Dear Philippines………..after only 3 days, you have STOLEN MY HEART!!! I am absolutely head over heels in love with the Philippines. The people here are so sweet & precious & loving. I already know this is going to be my favorite month, at least of the last 8 months. Thank you for your prayers covering our travel/flights from Johannesburg, South Africa to Saudia Arabia & then to Manila,Philippines. Although i went almost 3 days with no sleep, i got here safely, in one piece! Thank You Lord!
The moment i stepped off our bus to enter our compound that we are staying at for the month, i was instantly greeted & hugged by a sweet 6yr old Philippino girl, wanting me to pick her up & hug her. Her sweet, loving smile & affectionate nature won my heart, & i knew this month would be amazing! I also noticed several basketball hoops/courts on/near the property…….which made me very happy! After many years of playing it & coaching it…..I love that game! 🙂 Our team & 2 other teams will be livng here for the month, volunteering with Kids international Ministries (KIM). On this compound they have a free public school, an orphanage with many young kids, & houses for teenagers. I have the awesome opportunity this month, along with 3 other girl team mates, to live in a teen house & be there to hang out with them, disciple them, talk/listen to them, pray for them, & just love on them as their big sisters. There are 5 wonderful teen girls living there & 3 teen boys. When asked who out of the 18 people would like to live in this house for the month, i jumped at the chance! I know God was calling me to invest in these girls lives. This is thieir family, here at the ministry house. We wake up at 5am & see them off to school in the mornings & make sure we are back in the house in the afternoon when they return from school, to help them with homework, do bible studies with them, & just get to know their stories.I am excited to see what God has planned. There is another girl who is 20yrs old who is living here & is expecting a baby any day now! Another team mate & i had the honor & privilege to be able to encourage this girl & take her & her room mates to the mall & buy her some needed essentials & some fun things for her & her baby, since she didnt have anything for her yet! We got to give God the glory & share with her that it is God who is providing her with everything she needs & that He will look after her & her new little baby coming soon! I told her that i will be there for her in the hospital when she goes into labor (God willing that i am around/on the property when the baby comes!)I told her she could hold my hand (or death-squeeze it haha) We decorated her room for when the baby arrives & are anxiously awaiting for her birth!!! I love these teens so much! We have already bonded very quickly! (expect tears from me by the end of the month)
I just found out today that i get the opportunity to do what i am sooo passionate about….PRISON MINISTRY!! A few days a week i will be cooking meals & feeding many women prisoners, sharing God’s love with them,hearing their stories, & praying for them! This was my heart’s desire & i can’t wait! I am so excited to start soon! I will also be spending my time in the nursery with newborn orphan babies & toddlers: feeding them & playing with them! I feel so much peace at this place & i am so happy here! Today me & several world racers participated in a 5K race which helped out donations for child sponsorships in the orphanage! As if we didn’t have enough blessings already, we are very blessed by amazing meals everyday! (more than rice & eggs haha…which, don’t get me wrong, i was very thankful for that food, but its great to have more vegies & fruit this month!)
I do not know what God has planned for me after i finish the World Race, but i do know that i could see myself coming back here to help out again, in a heart beat!!! I woke up this morning & forgot which country i was in, it’s still surreal to me that we are now in East Asia! Just wanted to fill you all in on what’s going on here in the Philippines so far & let you know that my team & i got here safely! Random facts: there is also a doberman & a rottweiler here as guard dogs to look after us, & these are 2 dog breeds i love! I have always wanted a rottweiler, so now i have one for a month! haha (To Jake, my yellow lab at home: No, you arent being replaced, i love you & miss you!) I love you all. Thanks for your blog comments, prayers, generosity, & encouragement! I pray for you all & i hope that each day you are led by His grace & love to fulfill His great plans for your life!! May His peace be with you! Love Michelle, His servant.
John 1:16 “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.”
