Now that I’m finally caught up on some blogs, here’s a current update! My team and four other teams from my squad are staying in Malaybalay, Philippines working at Kid’s International Ministry. The children’s home is located in the mountains on a breathtaking piece of property. We are surrounded by mountains, tropical looking fields, 32 of my amazing brothers and sisters, and about 23 precious, beautiful children.
The children’s home is different than an orphanage because most of the kids have parents. In order for kids to be accepted into the home, the parents have to prove that they cannot provide adequate food and shelter for their child. For protection for the children, I can’t post their names, stories or pictures of their faces.
The youngest at the home is a precious boy: 8 months old, fat, receeding hairline and the cutest baby ever; the oldest is a 13 year old boy who is sweet, loving, and a typical thirteen year old. There are two babies, four toddlers, four older girls and the remaing are the boys from about 5-13 years old. We all have shifts in the children’s home that we signed up for. I have three infant/toddler shifts, two boy shifts and the little girls on Sunday.
Inbetween our time in the children’s home we are working on building a soccer field and a church. The soccer field is a huge international size field that we are working on planting grass for right now. We dig holes, sprinkle the holes with chicken poo, and plant the sod. The sod consisted of about 10 of us piling into a trailor to go to a random field and steal grass. Then we came back and cut the sod to a smaller size and planted it in the chicken poo. It’s quite a tedious job, but we have a good time working together…maybe a dance party here and there.
The church is in the beginning stages. We dug trench type things for the foundation, laid centerblocks, made our own cement since it’s cheaper (sifting sand, shoveling gravel, mixing it with shovels…fun stuff), pulled up weeds and grass, leveling, etc. I enjoy it because it reminds me of working with my Daddy doing construction. Sorry my construction terms aren’t up to par, Dad.
This is my teams first month of actually doing service projects so I’m loving it, but some other teams may be a little burnt out. It’s a harder ministry to do because it can seem like we aren’t really “doing” much for people and building relationships. We have to keep in mind that even sprinkling chicken poo is advancing God’s kingdom. “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15). As long as God is put first in everything we do, digging holes in hard dirt with crappy shovels is still bringing Him glory.
I have learned a whole bunch from the first week or so of working in the children’s home. First off, I am nowhere near ready to be a momma. Luckily, I don’t have to worry about that considering I don’t even have a boyfriend. But, I have a crazy respect for new moms. I have the toddler/infant shift two nights a week from 10pm-6am and I don’t sleep. Babies cry all the time. Like really loud, screaming cries. Luckily, unlike a mom, I get off my shift at 6 am and can go back to sleep. That doesn’t happen in real life. I feel so bad for the babies because they are sick and haven’t gotten any better. Fortunately, I haven’t stepped in toddler poo or been thrown up on like some of my not-so-lucky squad mates.
I have also learned, that while I really do love kids, my passion is definitely teenagers. Coming into the race I thought working in an orphanage would be like my heaven, but God has revealed a crazy passion in my heart for the poor, the lost, and the substance abusing teenagers. I don’t know what my plans are after the race, but if God is telling me to go back to Honduras with the boys there, I’m down 🙂 I thought I hated teenagers, but I can’t wait to be around them again!
Being with the children and working in the field takes up a lot of time and energy; add quiet time and team time twice a day in there and we’re all pretty exhausted. Pray for me and my squad that we can be so filled up with God’s love and energy everyday that we pour it out to the kids in everything we do…even when they are screaming and crying…all at the same time. Also pray for our health; almost every single person has been hit with this 24 hour flu type thing that is taking different people out everyday.
I’ve really loved getting to know these precious kids. While I don’t know all of their stories, I know they have been through a lot and need love. I love tucking them in at night, scratching their backs, praying over them, and kissing them. I hate that they have all suffered and they are innocent children, but I’m so thankful for K.I.M., the staff and teams that visit and surround the children with the love of Jesus.
(Photos courtesy of the beautiful Christina Palmer…my camera broke. BLEH)
