For the month of January, all the guys on the squad have been living and serving at Children’s Garden of The Philippines. Children’s Garden, or CG for short, is a home for boys who either lived on the street or came from very impoverished homes. The boys are housed fed, tutored, and discipled. There are about 18 boys ages 12-18 that live here. Now, as most of you know, I grew up with only two sisters. So, as you can imagine, living with tons of boys fairly close to my age has been a different experience for me. Add to this that I lean towards being an introvert, and the last few weeks have been a challenge to say the least. Still, I wouldn’t change my experience here for anything. So, here’s six things I’ve learned living with the boys here:
1. Boys smell. I know I know, I’m a boy. But the smell of one boy is very different than the smell of 20 boys, especially when we are living in a place that regularly reaches 90 degrees during the day. It’s gross.
2. Boys are competitive. Obviously girls can be competitive too, but there seems to be something programmed into the DNA of boys that makes us competitive. Whether it’s singing, playing ukulele, dance battles, or epic pillow fights, the boys are always competing (in good fun).
3. The boys here love touching. Not like in a weird way, but whenever they walk by, they will pat your head, or want a high five, or just punch you. There is a lot of play wrestling and stuff. They will also touch you when me when I’m eating, which I love of course (not).
4. The boys are responsible, and have a sense of purpose. For the most part, the guys do their chores without complaining, and there seems to be the understanding that each one of them has a place and a job in this community. This has been one of the coolest things to see.
5. The boys here peace and joy. When they aren’t at school, the boys spend time singing, doing chores, playing games, and just hanging out. The boys have struggles to be sure, but you can see the peace and love in them that only Christ brings.
6. The boys are full of love. Even if the way they show it might bother me sometimes, the boys really do love and care about one another, and about us. Many of them were genuinely concerned about me when I was sick for a couple days this week. I’ve learned a lot about what a Christ-like community full of brotherly love looks like during my time here.
Some of these things are common to all boys, but some are the direct result of God and how He has shaped the ministry here. It is amazing to see how God took these boys from incredibly broken circumstances, and has brought them to where they are today. many of the boys, before coming to CG, hadn’t even gotten through elementary school. CG helps them get back into school, and also teaches them how to work hard, and live in a way that brings glory to God. I think I have learned just as much (probably more) about God from the boys here as they have from me. I invite you to join me in praying for the boys at Children’s Garden. I pray and declare that they will become Godly men, and that all they do will bring God glory and honor.
In less than a week, my parents will be flying to The Philippines! I can’t believe they’re coming so soon! For the first couple days that they’re here, my parents are actually doing some mission work of their own. They will be flying down to Cagayan de Oro, which is located on the southern island of Mindanao. There, they will be meeting a pastor, and visiting surrounding villages. They will hopefully be distributing solar-powered audio Bibles to residents there. I can’t wait to hear about how God uses them before we even start our ministry together. Once we meet up, we will be working with the ministry “Wipe Every Tear”. It will be a challenging ministry working with women who are caught in prostitution. I’m nervous, but I know God will use my parents and I, as well as the rest of my squad, in amazing ways. Please pray for safe travels and health for my parents as they come to serve God in The Philippines.
