Here’s a tidbit about my month in the Philippines…more to come.
On the first day in the Philippines, the squad was together for orientation. Lunchtime came and most everyone went into town to find food. I planned to do the same but got caught up talking to our host. By the time our conversation ended, I discovered most of the squad had left. I came around the corner and was thrilled to discover Joshua and Caleb shooting hoops with three of the boys. Ministry life isn’t the most active lifestyle, so I am always itching for some activity. They called me over because they had an odd number of players, and I was right back in the joy of competition. I’d never been so happy to miss a meal! Over the next couple of days, when we had a chance, we would get a game going and a bunch of the girls I had become friends with became my personal cheerleaders. Hahaha, that was such a fun time and brought so much joy to my soul. There is something about sports that I just love.
My team was working at a school with kids of all ages from kindergarten to college. We spent time going classroom to classroom in the mornings and then getting to know the students in the afternoons. I couldn’t help but notice all the games going on around me. There were constantly soccer, basketball, and volleyball games going on all over campus. They had gotten my attention the moment we had arrived, especially after the first couple of days playing with the guys. I wanted in. I was becoming friends with a group of engineering students and found out they played basketball. I was pumped! Jacqueline and I set up a time for a game, and the next day, we walked into the gym with two of them and asked for a ball. They were a bit shocked that two white women were asking for a basketball, but they got one from the team for us. Their varsity team is the best in the country and a couple of them were messing around shooting and such. Two of them joined us when they saw that we were actually trying to play, and we had a pickup game going in no time. Before long, I found myself, along with Jacqueline, knee deep in sports ministry.
When the soccer coach found out that Jacqueline had played soccer in college, he invited us to play with their team. He got us set up with cleats, jerseys, socks, etc. Not having much idea of what I was doing, I tagged along, and was running down the soccer field, attempting to not mess up or lose the ball. They taught me how to shoot, kick through the ball, and dribble. They welcomed me in so warmly; I was so touched. If I made a good move, they would give me a chance to score. They were a team that encouraged and welcomed but also kicked butt. Jaq always reassured me that I was doing good and was always in the right place. She gave me tips here and there as we played, and I started to have a new heart and love for soccer. I got to know the team throughout the month and we were always trying to make 4pm practice. Coach Ian even gave Jaq and I jerseys to keep at the end of the month! We became friends with the coaches, and the kids gave us a respect and trust in seeing their coaches’ respect for us. The coaches set up a time for us to speak to all of the sports players one week, and we got to talk with them about Jesus and tie it into their teams, their practices, the sports they love, their studies, and the rest of their lives. It was humbling to see how God works to fill the desires of our hearts, and at the same time, He is working to provide opportunities to share the gospel through them.
I have such a passion for overall health and it ties into our relationship with Christ. Our physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional health tie into one another, leading to overall wellness. They flow from one another and into one another. We are His temples, and a temple is a place where God dwells, where He is worshipped. We need to take care of our physical bodies that house His Spirit within. We need to keep a healthy mind to think with clarity and wisdom that is of Christ. We need spiritual health to keep ourselves aligned with the Kingdom and where God is calling us. All these tied together lead to a healthy warrior, for Christ! Working at the hospital, I witnessed people lacking health in one or more of these areas. It seems to be a cycle, a downwards spiral. When one area is lacking, the other areas are affected as well. Their overall wellness and their quality of living was low. God wants so much more for us. He has so much more for us, but we need to take care of ourselves so that we can follow Him well, so that we can follow Him fully. Our wellness and our wellbeing tie into our walk with Christ. God blessed me big time, giving me an outlet to play sports and do ministry through it. I got to play on God’s field all month, and it was definitely the highlight of my month, just being a part of a team with a common goal in mind, striving for greatness individually and as a whole. I love the way it makes me feel alive – blood pumping, sweat dripping, mud flying as people shoot for the win. It ties back into what we are doing as Christians, as one body in Christ. We are shooting for the win in everyone’s heart, shooting for eternity with God for all of our brothers and sisters.
One of the last mornings, I was helping get ready for an event we were putting on at the school. The team came and found me, and asked me if I would pray for them before their game. I was so humbled and touched that they would seek me out to pray for them, this group of young men who had been strangers only a couple of weeks before. As we stood in a huddle and asked our Creator that His will would be done and that this team would be a reflection of one body in Christ, and yes, that they would win haha, I felt Jesus’ presence in our midst. And win they did, but more than that, I believe they won as a team on the field of life. In coming together to humble themselves before the Lord and put on the eternal lens that one game doesn’t matter, but that the good fight is what matters most, and each member of the team is more important than any win on a soccer field, they were acting as and becoming brothers in Christ. A little piece of my heart is with that team, and I hope they will continue to win games on the field and off the field.
Bisous,
Meagan
