I feel like July ended yesterday and August just began. Where does the time go? I am now 2 weeks shy of launching for the World Race. Everything in life feels so surreal at this point. I finished up my internship at WEC two Sundays ago. I spent last week vacationing with my family at the beach. I moved out of my uncle and aunt's house Saturday. I went to one of my beautiful housemate's wedding Sunday. And then drove with Tyler to spend a week in West Virigina. In a sense I'm homeless for the next two weeks, but this will be a reailty..this will be my life for the next 11 months.
This morning during my quiet time I was praying through a variety of things and while doing so Matthew 8 came to mind. In this passage, Jesus speaks about the cost of following Him. As He moves from healing Peter's mother-in-law, a crowd begins to form around Him and a scribe says, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go" and Jesus replies, "foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head". Following this statement, a disciple asks if he could first go and bury his father, and Jesus says, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead". Following Jesus is not always easy or comfortable. Often it means great cost and sacrifice and no earthly rewards or security. Jesus didn't have a place to call home. Sometimes, following Christ costs you popularity, friendships, leisure time, or treasured habits. But while the cost of following Christ is high, the value of being Christ's disciple is even higher. Discipleship is an investment that lasts for eternity and yields incredible rewards.
During our first month of ministry we will be at the Philippine Christian Foundation Community Church. We will mainly be based in Tondo (the main dumpsite). However, we may help out at 2 other sites in Manila too. One is based in a cemetery where there are around 1000 families living and the other is a squatters area. Our duties will be a mish mash of differnt things possibly including:
- serving at the feeding programs
- teaching in kids church
- helping at kids clubs
- speaking at youth group
- helping at a youth drop in center
- prayer walks and house visitations
- mural project
- general practical help with the buildings
- house building/shanty repair
- helping in the creative arts programs
- community cleaning
We will be staying in a hostel called Friendly's Guest House Manila (twww.friendlysguesthouse.com.) There might be other travelers in the room with us which could become a ministry in itself. (Which I'm SUPER stoked about!)
The language spoken is Tagalag.
We will be in this ministry site from September 13th-October 10th.
I'm super excited to serve in the Philippines with my team and to see the fruit that God is already preparing to be born through our ministry. I'm excited to work with children and be a light of love and peace in their lives. I'm excited to serve the Lord this year – wholeheartedly, recklessly, and in complete surrender to whatever He speaks, wherever He calls, and however He orchestrates it all.
Right now my support account is sitting at $10,769.45. I am so blessed, honored, and thankful for everyone that has supported me thus far. My biggest prayer from the get go has been to be fully funded before I launch. I pray that you will share with your friends, family, co-workers, churches about my journey to help me reach my goal of $14,800! That means I need $4,030.55 before September 6th. Which means, 7 monthly donors of $50 or 4 monthly donors of $100. Or whatever the Lord may lay on your heart as a one time gift. I am trusting God to provide these financial needs. He is a BIG God and His provision is great.
In Tim Keller's book, "Counterfeit Gods" he focuses a whole chapter on money. Money and the necessity of it has definitely been a reoccurring theme in my life throughout this summer as I've journied through support raising. This "money" section in Keller's book has been heavily on my heart throughout this process. Keller says,
"Jesus gave up all his treasure in heaven, in order to make you his treasure – for you a treasured people. When you see him dying to make you his treasure, that will make him yours. Money will cease to be a the currency of your significance and security, and you will want to bless others with what you have".
Keller refers to 1 Peter 2:9-10 within this text which says,
" you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy".
It is my hearts desire, my biggest prayer that you will join me in this endeavor. I'm praying deeply and desperately that God will move boldly in your life to share with those around you and that we may all witness the miraculous work of the Lord. God is going to provide, in Jesus name.
