My heart is going to be broken these next six weeks. The Philippines has already stolen a large part of my heart, and we’ve only been here a few days. These children here are beautiful. They are precious little boys and girls, just looking for love.
The ministry opportunities here are endless – feeding programs, Bible studies, construction projects, tutoring, nursery work, prison ministry, sports outreaches, everything … and if the project doesn’t exist and your heart desires it, you just make it happen.
The organization we are working with is such a God filled and Spirit led place, we are working with Kids International Ministries with Jeff Long and his family. So much has been accomplished for the Kingdom here in just like 5-ish years. They are constantly pressing forward with new projects and new ministries to reach people. They partner with other ministries in the area and truly just love this community. They help with sponsoring children to go to school, they help to create nicer housing for families living in tin shacks, they run orphanages for children who have been physically, emotionally, and/or sexually abused. This place is breaking my heart but in the process, it is rekindling a fire that was nearly put out during my time in Africa.
This place changes lives, because they focus on sharing Jesus and in turn Jesus makes the changes … not Kids International Ministries, not the short and long term missionaries and missions teams … JESUS changes the lives, and Kids International Ministries provides the resources to facilitate and maintain these changes!
Please visit their website to find out more:
My world has already been rocked in Manila before ministry has even started, and in the next day or two I will be flying with my new team and Tom’s new team to Malaybalay on Mindinao Island south of here, and we will be partnering with a second branch of KIM in the beautiful mountains of The Philippines!
One of the ministries we will have the opportunity to work with is “Jodi’s House” – a home for the boys coming out of the prison ministry, an after care program of sorts that has just been started within the past year. Why is this so special? Well, Jodi Greenlee, is a former World Racer who returned back to The Philippines to start this home for these boys she bagan working with her month in The Philippines. This is the same former World Racer who I first heard about the World Race from last summer and her story is part of the reason I felt inspired to even consider this crazy life changing trip that I never expected I would be on. I am so excited for this opportunity to see this ministry that I only heard the vision about a year-ish ago up and running, to see the boys who actually live there, and to minister with such an amazing woman of God who is pursuing to make the vision God gave her for this place come to life.
I love The Philippines … Absolutely love it. This is that time in the Race where I see myself experiencing God in a way I have yet to experience Him, and a time where I see God giving me a heart for His people that I haven’t had up to this point. I am choosing this month to love like I have never loved and to let myself get attached because God wants my all, and these people deserve to have everything I can pour out. Even when I feel weak, God will give me the strength because He has plans for these people and He has a plan for me here, right now. I am choosing to live in that truth and trust that even when it’s hard, I am going to be the woman God has called me to be. I am not meant to be invisible and blend in (relatively speaking, ha!), rather I am meant to live fearlessly and to live radically for His Kingdom!
Please join me in praying for the next six weeks and what God has in store for us in The Philippines, I just have this feeling that whatever it is … it’s BIG!
I am still in need of $4300 to continue on The World Race, please consider donating to help me be fully funded. Focusing on the ministry and the money is hard, and I would love to just focus on the ministry because that is what God has intended. If you feel led to give, please donate by clicking on the link under my picture!
