For the last two weeks while we were in the Philippines, we met up with the rest of the squad in Manila. It was a good opportunity for the squad to be together as a whole for a little while. It really gave us a chance to get to know one another more. However for myself it was difficult living with 44 other people plus the other groups staying at the same location we were, there was just nowhere to go and have any alone time. I have started to get used to the fact that there is not much alone time while being gone but it is still good to get it when you need it.
I did get a chance to get involved with some great ministries during our time in Manila. One of my favorites was going on feedings or working with the street kids. The feedingI went on we visited a flood plain outside of town where people had built shacks on stilts over a few feet of water that was some of the murkiest water I had ever seen. Some of the people even had to use boats made of nothing but Styrofoam to get to their homes. The street kids were also a very eye opening experience for me. These kids had an endless amount of energy and climbed all over me like a human jungle gym. At first I could tell something was a little different with these kids but I just could not tell what it was. Until I saw one of the kids huffing something out of a plastic bag. Then I realized this is what the kids would do in order to suppress their hunger. And it hit me how hard of a life these kids really had.
This past weekend we arrived in Thailand and for the next three weeks the girls and the guys have been split up for what is called “Manistry” month. We are working with a YWAM contact in rural Thailand about five hours northwest of Bangkok on a goat farm. I am really looking forward to spending some time with just the guys getting to know each other a little more.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. I hope you all had a great Christmas.
Drew
