Well, month 1 in Tacloban, Philippines is over; my team and I are now in Chiang Mai, Thailand with the rest of our squad for all-squad month. If you would have asked me a few weeks ago if I was ready for the next country I would have fully been able to say yes. However, that was not the case for me the last half of the month. All because of 5 teenage boys.
One night, while the rest of my team was hanging out with the teenage girls that come to The Lighthouse every night, I felt something telling me to go play pool with these 5 boys. If you know me, you know I can’t play pool to save my life, so I was more than a little hesitant. I went anyways, talked to them for a while, shared some local fruit with them, and embarrassed myself by dancing in front of them; but for some reason they kept coming to see me every night afterwards.
Our team would get home from a feeding, and all the teenagers would be at The Lighthouse waiting to hang out with us. In the last weeks I got to watch them play soccer, hear about their families, and just joke around with them. Through that time our friendship grew and became a priceless memory I will forever carry with me.
On Halloween night the teenagers had surprises for us when we got back from our feeding that day. We had no idea what the surprises would be since they have only known us for a short time. Listen to this though!!! The teenage girls made the rest of the team a poster and the boys made me a poster. On my poster was a girl overlooking a sunset. I asked who that was and they said, “It’s you ate Steffy!!” (Ate is the word they use for respect to an older female.)
I am still in awe of the fact that they took time out of their days to make this for me. Afterwards, we took some pictures together and played some soccer game.
THEN the next night they showed up with my name written on their arms! Those crazy boys! They then showed me how to cut open a coconut and which parts to eat. This one was a little different than ones I have seen in the past. I was so excited to finally try it but then I didn’t even like it! So of course the boys ate the rest of it for me.
I convinced them to walk down to the beach so that I could see it one last time before I left. We took some more pictures as we sat around and talked about our days. ALSO did I mention how well they speak English? It is so awesome! We had to start waking back to The Lighthouse when it got dark and they held my hand the entire time. When we got there we still weren’t ready to say goodbye so we sat on the playground out front and sang our favorite songs to each other.
When it was time to say goodbye, all of XOXO and the teenagers got in a circle to pray. Our team prayed over them, their families, their relationship with God, and their futures. The hugs and secret handshakes as goodbyes lasted another 10 minutes but before we knew it, they were walking home.
Who knew God would put these boys in our path, or that I would get the chance to hang out with them so much? On one of our last nights there, our host, Papa Cel, told me that none of their past visitors had ever loved these boys before. Hearing that absolutely broke my heart. Why had nobody ever taken the time to hang out and get to know these amazing young men? They have so much to offer the world, they just need someone to encourage them and love them. Please keep all of these teenage boys and their futures in your prayers. They deserve to be loved and prayed for even if it is from halfway around the world.
To the boys:
I love you all and I am so proud of each of you. You will do great things with your lifes. Thank you for taking me in like an older sister and just letting me be crazy with you. Take care of those girls and love God with all of your heart.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
