This month is all squad month in Manila, Philippines. So all 33 of us are staying in a little town in Manila the locals call Cuatro. This is because there is a golf course here and the fourth hole is the corner of this area (dad if you are reading this your tee time is 10am on Thursday, see ya then). We are staying at YMC where we are pretty blessed by the scenic housing, our own beds, and are provided with home cooked meals everyday. YMC is connected with a program called KIM, Kids International Ministries. God’s fingerprints are so evident in this program. I’ll put the link to their website at the end if you want to see more about all the works the Lord is doing here. The past few days I have gotten to do a lot of construction work such as mixing and putting down cement for what is going to be an outdoor nursery, lay down a sidewalk, and paint the outside of buildings. Three girls on the squad and I will also be volunteering at the school KIM partners with and assisting in any way they need us to.
Construction work is something that I am actually very fond of. Pouring cement may not be the most glamorous job and is definitely not helpful for your skin. However, I love to get dirty and also see the work that I am doing progress until it is finished. The men that we are assisting are amazing to watch with how rhythmic they are at their jobs and how quick they are with every motion. They do most things barefoot, and even though they warned us not to, I decided to do it as well. First off I already have ugly feet thanks to my bunion also known as Paul (Ha Paul Bunion, get it?). My feet and hands are so dry and cracked that I don’t even have to do anything for the dead skin to fall off. I was not too happy about this but I can’t say we were not warned. Even though we have only been here now for about a week, God has already shaken me to realize how selfish I have been.
The construction work excited me because I wanted to see the progress I was making. I was getting upset because my feet are getting ugly and have dead skin falling off when these men have no care in the world because they are doing hard work to further God’s kingdom. The awesome thing about God is that He does not need us. He can do anything He wants to do. Yet He invites us to be a part of His plan. Yes, there is brokenness, poverty, darkness and sorrow in this world. But this is due to our sins and us not God. So if God is inviting me to help Him pour cement to build a nursery so kids can get the nutrients they need while their parents get to hear the Good News, then I will gladly have cracked feet.
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns.” Isaiah 52:7
When we are serving others to make ourselves feel better, it is not going to last or truly satisfy us. When we are serving others to further God’s kingdom that is where true joy is found. When you chose to follow the Lord, He is going to stretch you and ask you to be a part of sharing His word. It may not always look the way you were expecting and may even give you cracked feet that He calls beautiful. But it is so worth it, especially when you are living FOR God.
https://www.kidsim.org
