Hey, y’all! I am happy to report I have made it safely to my ministry site in Manilla – it is a small area called Quattro on the outskirts of the city, and we are serving with Kids International Ministries.
We rolled up on a charter bus, and on our left we glimpsed the sprawling compound of the YMC, where Kids International Ministry is housed. We were greeted warmly and invited to climb the four flights of stairs to our rooms. All of the women on my squad (expect for the married women) are staying in one room together. That’s about 25 of us…and one bathroom…but glory to God, we have fans!
The compound itself is incredible, equipped with a library, classrooms, a swimming pool, and a spa that serves as a ministry for local women. The YMC/KIM partnership also provides a free, high-quality Christian education to hundreds of students from kinder through college. They feed people in the community and the students in their schools. They offer prenatal education and support to mothers and help with healthcare in their community. I mean, you name it and they probably do it.
The ministry has so much more they want to do, but they have run out of space. Their classrooms and children’s home are nearing capacity, and they are currently praying that the negotiations for a new plot of land will go through. God provided the money necessary to purchase the land, and when the purchase is complete, it will allow them to build a new campus to house all of their schools.
There is so much that is happening here; you can really see God’s hand in the development and expansion of this ministry. I don’t know exactly what I will be doing everyday, but some possibilities are:
- Working on construction projects to improve and expand the physical spaces
- Running feeding programs and connecting with local churches and leaders
- Teaching and helping to organize and streamline the campus library
I can’t wait to tell you more about this place and the ways we are serving, but for now, I’m off!
Until the Whole World Hears,
Mia
PS – Please note that I will only have access to WiFi about once a week. Thank you for your patience when I do not respond right away (and appreciate how readily available WiFi is for you)!!!
