It has been our goal to crash a wedding.
We haven't done that yet… (Although still hoping for it!)
But we did settle for crashing a birthday party.
As the Race has gone on, it has been awesome to see us grow in boldness as a team and as individuals. We've been able to do things lately we would probably have been too scared and timid to do month 1. As a result, some really amazing adventures have unfolded, some incredible memories have been had, and some unique and precious friends have been made.
On our third day in this Manila neighborhood, we decided to go walking. April, my teammate, felt it on her heart from God to go explore this poorer neighborhood across the road. Mind you, we don't have a contact this month. We don't have a guide, or anyone who knows the area. We have no one to tell us if it's ok, if it's safe. This is the first time we've wandered into unknown neighborhoods without advice or direction from a local.
But we felt we should go. So we went.
We've been staying in this fancy business area of town. Even though we always stick out as foreigners (after 9 months the constant stares don't phase you anymore), we definitely were out of place when we crossed into this neighborhood. At first we certainly felt uncomfortable. We weren't sure if the looks we were receiving were just curious or unfriendly. We had no idea if this neighborhood was dangerous or just different. (It's crazy how often those two d words get confused…)
But as we continued to walk, we continued to feel more comfortable and have more peace. God wanted us to walk these streets and spread joy. At first, it was just smiles and hellos. Then eventually we got invited to play bingo on the streets with the older crowd. (We didn't have any money on us, though, so we had to pass.) As evening came, more and more people filled the alleys. Kids were home from school and the young adults home from work. Everyone was coming out to socialize. They still didn't know what we were doing there, but were certainly enjoying each other.
We round the corner to see a small tent with an old arcade screen under it. They have rigged this thing for karaoke. We approach with curiosity and this woman invites us over. We eventually realize it's a birthday party for her teen daughter! We've just crashed a birthday party.
They insist we sing, and after some hesitant half-songs, we get into it. I get dared into singing some Celine Dion (very poorly, I might add). The best singers in the neighborhood get called to sing us some Tagalog songs. The birthday girl, shy at first, eventually comes out to get sung to by us. We answer questions about ourselves and about being missionaries. A crowd gathers and we play with the kids. We sing and they sing. We sing with the girls. We sing with their mom. We make videos and take pictures and they take pictures with us.
We laugh. We love. We sing. We dance. We live.
Reluctantly, we decide to leave around sunset to walk home. It's hard to leave such a wonderful, joyful, welcoming group of people. It was a magical day, one of those days you know you will always remember, when you just feel alive and blessed to be you.
And it never would have happened if we hadn't walked around awkwardly with a little fear in a strange and potentially dangerous neighborhood.
We crashed something. We weren't exactly invited, but you're not exactly invited to life. I've heard they estimate about 50% of babies are unplanned; my guess is it is higher. That means at least half of us weren't even exactly invited to be born. But we came anyway, crashing in. We were born, kicking and screaming, announcing we were alive and we were here. Well guess what – we're still alive and we're still here. Sometimes we need to remember that.
We won't often times find the doors in the neighborhood of life wide open with someone standing on the threshold begging us to come in. That doesn't mean the people sitting inside don't want to engage with us. That doesn't mean the inhabitants aren't the most kind, generous, hospitable and interesting people. And that certainly doesn't mean we should pass that door by.
Jesus doesn't say every door is wide open. But Jesus does say if we knock, the door will be opened. If we knock.
If we knock.
So let's knock. Let's ask. Let's try, let's go.
Let's crash something.
