So I’m finally updating my blog. I’m probably the worst blogger on this site. I apologize. I guess I need to look at it as writing an email to an old friend instead of thinking too much about it, which I’ve been doing and therefore, never finishing.
I’m going to just go ahead and talk about my experiences, thoughts & ministry updates from our first 3 weeks here in the Philippines.
Last week I got to go to a women’s prison with 3 other
girls and the women there are incredibly open and loving and it was easy to build a friendship with these woman after only an hour! Every morning they do a
memory verse and praise song. There is a woman, Pearla,
who grew up in a Baptist family and said that she knows it was her
family’s prayers that helped her find the Lord in prison 2 years earlier. She asked that I would pray for her and for her 3 children and
1 grandchild…and that when she is released from prison that she will
be strong and teach others what she has learned. The woman sleep on
bunk beds (3 high) that are made of a board. No mattresses and all of
their belongings hang around them or are on the bed. It’s funny in what seems like such a depressing place, a lot of the women (not all of them though) find their hope and joy in Jesus Christ. Their joy brings life to the dingy, dirty cell that they live in. We got the opportunity to go into the cell and pray with a woman who was severely sick with asthma. I heard a report that the girls who went back there today said that she is better!! She isn’t keeled over on her bed fighting to breathe anymore!! Thank the Lord for his healing!
girls and the women there are incredibly open and loving and it was easy to build a friendship with these woman after only an hour! Every morning they do a
memory verse and praise song. There is a woman, Pearla,
who grew up in a Baptist family and said that she knows it was her
family’s prayers that helped her find the Lord in prison 2 years earlier. She asked that I would pray for her and for her 3 children and
1 grandchild…and that when she is released from prison that she will
be strong and teach others what she has learned. The woman sleep on
bunk beds (3 high) that are made of a board. No mattresses and all of
their belongings hang around them or are on the bed. It’s funny in what seems like such a depressing place, a lot of the women (not all of them though) find their hope and joy in Jesus Christ. Their joy brings life to the dingy, dirty cell that they live in. We got the opportunity to go into the cell and pray with a woman who was severely sick with asthma. I heard a report that the girls who went back there today said that she is better!! She isn’t keeled over on her bed fighting to breathe anymore!! Thank the Lord for his healing!
We so far have built a
sidewalk for the community and are now painting at the Children’s Home transforming the old kitchen into a living room for the girls. Also, I have been watching the babies in
the nursery at the orphanage. There are 8 of them (ranging in age from 2 months to 3 years) and they typically
only have 1 staff per shift for all of them. We are trying to help and release the
staff to have a bit of a break as they work a 6 day work week. The babies are so lovable!! It is a great opportunity to pray over these kids…it makes you feel like family to them when you get to be a part of their lives.
sidewalk for the community and are now painting at the Children’s Home transforming the old kitchen into a living room for the girls. Also, I have been watching the babies in
the nursery at the orphanage. There are 8 of them (ranging in age from 2 months to 3 years) and they typically
only have 1 staff per shift for all of them. We are trying to help and release the
staff to have a bit of a break as they work a 6 day work week. The babies are so lovable!! It is a great opportunity to pray over these kids…it makes you feel like family to them when you get to be a part of their lives.
Ben & I got the opportunity to go to Baguio (about 5 hours north) to help launch The Jeepney Magazine there along with Jeepney staff, Reah & Edna. The Jeepney Magazine is actually the first street magazine in the Philippines. It’s purpose is to create employment opportunities for the homeless, or those who cannot earn enough money to care for their families. The vendors are given 10 magazines as start up capital and they sell them for 100 Pesos. When they need more magazines, they buy them for 50 Pesos from Jeepney. If they can sell 10 magazines a day, they can earn 250 Pesos (which is like $5.50USD) which is twice the amount they would make at a construction job. My job was to help the vendors sell their first magazine and to distribute the magazine to magazine/newspaper stands and also to present advertising packages to businesses who care about improving their communities and the lives of Filipino’s. Please pray that this magazine takes off and please visit their website at www.thejeepney.com!!
