I will always remember the Philippines pt 2

 

Last time I introduced you to Margaret. Now meet Susan!

 

Susan. How can I even begin to describe her? From her smile with missing teeth that lights up my world, to her sassy attitude walk, to her infectious laugh. She loves fiercely. She desires to love everyone that comes into her path. When I woke up in the mornings her voice is what I heard. Talking rapid fire in Tagolog or saying “Shipre!!!” or “Maliit-na-bagay!” as loud as she could. Her personality is infectious, her joy without bounds. She was born to be the hands and feet of Jesus. After she came to Wipe Every Tear she had to go back to Angeles City for something and while she was there she went back into the bars, by herself, and brought some of her friends to Wipe Every Tear! She wants everyone to experience the joy she feels.

 

When she was younger her mother gave her away to her aunt to raise her. Her aunt was not kind and use to beat her, eventually forcing her to work at the bar to pay for her (the aunt)’s debt! Susan was thrown away and around like she wasn’t important. When we went to Angeles City she came along with us, and as we were leaving the city we passed her aunt’s house, and when we did she started crying and couldn’t stop. The impact her Aunt had on her was so powerful that just seeing the house brought back those memories in full force. She is not her past though! Meeting her you would not know that was her at all! She is so full of joy! So full of laughter and sillyness! She tries so hard in school so that she can have a future! Her english puts a smile on my face. From her “for because” at the beginning of every sentence, to her words that go around in circles until we understand what she is trying to say to us. But that is okay, because she tries so hard and never gives up! 

 

I remember one time I woke up to Susan’s face in mine, and she said “I do your nails now.” She loved me so much, and wanted to serve me that she couldn’t wait til I woke up just to be with me. I felt so overwelmed by her love for me.

 

Susan taught be about love in a different way than I ever foresaw. She taught me about redemption and overcoming your past. She taught me about true evangelism, about overflowing with the love of Christ that you just desire so much for others to experience him too. She taught me to love fiercely! 

 

Now introducing Dorothy!

“Oh my gosh!” is what Dorothy liked to say all the time. It was so funny, just because everything we said was met with a shocked sounding “Oh my gosh!” like it was novel idea! Oh Dorothy. She was an incredible girl full of a desire to learn and grow. She was always asking us to help her with her homework, and talking to us about what she wanted to do after school. She loved us through laughter. Any given moment we could find Dorothy laughing histerically about something. She was so full of a fun activity, and most of the time she was the one to turn on the music. She took care of us so well, always worried about what was going on with us, making sure we were okay. When we would walk the streets she would be pushing us onto the sidewalks to make sure we didn’t get hit. When we were tired and quiet she would ask over and over again what was wrong and if we were okay and why we looked so sad! What a sweetheart! 

 

When we went to Angeles City, it was hard for Dorothy to be back because there were still some of her friends there! But the second we stepped onto Walking Street she saw her cousin! So she screamed and ran up to her to and practically knocked her over. She loved her family so much and wanted more than anything for them to be okay. She use to sleep in her old uniform from the bar (a pair of “jean shorts” that were barely even underwear….) as a reminder to herself where she came from. She taught be about compassion, joy, that being different was okay, ambitions and dreams, and she taught me that everyone is more than their past. She taught me about God’s redemptive love!

 

In the next episode we will meet Precious, and Sara!