It occurred to me that this website ends with “.org” suggesting that this is an organization. Yet, I am not so sure that we are all that organized. However, my wife Celia and I are missionaries with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, and serve in Baguio City, Philippines. Organizationally,
1. We helped co-found Bukal Life Care & Training Center back in 2009. We are focused on training in areas of pastoral care, crisis care, CPE, and chaplaincy training. Additionally, Celia and I teach Missionary Member Care, and provide counseling in this area with those involved in missions (particularly Filipinos involved in cross-cultural missions). Feel Free to Click Here: Bukal Life Care
2. He also helped co-found Dakilang Pag-Ibig DIADEM Ministries Inc. in 2005, and were involved with them from 2005 until 2009. Their main ministry has been medical mission events throughout the Philippines. They have treated over 50,000 patients. If you are interested in them, you may Click Here: DP DIADEM
Beyond that, I teach periodically in different areas of Missions, particularly.
————————————————–
This blog has articles and thoughts regarding various pertinent topics in Christian Missions. Common topics I seem to gravitate to are in the area of the role of symbols and of stories (narrative, allegory, parable) in sharing and understanding the Christian faith. I have also been focusing lately on issues of theology (especially contextual theology), since Christian Missions is (often) extremely poorly grounded theologically. But the blog does hop around on topics quite a bit. It is written by Bob Munson (that’s me) who serves in the Northern Philippines.
I and my wife, Celia, have been in Baguio City since 2004, serving with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board (www.vbmb.org). Both of us received our Master of Divinity degrees from Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary (www.pbts.net.ph). I earned my ThD requirements from Asia Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary (http://www.abgts.net/) and graduated in early 2012. Emphasis is in Practical Ministry/Missions and my dissertation (which I am, surprisingly, pleased with) is “Strategic Use of Medical Mission Events in Long-term Local Church Outreach: A Consultant-style Framework for Medical Mission Practitioners in the Ilocos Region, Philippines.” Even though the paper is limited by methodology (medical missions) and regionally (Northern Philippines), there is some relevant findings in it for holistic Christian ministry in many parts of the world.
We have three children, and presently work with Bukal Life Care and Counseling Center, Inc. Celia is Training Coordinator at Bukal Life, and is a CPE Supervisor. She is also a trainer in Disaster Response Crisis Counseling.
The five of us visiting Hong Kong
Hey Bob, I was encouraged to find your blog. I have spent many hours thinking and processing with friends about the role of counseling and missions and how the two go together. A friend and myself have been wrestling with whether to pursue a Masters in Counseling before seeking to work in that area overseas. I am about 10 credits shy of a Masters in Pastoral Studies and have been hesitant to start another Masters program before going overseas. Any thoughts on the matter would be appreciated. Blessings. Brett Baker
I would love to sound like an expert, but I can’t because I am not. I would say that it would be good to get as much training as you can in cross-cultural counseling (and x-cultural communication). Some axioms in “Western” psychology don’t apply in other cultures. Western counseling disapproves of triangulation, but it is simply an unavoidable reality in others. Direct language is considered best in the West, but comfort in indirect communication is necessary in many parts of the world. Additionally, the Individual is assumed to be the most important social unit (with corresponding importance for individuality and individual freedom) in the West. Yet in many parts of the world this basic premise is challenged. The goal of cross-cultural counseling is NOT to get other cultures to think as Americans. I wish you well in your studies and calling.
I had the opportunity to spend the summer working with IMB in the Philippines this last summer and I fell in love with the people there. Keep letting God use you! and keep posting. Blogs like this are such an encouragement. Reading about advancements in the Kingdom of God always makes my day brighter.
Thanks. And I am glad you enjoyed your time here. It is a beautiful place with beautiful people. Looking at your blog, it sounds like you were involved in Nehemiah Teams. That is a great organization and I am very happy that the IMB has kept that program alive here in the PI.