Getting into General Santoes (or Gen San as it’s called) has been so exciting! Flying down into a beautiful, mountainous landscape, and not really seeing any landing place or airport was a little nerve racking but intriguing. We were picked up at the almost non-existent airport by our Filipino contacts and boarded a truck bed, packs and all, and made our way into the bustling city that is now my home for the next three weeks. I am excited to finally be off with my team and learning how to live day to day on a limited budget and without familiarity in this strange new place.
Today was the first day of ministry and it was really great to see all that ICM is doing here in Gen San. There are many different programs that they follow, but all of them are basically focused on building up communities of the poorest people and giving them the resources to be a working unit. It was great to see all of their efforts and their zeal to help extremely needy people.
One community we visited today was up in the mountains, and just like almost every person I’ve met here so far, one lady that we met told us that we were “guapa” or beautiful. I was floored that we came to see her in her need having only enough money to eat for just today. and she tells us that we are beautiful! I am just shocked at how these people live with nothing and are still hospitable and so nice.
We also visited an open air clinic and help administering meds and weighing children. One little girl that I absolutely fell in love with, Daniella, was with her mother and she was the happiest child I have ever seen. I was talking to her mother and she told me nonchalantly that her daughter did not have a father and I asked her if Daniella was her only baby and she said yes. I looked at her and told her, “You are such a good mom.” She responded with, “Not true, not true.” I said, “Look at your baby, she’s so happy with you… You ARE a good mom.” It is good to be able to speak truth and to see how God can use me to be able to share Jesus with people who really need Him.
So now to the rain part… Every place that we went, we prayed for certain requests, and one big issue expressed to both of our groups was that they needed rain. The Philippines is very dry right now which is detrimental for crops. Both groups (apart all day long) prayed for rain, and even though we felt helpless and maybe that we could never make a dent in this place that seems so poverty stricken and hopeless, the sky began to grow dark and we drove home in the rain…
On a more personal note, the Lord is keeping me in perfect peace. I have never felt more okay with being so far from home. My home is where I lay my head, and my Father is keeping me in a place of trust in Him and knowing that He is holding me day in and day out.
