Christmas Party at Sankey 2011

Update #3

Dec. 23

Today was our Christmas party here at Sankey.  We loved being here to see all the musical performances!  We had a big lunch together and gave out raffle prizes, got and gave hugs all around, and had a great time!

Our  newest child is John Paul.  He came to us from Legazpi City where he was found sleeping inbetween the security gate and the grocery store door.  He is turning 8 in January. He is a sweet boy with a great smile and lots of hugs to give.  He had been passed from his mother to a grandmother to an aunt and finally found himself on the streets to fend for himself.  He was here just two days and started school and slipped right into things.  He is the little brother to all the big kids now.

We are so happy to be here but we also have heavy hearts about the devastation in the south.  Tom will be traveling in the flooded areas with the basketball team coming just after Christmas.  Pray for their safe travel to the Philippines and for all the scheduled arrivals to go easily and without any big problems.   

Thank you for all the prayers and love!

Karen and Tom

Update #2

The bodies in Cagayan De Oro are being stacked up and put in mass graves to avoid disease and decomposition.  The grief and agony is indescribable.  The love of God is the only hope for survivors of this tragedy.  Thank you for praying.  A half a million are in need of aid!

I continue to meet individually with each of our kids to talk and listen to their joys, achievements, and problems or fears.  They are so precious and pressing on for Jesus despite backgrounds that include rape, abuse, abandonment, death of their families, or poverty that has led parents to give up their child.

I practiced with ten of my kids on our unicycles today and they have really improved from last year.  Only five of them can come to Mindanao with the basketball team to perform with me and the competition has been intense!

This evening Toto and I went to the military base to give some golf lessons to the generals and coronels.  I took new golf clubs and polo shirts as gifts and they were so excited (thanks to Gil Morgan)!  They were excited to receive things signed by Gil.  Their friendship helps to guarantee the security protection at our orphanage from harassment from the military.

Tomorrow, Dec. 23, is our Christmas party here at Sankey and we will enjoy a program of singing, dancing, testimonies, speeches, and a few gifts.  I think the music also includes a loud electric guitar!

Merry Christmas to you as well!

Tom

Eph. 3:20

Ministry Trip Dec. 2011/Jan. 2012

Update #1

After diverting to Okinawa, Japan after a passenger suffered a stroke (he was rushed to the hospital from the tarmac) we arrived home in the Philippines almost three hours late and finally to bed around 3:00 am. But by sunrise Toto and I were teeing off with a number of golf pros we led to Christ in recent years. I then sponsored a barbeque for 300 caddies at the driving range and we ...shared stories about Jesus and celebrated Christmas. Roger, a caddy, happily reported to me that a church we started and built 20 years ago was growing and doing well and that he was now the pastor! My good friend and professional golfer, Eddie, informed me he is now the president of the Asian Sr. Golf Tour and invited me to speak at several of their tournaments.
After golf we went to our camp, Rizal Re-Creation Center, to have dinner with Joe and Ruth Mauk, our ministry partners. They joyfully announced that we had over 32,000 guests at the camp in 2011 and they all heard the Gospel! They gave us a tour of the new Randall Hall, a project started last January when we were here, which can seat several hundred for banquets, concerts, meetings, weddings, etc. But the real surprise was our engineer and builder showed me two more guest houses that are almost done! He was so encouraged by our ministry together with the Mauks he built these two guest houses for us on credit… which doesn’t ever happen here! I was stunned into shock and silence when they surprised me on our tour. So you know I was really surprised!
That same night we arrived at the orphanage to the hugs and smiles of all our children including our two newest adoptions, Kim (16 yrs old) and Ben (8 yrs. old). It is difficult to communicate the joy of seeing how our kids have recovered from their rough beginnings, have grown physically, and how they love Jesus!
The tragedy in Cagayan De Oro, Mindanao continues to grow with estimates of over a thousand people dead in the flash flooding. We have shipped down pallets of food to be distributed to victims and we will fly down on Monday, Jan. 26 to help the process. Thank you for praying!

October 2011

          “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Psalm 16:11(NLT)

Looking back over 36 years of missionary service this past year may be the most unusual of all!  The kidnapping case and extortion demands finally ended after 26 months for my faithful friend, Toto, and me.  The court found us not guilty and dismissed all charges and we saw and felt the hand of God throughout the whole experience.

Mom and Dad both went to be with the Lord and I had the unique privilege of doing their funeral in Michigan followed by a military funeral with a 21 gun salute for their military service in WWII. 

Karen had successful surgery and a good recovery.  I followed with shoulder surgery and very easy recovery.  We were just enjoying our healthy status when the IRS came knocking at World Harvest Ministries’ door.  Apart from the stress, time and bookkeeping expended I ended up enjoying the IRS agents’ questions and reactions to our ministry.  It was encouraging to know that we were compliant with government standards and I rather enjoyed telling her stories of what God has done with your generous donations!

Then our spirits soared when one of our supporting churches gave us $200,000 to finish building a new Christian camp on the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines right next to one of our orphanages!  Construction began immediately (we really are shovel ready!) on bathrooms, dining hall, kitchen, basketball covered court, and guest cabins.  Our prayer is to share Christ with 20,000 kids a year at this new facility.

“He fills my life with good things.  My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”  Psalm 103:5(NLT)

And now God has opened the door for me to take a basketball team to perform in the Muslim area of Mindanao!  Because of relationships built over years with some Muslim leaders, they have invited me to bring my unicycle show and team and are going to allow me to speak at halftimes!  We have assembled a special team of committed believers to join me Dec. 27-Jan. 9 and serve the Lord with this wonderful opportunity.

“Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires.  Commit everything you do to the LORD.  Trust Him, and He will help you.  Psalm 37:4,5 (NLT)

All along the way we enjoyed special moments and pleasures we did not deserve but enjoyed immensely.  Karen had a chance encounter with comedian Conan O’Brien on a Seattle ferry!  We checked off one of Karen’s wish items with an incredible concert by Celine Dion in Las Vegas.  We rode the Pacific Coast Highway on a Harley Davidson on a beautiful southern California day.  We climbed to the top of the highest peak in Hawaii (Mona Kea) and threw snowballs.  Tom body surfed in the Pacific and the Atlantic and caddied in several PGA tournaments.  We had wonderful visits with family and friends all across America.  Mostly I just talked about Jesus at golf events, on airplanes, in churches, at sport camps, and even to the #1 Oklahoma Sooners football team!  The Lord has given us all our hearts’ desires and new ones we never imagined!

Your missionaries, 

Tom and Karen Randall

August 2011 My Great Mom, Anna Randall

  

                                                                                                                                              August 2011

My Mom radiated optimism and confidence which were obvious characteristics of her great faith.  Though small in size this Irish farmer’s daughter would not be intimidated and stood very firm in her convictions.  She worked in a shoe factory until she saved the $100 needed to go to nursing school and then nursed over 60 years until she was 83!  Her first job as a nurse paid $80 per month at an artillery factory.  She joined the Army Corp of Nurses and went to England and France for WWII becoming a 1^st Lt. in a Vac unit treating wounded soldiers.

She married my dad after the war and had four babies in five years.  She continued to nurse while experiencing the deadliest riot in American history (Detroit 1967).  She nursed at the women’s prison without showing fear.  There were cases of doctors trying to get narcotics to inmates without the proper prescriptions and Mom refused to do that and so she was fired.  A year later she was the key witness for the Detroit District Attorney’s office in their case against the prison and some of the doctors’ illegal activities.  As a reward for her cooperation they took up her firing case and won all her back salary.  She paid off their mortgage and redid the kitchen!

I was so hyperactive as a kid they suggested she give me Ritalin to slow me down and ease her stress.  Instead, she drove me to the park, opened the car doors, and told me to run until I was exhausted!  When I was winning races in high school and college by increasing margins they asked Mom what the secret might be.  She simply smiled and said, “No Ritalin!”

She would show up unannounced at my high school basketball games.  But I could easily spot the only white face in the crowd screaming and making friends with anyone willing to talk during the games!  She insisted we should get insurance on my legs but lectured every coach I ever had to not exploit me for sports and to be responsible for me getting my education.  She made my high school counselor promise to check on me twice a day to make sure I was in class.  He did that for four years!

Dad and Mom took off work to see me get my high school diploma and then cried when I left for college knowing I would not be coming back and our long discussions in the kitchen were done.  When I was the commencement speaker and received my honorary doctorate at Judson University they kept popping up and down taking pictures which I took as a loving distraction while I was speaking!

Mom prayed for me every day, told me she loved me every phone call, and reminded me to be thankful to God constantly.  During one of our last conversations she simply said she was ready to see Jesus, she loved me, and to keep pointing people to the cross of Jesus!

She did and so will I.

Because of Christ, 

Tom Randall

April 2011

What Floats Your Boat?

                                                                                                                                                               April 2011

I know it is odd that at 57 my favorite activity is to ride around a basketball court on a unicycle with a panicked boy grabbing my nose, eyes, and hair for security!  But it is!  Having retired more times than Brett Favre I pulled the unicycle off the hook in December and headed to the troubled but fascinating island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines.  Our traveling salvation show used basketball and entertainment to share Christ and was possible because of 14 determined players from the USA that were willing to sacrifice time and money and take a risk to play three games a day, sleep anywhere, eat anything, and ignore the fatigue of 14 hour days on 12 hour jet lag!  We had over 6200 people respond to the testimonies of the players and join Bible studies or receive the Bible correspondence course!

Going to one game the team had a flat on the rough, dirt roads so I went ahead with our security detail to the village.  I am fortunate to have two personal body guards at all times and four Marines who secure the perimeter of all our games.  (See picture.. no they aren’t big but they shoot straight!) I consider them extra angels! 

After arriving in the village and greeting the organizers I was given a couple of bald basketballs by some kids.  Needing a third object I picked up a rock and began to juggle for them.  Soon there were 50 people, then 100, then 300 and I started telling stories while spinning a ball on their fingers, on the end of sticks, and even umbrellas!  When the team arrived and started playing the game several thousand circled the court and 1000 responded by signing up for the correspondence Bible course.  This kind of experience floats my boat! The next day two people were killed and two wounded in that same place.  I can only hope our presence did not cause the trouble.

The odd thing is that as the shows add up and fatigue sets in on these trips the pain in my back, shoulder, and hip sees to get a little better each day!  Four of my boys from Sankey not only rode their unicycles with me at half time, they also prayed for me at bedtime, cleaned my shoes and clothes, shared their testimonies and preached to the crowds!  I should have had kids when we were younger!

And just when I was preparing to retire again we finished our trip with a visit to the Muslim province of Lanao.  Two of the congresswomen from Lanao are mother and daughter.  The daughter was a student in Karen’s 5^th grade class at Brent International almost 20 years ago!  The brother is governor and the father was previously the governor.  After seeing the unicycle show and game the congresswoman (the mother of Karen’s previous student) and the governor invited our whole team to have breakfast at their home on the sea.  (Think White House!)  Congresswoman and Governor Dimaporo then requested me to bring a team next January and perform in 32 towns and villages in their province with their blessing and with security!  So much for unicycle retirement!

Please pray as I organize the best team possible to love these precious people by going to the province of Lanao next year.  I’m getting ready now….  I’m scheduled for shoulder surgery in June so I’ll be ready to juggle!  This may be one of our most important trips ever!

It floats my boat,

Tom

Randall's in the Philippines #6

Tom called tonight after their second game and before their third game today.  He sounded pretty tired but very happy.  His back continues to give him problems but he has been able to do parts of each half-time show.  The four boys from Sankey that traveled with the team are doing a great job on their part of the show. 

Yesterday they had a long drive to an area where mostly Muslims live and also happens to be a very bad area as in a high crime rate.  An official from that area even asked Tom why would they come to this place?  Tom told the official that this team would go anywhere.  The people at the games were very friendly and gave the team a warm reception.  Tom was really pleased with the response considering everything.   

Tom also wanted you to know he is being well taken care of.  He has a personal body guard and these fellows in the photo look out for him and the rest of the team.  Oh, the guy second from the left is Toto.  He is happy for the help in watching out for Tom!                         

Randall's in the Philippines #5

 It is January 2 here, Sunday morning.  We here at camp will be leaving for church soon but I wanted to let you know about Tom’s adventure in the south with the basketball team.  I’ve been able to talk to him every couple of days so far which has been nice.  He sounds good when he calls and I know he is very happy.  His back has been better but as he said…. If he stopped doing the half-time shows it would probably feel even better!  He has done something at every show so far.  They have had 2 or 3 games a day with some long 12 to 15 hour days.  It’s busy and hard sometimes but so rewarding!  Tom led three Filipino men in the crowd to Christ at a game yesterday.  And what a blessing to also have two of our team members renew their commitment to Christ, too!  These times are so precious that everything else is worth all the hurting backs, long jeep rides, and hot weather! 

One other fun story he told me was about his attracting a crowd by juggling.  He had gone ahead of the team to the next game and when he arrived he began juggling a couple of basketballs and since he was short one ball he picked up a rock to juggle!  Soon he had 20 people watching, then 50, then 100, and finally when the team arrived Tom had over 300 around him watching him juggle!  The game attracted several thousand with around one thousand applications turned in to get the Bible Correspondence Course.  What a fun day!

I’ll include some more pictures sent by Donald Antipasado, the son of the coordinator of the trip, Col. Jun Antipasado.  I know you’ll enjoy them!

Karen

    

Randall's in the Philippines #4

Today is another rainy day here at our camp, Rizal Re-Creation Camp.  Yesterday the rain gauge registered 4.5 inches which is a lot for this time of year.  The rain sounds so nice coming down through the coconut trees and it is cool which is so nice.  They have had over 400 people here for the last few days which makes for a full camp.  I’ve been helping in the dining room to serve coffee and soup when it is on the buffet menu. 

Tom made it to the south with the basketball team.  We were hoping his back would improve enough to go along with the team rather than have to catch up with them later.  He and the team are going to be staying at Mt. Moriah orphanage and camp which is a project of World Harvest along with Kids International. 

One of the highlights of the last couple of days was a Christmas party for kids at Mt. Moriah.  They invited people from the area and were hoping for around 600.  They ended up with 2100!  I asked Tom how they were able to feed them all and he just said they bought more food! 

Everyone got something to eat, saw Tom juggle the basketballs, enjoyed the unicycle show put on by four of the boys Tom took with him from Sankey, and heard the Gospel message! 

Randall's in the Philippines #3

Randall’s in the Philippines #3, December 26, 2010

Christmas Day Fun!

Toto and Tom organized boxing matches by size and weight and age of the kids from the local area around Sankey.  Then they gave them Christmas pesos for participating and effort!  After a large group of kids are drawn in to watch them box the Gospel and story of Christmas is shared.

Our kids from our school, Cugley Christian Academy, performed at the big mall in our city of Lucena last week.  They sang Christmas songs, performed skits, did interpretive dance, and gave testimonies of a life in Christ.  They did all of this in front of shoppers who stopped to enjoy their performance.

The kids also told me how much fun they have the month before Christmas staging spider fights with the all time champion spider fighter, Toto!  Our staffs told me for several nights the kids were missing from their beds only to be found out on our farm with flashlights looking for a certain type of spider that they can fight with other spiders!  Toto is still undefeated by the way!

Finally, Tom leaves tomorrow, Monday, for Mindanao with the basketball team to travel and share Jesus during basketball games.  Tom will be going to the southernmost island of the Philippines which is where most of the Muslims of this country live.  So now the word from the south is that “Uncle Tom is coming to play basketball with the Muslims!”