With one week left in our time here in the Philippines we officially have the news that we will not get to go back to Tondo or Navotas (the Dump and the Cemetery). It is hard to process all that we went through as a team in our short time spent there. What felt like a lifetime of events and experiences, was really only two weeks. It is hard to deal with the fact that we did not get to say goodbye to that place and all the people that impacted us there. It is hard to deal with the fact that we barely got to tap into all of the things we felt that God had for us to do there. It is hard sometimes to simply accept the circumstances you are in. To know that you can’t do anything to change them, you can’t turn back time, and you can’t alter what you have been brought into. Sometimes you just have to deal.
It was so hard leaving our ministry, it was so hard mourning the loss of Wendy’s mother with her, it was so hard saying goodbye to Wendy for an indefinite period of time, it has been hard adjusting to our new location, and it is hard to process the fact that this is where God wants us to stay. It is just another example of how much I really do still cling to my own desires and expectations. If I was truly open and available to God and His will above ALL things, I would be able to find all of this so much easier to deal with. But since there is still so much of myself that I value above Christ and His ultimate purpose, I have had a more difficult time dealing with all of this.
I am so glad we officially know now that it is time to leave Tondo behind. Now we can put both our feet here, in our present ministry, rather than having one foot here and one foot still in Tondo. We can consider ourselves incredibly blessed that we have had the opportunity to see many different ministries this month and deal with so many things that will only make us stronger as a team and that can only make our relationship with Jesus Christ grow to deeper levels of intimacy. When you think about it like that, it is a lot easier to feel HUMBLED and HONORED at what all God has entrusted us with this month, rather than just feeling like things have been “hard.”
I really pray that we can bless God through the rest of our time here in the Philippines. That we can invest 100% in everything that He has in store for this final week here and that we can honor the ministry that we are a part of. Some things that we will be a part of this week are:
Feedings that take place in various communities in the area, including Children’s Garden that I mentioned in my last blog (we did our second feeding today at a location I think referred to as Junction)
Anything Children’s Garden would like to have us do (we are waiting for more information on this)
Devotional/Bible Study time with Josie’ Angels (Young girls that Josie – the daughter of our main ministry contact here – took in and provides a home for, they come from very serious abusive home situations)
Helping with a community soccer tournament for the street children (put on by other teams that have been here all month)
And any other way we can serve the full time missionaries here, the community, and the other teams that have been here.
As hard as it is to leave Tondo behind, I feel that God has made it very clear that that is not where we are supposed to be anymore. I feel very blessed that my team has handled everything that has been thrown our way with such resilience and grace. (Seriously, my team is ridiculous. I don’t even know how to put into words the love I have for my team.) I am excited to give this final week everything we’ve got. Please pray that we will glorify God in our final days here and that everything we do will be pleasing to Him.
