The Philippines has been quite the experience from eating worms and balut to eating fresh pineapple and mangos, from shoveling gravel and rocks to spelunking in natural caves, from planting grass in the fields under the hot sun to swimming under a waterfall, from feeling tired and exhausted to rocking a baby orphan to sleep…this experience has been AMAZING.
God has taught me a lot while being here. I can’t even express everything in a blog. This blog barely scratches the surface.
He continues to remind and convict that I am here for Him. I am here to serve His kingdom and His people. To be humble servants of God. I am here to be changed and to show love to people that may have not received love.
My team leader, Bethany, said that at the ganster ministries there was a little boy who was 12 years old. He joined the gangs when he was nine. He lived out on the streets and his family are his fellow gang members. He has a tough guy facade and has experienced things that a little boy should not have to experience. BUT what Bethany also noticed that when she began loving on that little boy he began to show the kid in him. He began to smile and laugh and I bet for a minute it was as if he had forgotten about being “Mr. Tough guy”.
What I notice is how much joy a single hug or a single kiss can bring a child. Or how a 10 min conversation can light up the eyes of an inmate at the local jail. Or how getting sunburned from cutting grass for 3 hours straight can make people feel appreciated at how hard we worked.
When we start to place ourselves and our work before God we begin, or at least I begin, to make things about myself. I begin to rely on my own strength and my own love, but like i said in a previous blog our love is not like God love. Our love has limitations and restrictions. If we rely on our love it everything begins to be conditional. Our work turns into a ” I did that yesterday” or a “It’s not might turn today, its your turn”. Our desire to serve turns into a “duty” and a “routine”…it turns into a “I have to work” rather than an “I want to work to love on this people”.
You still may be wondering “how do I love with God’s love”. It seems so confusing. “What exactly is God’s love??!!”……
To be continued
P.S. my pictures aren’t uploading so sorry not pics for this blog :(. hopefully next time.
