I wondered for the better part of a year what it would be like to be away from friends and family during the Christmas season. It was always a time I looked forward to for as long as I can remember, so the prospect of being away from family, much less on a different continent across the Pacific, was something with which I struggled to wrap my mind around.
Fortunately, while friends and family are missed, Christmas here in the Philippines has been nothing short of incredible. We are in the midst of MANistry month, which means all the men from X-Squad have been doing ministry together for this month. We have had the chance to bring food, gifts, and the Word of God to various communities of poverty stricken Filipino families. These are families living in crowded one-room houses and even in dirt patches under bridges. And just as Jesus would, we have gone into these communities to bring some hope with us as the Holy Spirit has led. We fed, we played, we did a skit, and we gave gifts. None of this was really OUR doing. We simply obeyed what the Lord (and the ministry) was asking us to do. Thank God we have a Father in Heaven who allows us to participate in His joys.
We also had the chance to bless the teenagers at Children’s Garden. These are boys and girls who grew up living on the streets of Manila and Antipolo. Many have come from addictions and patterns of abuse. Many have never felt compassion and love from a parent or an adult. As a group of men, we were afforded the opportunity to love them with simple Christmas gifts and hugs. We also had the chance to cook them an “American” (french toast) breakfast on Christmas morning and take them swimming at a local waterfall.
Needless to say, our hearts are overflowing with joy this Christmas season. It has not been easy missing home and routine, but God has provided. Hopefully this video below will give you a better picture of what our ministry has looked like over the past week.
Merry Christmas!
