We arrived to Tacloban, Philippines on Wednesday night, December 9, jet-lagged and exhausted. We had spent the last four days making our way from Honduras to the Philippines, with a total of about 27 hours in the air. We sat down in the living room at our new home for the next month and met the staff. We listened, half awake, as they told us there was a Christmas party being thrown Saturday and that we would be helping organize and put it on. I pictured a youth group Christmas party, gathered in the common room with 15 teenagers and some games. Chris, one of our contacts, proceeded to tell us they expected up to 1,000 kids to show up Saturday and we would not only be sharing the Christmas story and playing games, but also feeding them and handing out gifts to each child. Most of us couldn’t even imagine what 1,000 kids would look like, much less attempting all of these activities with them!
The next two days were packed with preparation for the party. We sorted through boxes of gifts, learned new games we would play, cleared the property, food prepped, made decorations, and tried to prepare ourselves for what chaos this would bring.
The party was scheduled for 1, but kids started showing up long before then. By the time we got kids registered, tummies full of cotton candy and ice cream, and sat down for the Christmas story, we had over 500 kids! It wasn’t the 1,000 we were expecting but it was PLENTY. I was assigned to the 4-7 year age group (with a few 2 and 3 year olds mixed in). We played different games and watched as fear-filled faces turned into giggling, smiling ones. Eventually we sat the kids all down in lines and began to pass out boxes of food. Like He always does, God showed up. We had EXACTLY enough boxes of food for every child to get one. The one extra box we had, we had to throw away because it was covered in ants. It was incredible to see the faces of every one when we all realized that God provided exactly what we needed (even though He does that every single day). After the kids ate, we lined them up into their different age groups and passed out shoeboxes (like the ones so many of you pack every Christmas season). Their smiles and “thank you’s” made me speechless. With a “Merry Christmas” we sent them on their way with full bellies, hearts, and spirits. To say this was my favorite day of the Race doesn’t even begin to explain what my heart felt. Multiple times throughout the day I would look around at this huge crowd of beautiful children and my eyes would fill with tears. What a beautiful picture of the Kingdom.
The way these children love is remarkable. It reminded me so much of Christ’s love for us. We didn’t offer up much. And personally, I offered barely anything. But that was more than enough for them. They didn’t need anything special. They were happy just to have our time. Isn’t that all He desires from me? Just a tiny piece of my day where I at least acknowledge that He’s there?
THIS is why I chose the Race. To see lives be touched. To be able to give others a tangible way to see the Father’s love. To be used by Him to show Himself.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the way He would show Himself to me. I will never be able to bless those around me the way they have blessed me. What a gracious God we serve. He doesn’t care that 99% of the time I’m consumed with myself and the things I am doing…He still chooses to show up and love me more than I could have ever imagined.
There is a song that the kids here sing at Christmas time. I was amazed at how many of them chimed in every time it came over the speaker. There are only two words of the whole song I’m able to understand, “thank you”. I seriously couldn’t stop the tears every time they sang those words during the Christmas party, and every time I have heard it since. The chorus translates to thanking God for sending His son and for the blessing He has been. But every time I heard the words “thank you” I would look around at the huge crowd of children, and I thought of YOU. My supporters. THANK YOU for giving so that I can be here. THANK YOU for believing in me so much and standing behind me throughout this journey. THANK YOU for praying for me, my team, my squad, and the people we encounter. THANK YOU for packing shoeboxes every Christmas so that I have a gift to place into the hands of the most precious children I have ever met. THANK YOU for reading my blogs, commenting with words of encouragement, following my journey, and keeping me pushing forward. I could not be here without you.
