This month we are living in Paling Pat-Pat, Malaybalay City on the Northern part of Mindanao Island. There are 5 teams here working and living together. It is NOT rainy season here but it has rained a lot. We have become very thankful for the rain and even have prayed for the rain…. Water used to be trucked in everyday to fill the water tanks for us to shower, flush toilets, etc. The truck was in an accident and water is no longer trucked in. The way we get water is if it rains. There are trash cans set out to catch the rain, in addition to, the water tank being filled up. We use the water when it is necessary to flush toilets and take bucket showers. Due to the lack of water we have been taken to different places to shower. Some of us have been able to shower at a natural spring and a waterfall! It is very beautiful here. The place we are staying is surrounded by mountains only visible when there is no cloud cover. At night, the sky is beautiful… sunsets can make the whole sky pink or lightening can light up the whole sky when it is storming.
We are working with KIM and have had a lot of different ministry opportunities this month. Since there are 31 of us here this month we had choices of which ministries we would be involved with.
In a way, these kids are easier than the ones that we cared for in South Africa but in other ways it is more difficult. The younger children are not adjusted to being at the orphanage or on any kind of schedule. Nights are rough for those working that shift. The younger kids do not sleep very well and wake up often. The kids are sick often and I don’t think there has been a day where no one is sick. Please pray for these kids.
Malaybalay City Jail – Not too far down the road from the orphanage is the city jail. This is a place where people are housed until they have a trial or hearing. Some of these people are innocent and some are not. Many of them have been sitting in there for years with no date set for a trial or a hearing. We have had the opportunity to go and get to know some of the prisoners. Many of them have become Christians since being in jail. Hearing their stories is amazing. Time spent there can range to sharing a message, singing a song, playing chess, sharing scripture back and forth, putting on a show for entertainment, etc. They LOVE when we come and many of them are hungry for conversations. Those that are Christians are inspiring to us and speak into our lives.
Awana’s Mt. Moriah – Every Saturday afternoon, there are hundreds of kids picked up and dropped off at the site where we stay. The kids come to spend time together and hear God’s word. We have learned some fun songs with the kids and play games with them. They are taught different Bible lessons each week and are asked to memorize verses. The kids are also given a meal while they are with us. Most of all, we show them love. Some of these kids are so hungry for this that they risk coming. Some of these kids are persecuted by their own families yet they continue to come. Pray for these kids… that when they come that they will experience God’s love and be able to take it home with them. Pray that they don’t lose hope even if their families are against them.
InterVarsity – This is a program for college students. We go and have bible studies with them and build relationships with them. Some of those that attend InterVarsity are ones that come and lead groups with the kids on Saturdays.
Basketball – This is an opportunity to be out in the community having some fun. Some of us actually play basketball games. Others sit and cheer for our team. It is an opportunity to meet people and have conversations. It is also a place we can invite the college students to come and hang out with us to get them more involved.
Student convention– Last week they had a convention for the high school students that attend Malaybalay City High School. In the Philippines, they do not typically talk about God or other things like that in school. This was the first time ever that they had this type of meeting where God was talked about. There were a few different speakers and then the kids were split into small groups for discussions. We were there to help lead some of the small group discussions. This program went over really well. The headmaster was impressed that he scheduled one for next year already and one of the towns nearby wants to hold one this week! Pray for these kids and the seeds that were planted.
Gang Bible study – On Sundays, we have to opportunity to go with one of the pastors to meet with different gangs and have Bible studies with them.
Helping the social worker – The orphanage has a social worker on staff and some of us that have had schooling in social work or counseling have been asked to help her out. The orphanage deals with adopting kids out in the Philippines, as well as, America. The forms have to be done in English and this is not the social workers first language. She has asked some of us to proof read her documents and help her in wording things. She has also given a list of kids that she feels need counseling. We are to meet with them and help come up with a plan on how to work with them. Pray for us as we are meeting with them. Pray for wisdom and guidance on how to best help them.
Service projects – The grounds that we stay on includes the orphanage, hosts awanas, and holds church on Sundays. There are many different things that need done around the place. Other teams have come in and started projects. We have been given many different little projects to finish what was started. We have weeded, picked up rocks, and planted grass in the field. We have dug a trash pit and trenches. We have helped put up walls for the sunday school classrooms. We have helped in building for the church among other things. We are also working on a mural in the orphanage. These projects are done in the mornings and continued in the afternoons if we aren’t doing any of the other ministries during that time.
Prayer – Some people have done prayer walks to pray for the different ministries and the different things going on. We also have designated one of the rooms as a prayer room. We can go in and pray together when we feel called.
That said, we also need your prayers. We are 13 hours ahead of you guys (EST) so when it is night here it is day there. This ministry NEEDS your prayers while we are sleeping and unable to pray. We NEED your prayers as sickness is going around. It is mainly minor things but we, as a group of 31, have not all been healthy since we have been here. YOU are a vitale part of the ministry that we can do here in the Philippines and any other country we travel to. THANK YOU!
