crop and were starving. Some of the children died of malnutrition and Harry thought that if we could come up with enough money, he would be able to go to the bigger city and buy enough food to keep them alive until their next crop came in. Portola Station gave over $17,000 and people from the village helped Harry carry the food over the mountains and into the village. The food showed Harry's heart and they trusted Harry's message.
Before we knew it there was a handful of new believers meeting for services under one of the homes. (Some of the homes are on stilts). As this group of new believers grew, Harry came back to us saying that if we would buy the land and the materials, they would build a church building. Again Portola Station came up with the needed money and progress began on the building. Since Harry and his wife Dee cannot stay there all the time, they asked a Filipino friend that had been discipled and trained if he would go into the village and be their pastor.
Rudy Valentine is now their pastor and the church continues to grow. They now have children and youth ministries. They are seeing people of all ages come to faith in Christ and beginning to grow in faith. There is much opposition because of the pagan tribal religion. Pastor Rudy asks us to continue to pray for him and for Canoe Station Church...the first church in this village ever.
