Joseph Blasko and his wife, Bangee, teach at a Christian School is Greater Manila. God has gifted them and is using them greatly at the school. About a year ago they participated in a Good Soil Seminar led by Ariel Abadiano, Good Soil Director for the Philippines. That's when God began to use them in other ways.

Joe started leading The Story of Hope Bible studies with individuals in homes. People came to understand the Bible's story and trusted Jesus as their personal Savior. Joe also went out in the streets around his neighborhood equipped with Good Soil teaching visuals, laying them down before people as he taught. He had great responses. Then he and Ariel taught the Good Soil seminar to all the deacons and their wives in the church. Those people began leading The Story of Hope Bible studies with others. Joe team-taught (with one of his trainees) Good Soil to another group, which included Pastor Vincent. They saw more fruit. To date, 35 people in their church have been trained and are using Good Soil resources. People are trusting Christ, being baptized, and joining the church.

The two pastors of the church recognized God's hand of blessing on Joe and his wife and decided to make him a lay pastor of missions and evangelism at Emmanuel Baptist Church. Several people shared their stories:

• Mum Helen (senior pastor Roy's mother, 74 years old) told us she had never led a Bible study in her life. Since taking Good Soil, she is now leading two individual studies and a small group Bible study – all using The Story of Hope.
• Eda took Good Soil and then the "Teaching Children the Bible's Big Story" training last year. She uses it in her family and her outreaches. They have 5 children's groups going on, each with 25 kids meeting weekly. She expressed her gratitude for the great help she has received from Good Soil. Eda also co-taught the Good Soil training in the church with Joe.
• Glenda uses her Good Soil training in the beauty salon as she works on people's hair. She says Good Soil changed her life for which she is grateful. She is moving to the Cayman Islands to do hair there and is excited about going as a missionary, taking her training and resources there to be used of God.
• Marilyn took training early on from Gil, team-taught Good Soil with Ariel, and now teaches with Joe, too. She leads studies in the community around the church.

What a blessing it was for us to visit this church last Sunday and hear testimonies of their growing ministry! Pastor Joe came to The Roots of Faith training the week following and now has another tool he can use in developing disciples at Emmanuel Baptist Church.