I’ve finally found motivation to say a big hearty hello from the Philippines to blog world….so HELLO! Magandag umaga (or gabi, depending on where you people are)! Part of the reason I’ve struggled with writing anything so far this past week is that I have so many different things I want to tell you…so you just wait, ‘cause stories are coming!
We’ve started our Race working with Kids International Ministry in Manila. Jeff and the rest of the KIM staff/volunteers have been absolutely incredible hosts. We’re truly being spoiled this month- both at home and through our community. We have been given many different options for ministry: all of which have been a beautiful introduction to the people and the community we’re living in. There’s a children’s home, community feedings, a school where we tutor, street children everywhere, construction projects and more. My team has done two community feedings and tutored in the school…and I’ve also gotten to hang out at the children’s home a little bit. Every time I walk down the street, I’m overwhelmed by how much and how quickly I’ve come to love this place.
I would love nothing more than to be able to reach through this computer screen and attach your heart and mind to mine so you could truly feel the way my heart leaps every morning as I (literally, on the floor) crawl out of bed. So you could get the same rush of joy and love in your veins that I get when kids come running into your arms, squealing and laughing. So you could hear the way the Father speaks love and identity over His children and feel His strong, yet gentle hands break the chains that have remained unknowingly locked for years.
Today, my beautiful team of ladies joined part of Team Illuminate for a community feeding in a place Jeff called “Tent City.” There were people literally everywhere. When we do these feedings, we split off into smaller groups and walk through the village yelling “Feeding!” It always feels really silly, and typically you hear the echo of the children calling “Feeding!” right back at you, followed by wild giggles.
It happened today, and instead of just waving, laughing and saying hello – my small group decided to stop to hang out with a group of six young boys who had called back to us. As we introduced ourselves and told them about the feeding, they hid under tables and laughed like I’ve never seen laughter before. We asked their names and one of them finally piped up – “James Bryan!” It was followed by giggles and more running around to hide under the table. We asked the next boy his name and it all became a game from there.
“I’m James Bryan!”
“My name is James Bryan!”
Six boys, six James Bryan’s. The giggles were uncontrollable at this point. The rain let up and they took off running, so we continued walking down the road. It wasn’t long before we looked behind us and they had popped back in the picture, giggling and ducking behind houses and other people.
We finally ended up back where we had met them in the first place and sat down and laughed with them. We asked them if they’d ever heard of a man named Jesus, to which they all smiled and said YES! We asked if they knew if Jesus loved them and the “yes” became a nod rather than a hearty “YES” like before.
In that moment, I became the seventh James Bryan.
YES, I know Jesus, but I can only muster a nod when it comes to knowing that He loves me. At some point in my life, I stopped trusting and believing in the fullness of His love for me (Newly exposed struggle-fest in my life. I’m certain there’s a blog soon to come out of this process).
Before we left, we taught our sweet new friends, the James Bryans (we really know their names now), one of the most important phrases I could think of.
Jesus. Loves. Me.
All seven James Bryan's (the seventh being myself) repeated it over and over again before we said goodbye.
Jesus loves me.
Jesus loves me.
Jesus loves me.
Even now, hours after I’ve been with them, I’m hearing their voices and it’s resonating in my soul. Jesus loves me.
I am James Bryan, and Jesus loves me. You’re James Bryan too, and Jesus loves you.
Saige, Emily, Jill and myself with the James Bryan's, also known as James, James Bryan, Thomas, Vincent and "Michael Jordan"
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Obviously, I’m in the Philippines! Month one is upon us, my friends, which means a deadline is coming soon too! In two months, I have to have $11,000 in my account in order to continue on with this beautiful journey. If you’d like to support me, you can do it a couple of ways.
- Online donations!
Click the link on the left side of my blog that says “Support My Journey!” to make a donation online. These donations can be one-time, or you can set up a monthly donation. If you choose to be a monthly supporter, please set your donations to end on March 1, as that is my final deadline. - Mail a check!
You can mail a check made out to Adventures in Missions to
Adventures in Missions
PO Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
Please be sure you write "MurphreeChelsey" in the memo line so that it's directed to my account!
Please continue praying for my squad as we finish out our next week and a half here in Manila! Thank you for all of your support, prayers, and kind words. They have meant the world to me!
