Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Having only four months left of the Race, all of us are fighting burn out. We are trying to fill ourselves up with the Lord, being as self aware as we can with the time and space allotted to us. We are pushing forward, desiring to be present, but fighting off the temptation to rest when we can. Last night I feel like my soul reaped a harvest. After last night, I received so much energy and excitement, it is unexplainable.
God is just so good. I still can’t stop smiling. Last night my squad put on a festival in the town plaza. We have been preparing testimonies, speakers, dramas, dances, and cultural dances for weeks. The night was beautifully orchestrated by the Lord, and ran so smoothly. At the end of the night we had thirty people come forward accepting Jesus!
During the festival I was mainly in the background. I was only in the cardboard testimony portion of the night performance wise, and I am still not speaking so interacting throughout the night in other ways was difficult. So, I watched bags for my squad mates and prayed. Someone has to be in the background, right?
It was hard, really hard, not to talk last night. I wanted to go out and pray for people. I wanted to encourage my squad mates, and lift them up throughout the night. But, instead I just sat in silence…
God knew this festival was going on before I took my vow of silence. He knew that this would be difficult, therefore I knew that I needed to obey.
One of the moments in the night when it was extremely difficult was when I had a little boy come up to me and ask for prayer. He is one of the boys that I always see begging in front of the 7/11. Over the course of the time we’ve been here we have gotten acquainted. I had seen him numerous times, and I’ve always given him a fist bump/our special handshake (typically multiple times in a row when we do see one another).
He knew I wasn’t speaking, so he motioned to pray by making the gestures with his hands. I prayed silently for him and then ushered him to one of my squad mates. I know they had a beautiful conversation – one that I wanted to have. But that is just even more proof that when you put faith in people, they move. I could have broken my vow and prayed for that boy. I did have little bit of the relationship with him after all. But, my squad mate is just as capable as I am. And I can be honoring to God and her by just having her do the task at hand.
Last night I also got a glimpse of the joy God feels every time someone comes to Christ. I understand now more than ever the celebrations God has in heaven for each soul saved.
Two of my sweet friends accepted Christ last night. The back story on these two boys is from last week. While we were out doing street evangelism, Andrea, Felicia, and I met two twelve year old boys: LA and RJ. We were adventuring and found a basketball hoop where a group of boys were playing, and that’s where we met our new friends. These boys beamed with happiness as they talked with us, showed us their neighborhood, and escorted us home. These boys have helped show me how generous the Filipino culture is. On the way home they bought Andrea, Felicia, and I french fries. Two twelve year old Filipino boys, bought three Americans food… As we sat and ate the fries RJ even took my hand fan from me and used it to fan all of us girls as we ate. These boys made my day through their genuine kindness that day, and again last night by their new salvation!
After last night I also understand the joy people can find in evangelism now. Being a missionary who use to become uncomfortable with evangelism, to now being the happiest I’ve been purely as a result of it. I understand now how my evangelism can look differently, than other models of it that I’ve seen. I don’t have to become uncomfortable and shove my religion down people’s throats, just because that is the way some feel led. I can build relationships, and evangelize the way God made me comfortable with (side note – getting out of your comfort zone does grow you in most circumstance, and if I am partnered with a ministry I’ll do what they need me to be done as long as it isn’t against my beliefs. This discomfort with evangelism is more of the personal convictions God has placed in my heart). Still winning souls for Christ, but not laying dormant doing absolutely nothing to further the Kingdom of God.
God is doing amazing things here in the Philippines, and He is showing me His heart behind this missions trip. Especially with the story of these two boys. I feel like my team and I did this evangelism thing right, at least in my eyes. We made a relationship, we invited them to church, we then proceeded to check back with them, talk to them, and encourage them. We invited them to this festival, they came! We rejoiced when they showed up, talked with them. Never shoving religion down their throats, but always being open about our beliefs. Not hiding or forcing, just being present with these boys. Showing them attention, and loving them the way God loves them. Then, after all the work we put in they both came to know the Lord. We were patient, and Christ moved.
At the festival last night I was sitting in the front row, indian style on the concrete as the alter call took place. Kristin had came and switched me out for bag watching so that I could watch some of the performances. RJ and LA were next to me when this happened, I motioned for them to come watch the Eveything skit with me and they came. After the skit Stephen shared his message, and Oscar closed with an alter call. I was holding my hand up towards the stage, eyes closed, praying for the Holy Spirit to move as pastor Oscar called people forward. I was unaware that LA and RJ were even still listening to the performance because they had left my side after the skit to go find Felicia. Then I opened my eyes and saw them standing at the front of the stage, heads bowed, with the group of other new believers.
My heart leapt out of my chest! If I was speaking I would have shouted with joy. I then again bowed my head and prayed so hard for them. When I opened my eyes they were gone. I wanted to find them and talk with them, but I didn’t have a voice to use… I could type them a message? See if they truly understood their new salvation. Then I went to the back, and found Andrea and Felicia praying with the two boys. God knows. Even though it wasn’t me… Even though I couldn’t speak… God beautifully placed Andrea and Felicia in the right place. I was ecstatic! In that moment I was so proud of my team, so proud of my squad, so proud of these boys!
Last night was absolutely fantastic. The plays, the improv, the testimonies, the speakers, the dances. They were all amazing, and we even ended two minutes early! Which is God alone, because we had never even ran through the whole event together prior to the performance.
Last night is proof that God shows up. That He uses unlikely people in unlikely places. That even if you are a group of college age people, in a random small city in the Phillipines. If you are willing, He will move.
Prior to the Race I was timid to the call God placed on my life. To the verses on the Great Commision that he spoke over me, before I even left the states.
Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””?
To go unto all the nations and baptize new believers. After last night I now know that I don’t only love the traveling part of that call… I truly love my part in the salvation aspect as well. I feel more confident in God’s will for my life.
I love having the joy God brings when I see baby Christians being born. I love getting to see people I barely know, but still love, come to know the Lord. I can see that God has definitely given me a new heart, and I am loving it.
I seriously loved last night more than words can express. I am still so happy beyond words. I want to thank you all for partnering with me in this. Thank you for your prayers, for your support, and for sending me in this trip. Last night makes all the bug bites, floods, and cockroaches worth it. I’d choose this sweaty, sun burnt faith over my old self any day. I’d choose God, over my comfort again and again, simply to find this happiness again.
Thank you all again for all of the prayers! Last night is seriously a night I’ll never forget. Last night is why I came on the Race.
