American Michelle is finishing up her degree at UCO and spends a lot of her time at a local church where she is a great mentor to many younger girls.
Filipino Michelle is a mother of 3 and has another on the way, so she spends most of her time caring for them.
American Michelle gets paid for her work in the youth department at the church (although she would do it with the same passion even if she wasn’t getting paid).
Filipino Michelle makes money by collecting metal and plastic from under the bridge where she lives and selling it to local junk shops.
I can’t wait to be back home and go eat at McAlister’s with American Michelle.
My heart longs for Tuesdays and Fridays when I can go sit on dirty cardboard and talk with Filipino Michelle.
When I first met Filipino Michelle I thought of how different she and American Michelle are. Then God began to show me their similarities…
American Michelle and I love to sing songs together – although we usually change the lyrics to fit our lives.
Filipino Michelle also loves singing and the first day we met we chatted about our favorite songs.
American Michelle doesn’t like math, but she loves the outdoors.
Filipino Michelle doesn’t like math either, and she lives outdoors.
American Michelle is a real person. She has real struggles, real emotions, and a real life.
Filipino Michelle is a real person. She has real struggles, real emotions, and a real life.
God loves them both. Deeply.
No amount of privilege makes God consider one higher than the other. No amount of poverty makes God have more compassion on one than the other.
God does not prioritize His love based on convenience, yet so often we do. I am among the worst offenders of this. How many times have I passed by someone walking in the hallway, sleeping under a bridge, or taking my order at a restaurant and not thought twice about them being a person of significance? Too many. Rich, poor, middle-class, young, old, clean, dirty, the Lord has no borders to His love.
“Five sparrows are sold for only two pennies, and God does not forget any of them. But God even knows how many hairs you have on your head. Don’t be afraid. You are worth much more than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7
This is Michelle’s youngest daughter, Julianna, who turned 2 a few days ago.
