Greetings from the freezing Midwest! At the time of this writing, Ruth, the kids, and I are winding down our four-week vacation in the States. By the time you read this, Lord willing, we will be back in balmy Dumaguete. We are scheduled to fly out of Detroit on Thursday afternoon, December 4. We have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with friends and family, but I am ready to get back to warm weather. I have told several people, “I would much rather ride my motorcycle in a Filipino downpour than drive a car through snow in the States!”
This vacation has been a real blessing for the whole family. In addition to seeing our families and many of our closest friends, we also were able to spend a lot of time together as a family. We had several lengthy drives during the vacation, and Ruth and I did our best to make the trips memorable for the kids. Elizabeth and Michael have been able to experience many new things that children in America never think twice about. I wish I could describe to you the look on Michael’s and Beth’s faces when I introduced them to their first drinking fountain in the Los Angeles airport. They also got to enjoy their first visit to a Burger King indoor playground. That was certainly a vacation highlight! The last few weeks have also been a good time of concentrated character training for Michael and Beth. Just a few minutes ago, while working on this letter, I called Michael to come to me. He came but forgot to say, “Yes, sir.” So I reminded him, and he whispered, “Yes, sir.” I said, “Say it loud, Michael.” He then looked at me submissively and whispered, “Loud.” I guess we still have a little more training to do when we get back to the Philippines.
During our travels, we were able to visit five different churches, and I had the privilege of speaking and preaching several times. This past Sunday (November 30), I had the privilege of preaching in the teen service at my home church. I preached a message on “The Power of the New Song.” God blessed, and many young people made decisions about having the right kind of music in their lives.
All in all, our vacation has been a great time of R&R for us, and we are now looking forward to getting back to the people that we love in the Philippines. Please pray for us as we get back into the routine of soul winning, ministry work, and investing in lives.
Yours for souls,
Mike, Ruth, Elizabeth, and Michael Morrissey
Our itinerary from the Philippines to Detroit, Michigan, included a 15-hour layover in Los Angeles. Though this certainly doesn’t sound very pleasant, it turned out to be a great blessing because it allowed us to get some rest at a hotel before taking the last four-hour flight from Los Angeles to Detroit. By the time we got checked into our room, it was after 7 p.m. We were all hungry, so I went for a walk to see if I could find a restaurant nearby. About a block away, I found several fast-food restaurants, including a Subway. I walked into the Subway, feeling very out of place; I was still adjusting to being back in the States. Everything felt awkward. I got in line and tried to remember which sandwiches Ruth and I had liked in the past. After standing in line for a while, I noticed a young man sitting by himself at a table. He looked really depressed, and I immediately felt that God wanted me to witness to him. Now, allow me to be painfully honest; I was not in a spiritual frame of mind. I had just spent over 12 hours on a jet with a four-year-old and a two-year-old. Paul said that we should preach the Word in season and out of season, and I just want you to know―after a 12-hour flight with two kids, soul winning is out of season! I did not feel like witnessing, but the Holy Spirit kept pressing until I gave in. I started a conversation with the young man and learned that his name was Danny Santos. He was going through a very difficult time in his life and was more than happy to have someone to talk to. I asked him if he was sure that he was going to Heaven, and he replied that he wasn’t sure. I asked him if I could show him what the Bible says, and he agreed. It was a little awkward for me; I was very tired, and I very rarely lead people to Christ in the Philippines using only English. However, after about 20 or 25 minutes, Danny bowed his head and trusted Christ as his Saviour. Soul winning still works, even after a 12-hour flight! Amen!
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