Wow, I’m beginning to realize how quickly time can get away out here. Last time I checked the weekend was just starting, and now all of a sudden I’m sitting here on Monday afternoon wondering what happened to the weekend. It is a blessing when there are this many opportunities, but it makes me realize just how short my time out here really is.
Well, since I missed yesterday’s story, I guess I’ll start with that one. It’s been fun being out here this time around because I’m beginning to see Malaybalay as an entire city instead of just being the sight of the children’s home. I spent the other day with a group of college students that help volunteer and essentially run Mt. Moriah Camp (which shares the same sight as our home). It was so much fun to get to know them and to see students out helping the other children in their home town.
During the summer months, Mt. Moriah runs weekly camps and is just an action packed week for local kids. Every other month (not officially summer here anymore), they host a weekly feeding for the children in the surrounding, impoverished areas. I haven’t had the opportunity to spend much time with them until the other day when we spent the day out, telling more children about our program. These students were fearless when it came to going door to door and telling people that live right down the street from them about Jesus. I couldn’t understand a word they were saying, but I saw their heart for their city.
Rose was one of the leaders in this group and it was just fun to be around her. She attempted to widen my Viscayan vocabulary knowledge (which increased greatly in one car ride), and was very patient with my “skills”. We traded stories a little back and forth, and I was able to hear what they were saying to all the families and children they talked with. She spoke with such joy and excitement when she explained the love of God that it was so easy to see that she believed what she was saying.
Many of these students are considered “well off” in Filipino standards, but they still see the need and hear the cries of their poverty stricken neighbors. I think the most exciting thing was when we showed up for our big church event and Gospel presentation, and so many of the kids we talked with that morning were there. They were shy and hiding behind their parents in their villages, but at the camp sight, they danced around and followed the joy-filled lead of Rose and the rest of the students.
I’m sure I will tell you about more of the students as time goes on and I am able to get to know their stories…
