I write this blog while on a 10 hour bus ride in Thailand on our way to our next ministry site. It’s so hard to believe that our first month in the Philippines is done and we are already moving in Thailand. As I sit and reflect on what January was and what I did, I can’t help but ask my self “Did I finish empty? What am I taking from this place? What am I leaving behind?” I saw Jesus working in and through the lives of the Filipino people in such amazing and beautiful ways, hand crafted and coordinated by a trustworthy Father who takes care and sees His sons and daughters….What a privilege! I want to tell you everything that I saw, did, heard, tasted, and smelled, but, this blog would be 20 pages long if I did..ain’t nobody got time for that! So, I would love to tell you the high points of what God did in me and what I saw Him do this month. I hope it will translate into your own lives, as you are on this journey with me. You held each orphan’s hand, you were a part of telling kids and teens that they are seen, valued, and loved by a wonderful Father, you were part of praying for a young girl’s healing, and you played a role in serving some amazing ministry contacts. Thank you for walking this journey with me, thank you for praying, thank you for all of your love and support. I feel your prayers strengthening me daily.
This month we were a part of a ministry at Valenzuela Christian School (VCS), in Manila, Philippines, which is a ministry started many years ago by a man named Ronaldo Bacani (who’s daughter and her husband have now taken over). This ministry’s main focus is at the school and also at some churches that were planted during pastor Bacani’s leadership. We got to serve our wonderful contacts, Ed and Ivy So, by painting chairs at the school and making some curtains to hang in the classrooms, helping the teachers out in class, and I actually got to teach some classes ( I guess that college degree is good for more than nursing!). The work this ministry is doing matters and they are serving God well with their time, money, investments, and discipleship. Our main focus this month was investing in the lives of the students at the school. We would hang out with them and talk to them while getting to hear their stories, we played basketball and volleyball with them, we played hopscotch, and duck, duck, goose, learned some Filipino games, and just had so much fun! One of the students, William, particularly sticks out. This young man has been through some unimaginable hardships. He moved away from home to live with his uncle in Manila, thinking he was going to the “big city”. He ended up staying in place known to the locals as “Smokey Mountain.” It’s a trash dump, full of gangs, drugs, crime, and spiritual and physical poverty. William told us stories of being hunted down by men in the community after he won a “friendly” game of basketball, passing dead babies on the street who have been left abandoned and starved, children running around picking through the heaps of trash, sewage, and rotten food trying to find anything to eat. This is the place William moved to unintentionally. He kept hoping for a better life, and for 2 years lived in that and remained unstained by the deep depravity in that area. Long story short, he met a pastor who took him to a youth camp, where he met a contact at VCS and got accepted to the school on scholarship. He is always happy, always choosing joy, and absolutely loves Jesus. What an inspiration his life is and what a story of God’s provision. Because it is only by God that William is now living the life he was made for. He taught me something about always choosing joy and I praise God for William’s story.
The Holy Spirit also revealed His goodness to me here by showing me that I don’t bring Jesus to this place, He is already here. As privileged Americans, I think we have the mentality that we have something other people need, and an attitude of pride in thinking that the way we do things is the right and best way. How wrong we are. Jesus has been working in this place LONG before I got here and He will continue to work long after I’m gone. He doesn’t NEED me to do anything, but in His goodness and unfailing love He chooses to use me and let me be a part of the work He is doing. He chooses to use us not because we get it right, have it all together, with knowledge and understanding of spiritual depths, but simply because He wants us to be a part of His work, to be blessed by merely getting to be a part of what He is doing. What a revelation to know that this really doesn’t depend much on me at all, but I just get to walk alongside Him this year, and take a journey with Him, learning from Him, becoming more like Him, and getting to be a part of the work He is doing in all His sons and daughters all over the world! He’s already gone before and I will follow Him with my whole heart. I’m sure He will continue to remind me of this lesson throughout the year.
The most memorable moment this month was when our hosts took us to an orphanage. Since going to Africa 3 years ago, and encountering orphans for the first time in my life, I’ve had a passion for them. It almost felt like my heart wanted to leap from my chest as I fought back tears when we stepped foot in that place. I wanted to cuddle them, love them with all that I had, and hold their hands all the time. I feel as if this is a place in His ministry that He is leading me towards. He showed me something while we were there that has stuck with me. It was so simple, but that is how He speaks. I watched one of the little boys, maybe 6-8 years old, run up to one of the workers there and grab her hand as they walked on the campus. As I watched this moment that was just 2-3 seconds I heard the Spirit speak to me “They just need a mom’s hand to hold.” I’ve thought and prayed about that moment often, and as He reveals His plan to me I will keep you updated. How exciting to know that there is a story He is unfolding! 🙂
Another highlight came when we got to go to one of the churches in a hard, poverty stricken area. We went to this place simply to encourage them in the work they’re doing and come along side them. While we were there the children in the church had prepared songs and dances. I watched them with a grin on my face from ear to ear, just completely enjoying all the cuteness and excitement that they had for us being there. Then, one of the workers pointed to a girl who was dancing, wearing a blue dress and barefoot. She told me that she was deaf and couldn’t speak. That her teachers have asked her to stop coming to public school since she can’t participate or communicate. As I watched her dancing with the other children, just mimicking their movements, unable to follow the beat of the music, and yet in a place of total happiness, I heard the Spirit tell me to pray for her. I couldn’t ignore His voice, I couldn’t shake the tugging on my heart to pray for her. Before we left, me and my team, and some of the people in the church prayed for her healing. With what I knew to pray, I prayed that her ears be open to hear, her mouth be open to speak. With what faith I had, knowing He told me to pray, I prayed for healing and for His anointing to rest on her. Knowing that He is more than enough, He is our great physician and healer. She was not able to hear, but she did begin to speak better and more clear than she had. I continue to pray for healing and that God’s anointing would rest on her. What some see as a weakness or an impairment, that He would use it for His glory, His masterpiece in her life. Her name is Jennalee, and though I can’t make sense of what took place that night I still trust Him and know He is good. Even when things don’t make sense, I can always trust and lean on His goodness. It makes no sense for a girl to be left in poverty unable to communicate because she can’t afford a teacher to help her. And, instead she is tossed out, left to fend for herself, and unable to join her peers. It just makes no sense. But, I am reminded that she is not left to fend for herself, Jesus is her protector and He is the light for her path. Would you please join me in praying for her continued healing and this His anointing to rest on her.
Lastly, the thing I am taking with me this month is something that has changed my whole mindset. He has given me new perspective, and I hope this will cause you to look at your own heart and allow Him to do a thorough inspection and find His freedom as He heals you. This revelation came after I had read story out of a book called, Kingdom Journeys by Seth Barnes (the founder and president of Adventures in Missions and the World Race). In this book Seth talks about a moment when he was in Mexico and decided to go for a run in the local trash dump. As he ran around the area, lost in thought, he realized he had gotten himself lost. As he began to pray and ask God to help him find his way back he says he heard God say “Go back to the trash dump and start over.” As he made his way back to the city’s garbage heap he found a road he recognized and began to head home.
He quotes in his book “What began as a run grew into a mini-pilgrimage. ‘Whenever you get lost,’ God seemed to say, ‘look for me at the trash heap. I’ll show you the way home.’ So often, we get lost in self-absorbed thinking. We look for Jesus in Bible studies and self-help books, and he doesn’t seem to be around. We need to look for him near the trash heap.”
This story stuck with me, recognizing that I will find God in the slums, the eyes of the orphans, and in the lives of the widows and prostitutes during this kingdom journey of mine. But, a couple days later in a church service, God took it a step further. As I thought about that story I heard the Spirit say to me “You also find me the trash heap in your own life.” And, this is what I wrote in my journal…
“We think we find you in good, clean behavior, bible studies, healthy relationships; while these are all good things, we find the depth of your love when we see you in our junk, in our trash heap. When we find you there and we are set free as you clean us up. You’re found in our shame and our depravity as you lead us away from those things into the freedom of your salvation…as you wash us white as snow. You’re not found in all of our “goodness” but we find your heart as you lead us through our mistakes. Thank you for sitting with us in our trash heap, in all of our junk and leading us away from that to the hope and freedom that lies in our salvation and a relationship with you. Teach me to not shy away from the shameful and dirty places, that your love can come in and wash those places clean…as white as snow.”
My prayer is that as I find Him in the trash heaps around the World, that I also find Him in the trash heaps of my own heart. What are the trash heaps in your heart He’s waiting to meet you in? He’s there, don’t let shame keep you from knowing His freedom. I pray that freedom reign in the trash heaps of my own depravity as I see His freedom reign around the Earth.
** A side note for those of you who know my route, I was originally supposed to start our Europe tour out in Ireland in August. Ireland is now no longer a part of the Race, due to finances and Visa issues. Instead the last 4 months of my race will be as follows… Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine! This is always subject to change and if anything comes up I’ll let ya’ll know! Also, our ministry hosts in the Philippines, Ed and Ivy So, have asked to check with our US friends to see if they have any old school books to donate to their school for High School or Elementary students, or also for any lab/chemistry equipment. If that’s you and you would are interested, please comment on the blog and I will get you in touch with them!**
Let’s go to the trash heaps,
Chelsea
