I posted a blog yesterday that gave you a good idea of how I am feeling entering the adventure but, after a few comments and emails, I realized it didn’t give you a very clear picture of who we are working with or what we are doing.
We have been incredibly blessed this month to be housed at the ministry base of Kid International Ministries in Manila. Jeff Long and his family have been laboring in this community for about 14 years and have truly seen an outpouring of the Spirit’s favor in the last 3.5 years. They minister here to a community of folks living in the humblest of dwellings, some of whom own their land, but most of whom are squatters. Within blocks from their main ministry center KIM also has here a children’s home that houses about 30 children and is currently completing an ambitious expanison that will equip them with a new full-size cafeteria and a new custom nursery, offering the children and staff much more room for their building to truly be a family home, with rooms for movie nights and hang out.
KIM has also partnered with a church in the community in building a school. Before Jeff Long and his ministry arrive, the church operated a small school for the community. With the continued support of many peole like you, they were able to build a beautiful three-story facility with a covered basketball court on top that the church continues to operate.
The Phillipines are beautiful. It’s a city that has obviously been built with love and that embraces is tropical surroundings. Everywhere you look there is green flourising from the ground. Even in the middle of the city, small forests of gorgeous tropical trees tower among the buildings.
Still the most beautiful thing I have seen here is the people. As I walk through the community outside our doors, up the street to the children’s home I see families making a life. Our squad has been here four days and at times can hardly believe we survive with out A/C. However, we have clean water, three hot meals a day, and showers — all things these people do not know. And yet they get up every day, operate their stores and streetside markets, and love their children the best they know how. Every day there are children outside our gates clamboring for us to play with them (they especially love the attention of Ben Eppinger – Team Dunamis).
I stood on the balcony of the ministry center today, listening to some worship, watching the community on the street below begin their day. I was reminded of why I came on this trip. I came to see these people, to see them smile, to remember that God made them too and that He loves them and that He knows them and wants them to know His love. I have no idea how we are going to do it, how we are going to be his hands and feet around the world. It took this ministry team here 14 years to truly implant themselves in the community and become a lasting presence and we’ll have three weeks in each country. But the I know that the experience, the attempt, will change us. God will continue to make us His people and maybe one day we can change the world.
P.S. You’ll notice I’ve started a new category “Text”. My hope is to organize all posts from here on out in three categories: Text, Photo, and Video. I have some pictures and am figuring out how to streamline the process of making them the right size and getting them on the blog. I hope at least once in each country to make a video to share with you all that will hopefully let to get to know some of the people I am meeting. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s only the first week, this is all going to make itself a routine soon.
I love you all.
