December 6, 2011
Goodbye Malaybalay, Hello Manilla!
So this weekend we said goodbye to all the children at KIM in Mindinao and it was really hard…I got really close to some of the kids and separating was not so fun! It was also hard to say goobye to Jodi & The New Life home. Leaving and coming back to Manilla only to live with double the amount of people, a bizillion ministry opportunities, and the time to say goodbye to our previous squad leaders was crazy overwhelming at first. Culture shock hit me when visiting a mall called the “MegaMall”. There were a ridiculous amount of stores(more then any other mall I have ever seen in the U.S., seriously, I wanted to throw up). The spirit of consumerism and vanity is all around this area…
Anyhow, we found out we will be here until the 17th of December in the Philippines, and I love the ministry here in Manilla working with KIM. Today was the first day of getting started in the ministry here. Today I went digging with some others from the squad and finshed clearing some land for a school that is going to be built to educate over 100 more kids in the area. Next, the construction team is going to lay the foundation down hopefully before the time we leave. It is amazing how much has been done since we got here about 3 and 1/2 weeks ago. A huge mound of dirt is now flat…
Kim has huge visions and plans here in Manilla & its so inspiring and honoring to be a part of this ministry.
In the afternoon, I visited Josie’s Angels, the girls home here for the teenage girls. There were 25 girls there & while there the girls read stories to me, we played some 2- on -2 basketball, sing worship songs( and some Christmas songs too = ) . I have found what I will be doing most of the time while I am here. I love these girls & there is so much I have already begun to learn from them in one day…One girl was teaching me how to play chess ( which yes, I never really learned how to play)… and I found a new friend to learn guitar with. This girl has been playing for 2 years and she is 14 but she is a great guitar player. One girl got to read to me some of a small Christian book which she really enjoys that has inspiring thoughts and scripture ( some from Psalms). She was so excited just to have someone to read to. There is something to be learned from these girls & I know that the Lord has great plans ahead. The youngest girl, 9, kept telling me how I was like a princess and it was so sweet.
During worship we sang a song I have not heard in 13 years since Christian Camp where I was saved.
“Lord, I offer my Life To You. Everything I’ve been through, Use it for your Glory, Lord I Offer My Days to You, Lifitng My Praise To You, As a Pleasing Sacrifice, Lord I Offer You My Life”…The familiar song spoke to me in such an impactful way as memories flooded of my youth… The spirit of God was so tangible I thought I could grab it.
I thought…Wow God….so Cool..You are really present with these girls and I feel you in this ministry. These girls know the love you have for them a lot sooner than I did & its so great. I am really looking forward to what I will be able to learn & grow from this month, and in addition to that I am excited about how the Lord will use me to be an example of faith to these girls…
In honor of all the awesome kids & the great ministry in Malaybalay I thought I would post a picture blog as a way of saying goodbye!
GOODBYE ..I LOVE & WILL MISS YOU ALL!
Mary Grace & I
Mary Joy & I –
This girl always had a big HUGE smile. You can see the way real JOY comes off of this girl.
This girl always had a big HUGE smile. You can see the way real JOY comes off of this girl.
Oh, and then there’s my girls…
Who I would help in the evenings get ready for bed, read them stories, and pray with them…I will really miss them! 
The Saturday Awannas feeding program in which over 200 children were fed & taught about Christ…
Some of the little ones ( not even half)
The Biggest Cooking Pan I have Ever seen where they cook rice…
In line for the feeding….
The children were so beautiful…. : )
The New Life Prison Recovery Ministry…
These guys were such great examples of the Faith of Christ & it was such an inspiration to see the way they are seeing Jesus….
and of course I left my first mark of art behind on one of their cabinets @ the house….
And of Course the Beautiful View outside, which looked like a new painting from the Lord every day…
Told….
You…
So….!Oh Malaybalay you will forever be in my heart as I continue on this race & all of you will be in my prayers…. I have learned so much this past November…in just 3 weeks
This month I embraced Motherhood in a whole new way…
by taking on being a mother to all these kids & I realized that I am a Mother to the Nations…
I am Forever changed & This Journey is Not Over.
Roxanne & I- The best cook ever. I jokingly told her I wanted to steal her and bring her back to the U.S. I tried to watch and learn a few things from her about cooking. The lady is great. LOVE her.
