The Philippines.
A place where everyone plays basketball.
A place where humidity is no joke.
A place where full size cars are weird and everyone rides in around in side carts of motorcycles.
A place where we can once again no longer flush toilet paper, and to flush the toilet, you pour a bucket of water in the toilet.
A place where street food is cheap, great and everywhere.
A place where fans are your best friend.
A place where they have 7elevens which have slurpees, obviously the best thing ever.
The people are so kind. So generous. So beautiful.
We are the first world race team here in Bulakan, Bulacan, Philippines.
We are the first Americans here. Ever.
Our ministry this month varies.
We go into schools, classrooms and are given free rein to speak about whatever. To share the gospel. The teachers, the adults here are all pushing us towards the youth to share the truth.
What an opportunity. Where else have you heard of this happening?
Last month, we taught alongside the teachers while they hit their student’s hands with rulers. Next month we are going into a closed country.
This month, we are given such an incredible platform. We tell the kids the church we are staying at, and later in the day when we come back from praying or our time of street evangelism, there are 30 some kids outside playing basketball and they get so excited when they see us.
And they know why we are there.
One kid asked me, “You’re single, right?” “Yes, I am.” “Because you’re traveling around.” “Yes, that is right.” “And because you love the Lord.” *Big smile* “Yes, that’s right.”
They know what it means that we are missionaries, and they expect to hear something from us.
At the end of the month we are performing a drama with our squad, in the plaza of the town.
So in the most popular part of town, on a Friday night, we are going to be performing 4 skits, with testimonies in between.
There is a flash mob of sorts, a dancing skit, a creation skit, a sin chair skit and the everything skit.
And people on our squad have been praying about whether they feel called to share a part of their story and leave it there on the stage that night, and a lot of people are really getting pulled out of their comfort zones, which is awesome.
Basically, this month is a huge month.
We are setting the tone for others to come.
2 squads will be following us in the next year.
We have such a sweet opportunity to share with this community what the gospel is. What sin is. What grace is. What sacrifice is. What love is.
We are praying. A lot.
We are taking up new roles of prayer.
People are stepping into vulnerability.
People are taking risks.
We are loving.
Please pray for this town. This show. This opportunity. Because it’s huge!!
There is also, we are writing a book. And by the time we get to Malaysia, it will be published and for sale. Of our stories. Our voices.
The Philippines. New territory, being taken over, for Jesus, by Jesus, in Jesus name.
What does this month look like for me?
I’m doing a lot of looking at myself. Or atleast i’m trying. That isn’t always easy. Especially not now. At the end of last month i did a heart check, and i just didn’t like what i saw, and neither did God. I think it broke both of our hearts.
So i’m trying to get back to a place of really loving. And i’m trying to relearn love and what it is to sincerely love.
So, if you want to pray alongside me in that, that has been a hard realization from the past 2 months. But slowly, we are getting there. God and i are taking it step by step.
So each day i wake up, sweating, and i want to be more and more like Jesus, i want to serve Him more and more. I want to love Him more and more. I love being a sweaty mess for Jesus.
(:
