It’s a small world, afterall…It’s a small world, afterall…It’s a small world, afterall…
It’s a small, small world!!
Never has that simple Disneyland song felt so true as in the Philippines for me. We headed to Manila with only a few random contacts in our books, and praying for more connections as we went. That was a prayer answered above and beyond our expectations. After our first week in the slums, while at Second Mile with our next contact, we met Phil Dehart, who mentioned that his kids attend Faith Academy near Antipolo, Metro Manila, and he had a ministry with street kids. We agreed to meet after our time in Puerto Galera. That was our first knowledge of Faith Academy.
In P.G. a missionary couple, Bill and Deb Shaw ended up staying at the same hotel as us, and through conversation, they mentioned Faith Academy, and that they are starting up a newspaper for the poor in that area. They said we should meet with Jeff Long who would be able to help us a lot.
From P.G. we headed up towards Antipolo, to visit with Leah’s contact in Valley Golf. Brent and Kim Burdick have been in the Philippines for 16 years and hosted Leah’s dad and Filipino adopted brother on their way to the states 13 years ago. As we discussed our purpose there, Kim mentioned that we should talk to Jeff Long at Faith Academy, located in Valley Golf. The world is shrinking…
We headed to Faith Academy to meet Jeff, and in the parking lot we see Phil, and moments later, Bill! Jeff gave us a tour of his Children’s home, and then mentioned we should stop and meet his friends. We walk into Bill and Deb’s newspaper office. So, turns out, everyone is connected at Faith, and there are ton of different missions opportunities going on.
But, this isn’t the end of it! The Philippine world is small, the Faith world even smaller, but the next people we encountered blew my socks off.
On the way to the children’s home later on, we pick up the Faith Academy chaplain and his wife – Jason and Sarah Quick. At introductions, I thought to myself that I knew a Jason Quick and his sister Sarah. They attended Des Moines Christian school, a year ahead and a year behind me. Their dad was my chemistry teacher. But I thought there is no way this could actually be the same Jason. In moments, though, our conversation confirmed that this was indeed the Jason Quick of Des Moines, who married a Sarah, and whose sister Sarah married my childhood friend Mark Swanson a couple years ago, (another story of a small world)!! I could hardly believe it.
Julie Smith e-mailed me to say that their family supports a family at Faith Academy – the nurse and the maintenance man, so I took some time to meet them as well, and took my picture with her.
I met another lady just 2 days ago who lives in Overland Park, Kansas whose husband works for a company based in Fort Dodge, IA. They pass through Des Moines regularly, and often eat dinner there, so I told her to visit me at Court Ave in a few months.
I am so amazed at how God orchestrates his people, drawing them to where they need to be, and then allowing them to run into others who have ended up in the same place. It’s a joy to meet people from my home area, who know my stomping ground, and can laugh at the traffic problems of KC, or talk about the Smith’s big dog. In the Philippines…who would have thought. 🙂
Thank you Jesus for fun and funny ‘chance encounters!’
