"Do not hold back" by Julianne Viani
As I sit on this plane going on a mission's trip
I admit that I feel somewhat unfit
Preaching your simple Gospel message sounds easy enough
But it requires me getting past all my own "stuff"
It is not a time for me to feel insecure or hold back what's inside
You've planted great treasures in me that I don't want to hide
Help me not to look inward when I stand up in front of a crowd
Give me your spirit to sing and speak of you loud
When I look to you I know you'll give me the words I need
Use me Oh Lord to scatter seed after seed
Everywhere I go make the hearts of the people ready
Make my mind, body and soul steady
May your kingdom come in this nation and place
Do not let me leave without resembling YOUR face
It was never easy for me to go into a game
I have to look to you the same
You gave me peace on those days of big battles where my heart tingled with nerves
My natural man was inclined to swerve
When my lip began to quiver
It was at that time you did not allow me to even shiver
You put ice in my veins as I went through the lanes
When I was fragile and almost knocked off course
You gave me the strength of a mighty horse
In the same way, make me as sure footed as a deer
Do not let me give way to fear
Thank you that I can call nothing good "mine"
When I can't succeed without you, YOU can shine
It has protected me from becoming prideful in my own ways
And has kept me close to you in each of my days
So as I embark on something greater than myself
On wings of eagles lift me up with your help
Break the bread and fish, use me to feed the masses
And break ME as I go into the classes
The hungry and thirsty, come to Jesus and have LIFE
He will bring you to heaven and free you from strife
Not by anything you've done or tried
Jesus paid for it all when he died
Then when he rose he finished it all
So to hell we do not have to fall
Its already been paid for, it costed him his life
All's we have to do is receive Jesus Christ
So quit trying to earn your salvation
And rise up and turn to God oh ye nation
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Update 12 - Trip coming to an end...
Our trip has finally come to an end. Our last day we got to the remainder of the schools in Bataan. One of the schools I went to was really far out in the woods where there were just rice fields and a few homes scattered. There were only 15 students at this school, and they looked at me and the other American in a very odd manner. It was obvious they had probably never seen a white person before. When I was in Aurora there were a couple of schools I went to like that. I really can't get over how they live in most areas of the Philippines. As I sat in the jeepny driving back after the day, everything I have been seeing and doing began to hit me. As I looked at the homes I was passing, the land, the people, it just really dawned on me how poor they all were and how we in the U.S could not even IMAGINE living the way they do. We stopped to go to the bathroom in one of the side snack places and the bathroom was just a hole in the ground, and there was no such thing as a roll of toilet paper. They slept on wooden beds, didn't have air conditioning, their homes are just huts with thatch or wooden roofing, and you could walk the length of the hut in 3 giant steps. They have no luxuries in this place the way that we do. Many of the Filipinos I talked to cannot afford a plane ticket to go tour America and see what it is like. As I was contemplating this, I felt like God whispered in my heart, "Julianne, this is the norm in most of the world. The way you live is actually not the norm. " I do wonder how it's possible that our country and some of the other countries in the world have been so abundantly blessed all these years- then I see this country among others that are powerless and struggling every day of their lives. I know God says in his word he blesses whom he chooses to bless, etc and we will never know his mind fully. All that I know is that this life is short compared to what is coming after this when we know Christ. God has a purpose in all he allows and does, and to see the strength in the Filipino pastors that are here with us blows me away. They leave their families to come minister with us, and they do not live a life of ease either. But they trust the Lord in all they do and they give their lives over to reaching others for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many rich people are not as happy as they are because if you lack Christ in your heart, then you lack everything. I look around at the movie stars and pop singers that do not have God, and they end up on drugs, in jail or dead before their time. They get entangled with greed, jealousy, fame among many other problems. The bible tells us, "It is better to have little with fear for the Lord than to have great treasure with turmoil" (Proverbs 15:16). There is nothing more important than the job of reaching others for the Lord and having him inside your soul! Whatever walk of life we come from, we are all in dire need of a savior.
One of the girls at a school I talked at with another American told us her unique story. She said she was so blessed to see Americans. She spoke perfect English and answered every question as my friend John spoke the Gospel message to her class. She said she had been living in the United States her whole life up until about 10 years old (she is now 12). She had a Filipino mother and an American father so they lived in the U.S. Then one day her parents and her siblings were killed in a car accident, leaving her an orphan. She got shipped back to the Philippines to live with a distant relative who treats her badly. Ever since she has been in the Philippines she says she has felt like she's been "in prison. " I felt so horrible for her. I couldn't imagine having been uprooted from America (which was her homeland-she was an American going to school and living in the Philippines) and being shipped to a third world situation like that. It's worse then being in the Philippines her whole life because she has had a taste of something better in the states. My heart truly goes out to her and I pray God somehow provides a way for her to leave one day as she gets older. It made me want to adopt her and just take her home with me! But you can imagine how many other sad situations there are. I wish we could help every one of them, but I have to trust that God will take care of her, grow her into the woman he wants her to be and bring her where he wants her to go.
The last night here with the 3 weekers, we had a nice dinner with the Filipino pastors. Most of us were all heading home. Mr. Tebow spoke to us and encouraged us about our experience. We preached to over 21,000 schools, 600,000 kids, and that's with missing 3 days from the Typhoon. It has taken years to work up to this, so it thrilled Mr. Tebow and all of us that we were able to preach to that many people. This does not include the hospitals, prisons, and random pamphlets we passed out. He went on about how God sees all the work we have done-not only in the past 3 weeks of traveling, bumping around all over the place on the tough rides to the mountains to reach remote places, but in our whole lives. And although we do not do these things to gain something, God promises in his word to give back to us 100 fold both in this life but especially in the next. He never makes us work for "free", as much as we don't do it to gain anything.
One thing I have to say about this trip is that I barely ever thought of myself the entire time. I was so consumed with the people I was speaking to, helping, my purpose, that I did not think about my own issues of life. I certainly do not know where God will lead me when I get home, but I do know I was working the past few weeks on what really matters in life and that my God has never failed me, not even once. Mr. Tebow made a great point when he said that the words, " Go and tell everyone about it" were used a lot in the Bible by Jesus. Is Jesus not worth all that? What he did for us cannot be repaid. There is nothing in the world that can hold a candle to what he did on the cross for us. He is WORTHY of us telling everyone about him and his goodness. When we have our mind fixed on the cross, on so great a salvation, then our thoughts of ourselves begin to diminish. The selfish nature that we have begins to go by the wayside. The word tells us, "Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed" (Proverbs 16:3). When we put our hearts on what is important, God promises to take care of all our ways, all our desires and our needs. My prayer is that God opens up the door for me to go through from here. There is a song by Jesus Culture called "Where you go I go" that describes where my heart is completely at. It is about going where God wants us to go, praying what he prays, feeling what he feels. I desire to do his will and to bring him glory in everything I do. Knowing his will for our lives is always best because he alone knows what will bring him the most glory through us. Everyone's lot is different. "We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.." (Proverbs 16: 33). So as I go back to the U.S and work and pray about the next step for me, I have to keep in mind that the Lord will determine my steps, no matter what "plans" I may make. He says when we seek him we will find him. Everything in life requires patience and diligence. The end result is important, but it is not everything. It is about the journey we are on to get there. We don't want to miss the moments in life God gives us in today. I am so thankful God gave me the opportunity to go with BTEA this summer. I know it was the will of the Lord. I have met some lifelong and eternal friends and I hope God allows me to come back to one of the trips in this upcoming year. Praise Jesus for all of the souls that are now alive in him!! And thank you to everyone who followed my blogs and for your support financially and through prayer. Words cannot explain what an experience it all was. And you will also be rewarded for your kindness- for giving to the Lord. It will echo in eternity. God bless!!
Always in Christ,
Julianne Viani
One of the girls at a school I talked at with another American told us her unique story. She said she was so blessed to see Americans. She spoke perfect English and answered every question as my friend John spoke the Gospel message to her class. She said she had been living in the United States her whole life up until about 10 years old (she is now 12). She had a Filipino mother and an American father so they lived in the U.S. Then one day her parents and her siblings were killed in a car accident, leaving her an orphan. She got shipped back to the Philippines to live with a distant relative who treats her badly. Ever since she has been in the Philippines she says she has felt like she's been "in prison. " I felt so horrible for her. I couldn't imagine having been uprooted from America (which was her homeland-she was an American going to school and living in the Philippines) and being shipped to a third world situation like that. It's worse then being in the Philippines her whole life because she has had a taste of something better in the states. My heart truly goes out to her and I pray God somehow provides a way for her to leave one day as she gets older. It made me want to adopt her and just take her home with me! But you can imagine how many other sad situations there are. I wish we could help every one of them, but I have to trust that God will take care of her, grow her into the woman he wants her to be and bring her where he wants her to go.
The last night here with the 3 weekers, we had a nice dinner with the Filipino pastors. Most of us were all heading home. Mr. Tebow spoke to us and encouraged us about our experience. We preached to over 21,000 schools, 600,000 kids, and that's with missing 3 days from the Typhoon. It has taken years to work up to this, so it thrilled Mr. Tebow and all of us that we were able to preach to that many people. This does not include the hospitals, prisons, and random pamphlets we passed out. He went on about how God sees all the work we have done-not only in the past 3 weeks of traveling, bumping around all over the place on the tough rides to the mountains to reach remote places, but in our whole lives. And although we do not do these things to gain something, God promises in his word to give back to us 100 fold both in this life but especially in the next. He never makes us work for "free", as much as we don't do it to gain anything.
One thing I have to say about this trip is that I barely ever thought of myself the entire time. I was so consumed with the people I was speaking to, helping, my purpose, that I did not think about my own issues of life. I certainly do not know where God will lead me when I get home, but I do know I was working the past few weeks on what really matters in life and that my God has never failed me, not even once. Mr. Tebow made a great point when he said that the words, " Go and tell everyone about it" were used a lot in the Bible by Jesus. Is Jesus not worth all that? What he did for us cannot be repaid. There is nothing in the world that can hold a candle to what he did on the cross for us. He is WORTHY of us telling everyone about him and his goodness. When we have our mind fixed on the cross, on so great a salvation, then our thoughts of ourselves begin to diminish. The selfish nature that we have begins to go by the wayside. The word tells us, "Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed" (Proverbs 16:3). When we put our hearts on what is important, God promises to take care of all our ways, all our desires and our needs. My prayer is that God opens up the door for me to go through from here. There is a song by Jesus Culture called "Where you go I go" that describes where my heart is completely at. It is about going where God wants us to go, praying what he prays, feeling what he feels. I desire to do his will and to bring him glory in everything I do. Knowing his will for our lives is always best because he alone knows what will bring him the most glory through us. Everyone's lot is different. "We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.." (Proverbs 16: 33). So as I go back to the U.S and work and pray about the next step for me, I have to keep in mind that the Lord will determine my steps, no matter what "plans" I may make. He says when we seek him we will find him. Everything in life requires patience and diligence. The end result is important, but it is not everything. It is about the journey we are on to get there. We don't want to miss the moments in life God gives us in today. I am so thankful God gave me the opportunity to go with BTEA this summer. I know it was the will of the Lord. I have met some lifelong and eternal friends and I hope God allows me to come back to one of the trips in this upcoming year. Praise Jesus for all of the souls that are now alive in him!! And thank you to everyone who followed my blogs and for your support financially and through prayer. Words cannot explain what an experience it all was. And you will also be rewarded for your kindness- for giving to the Lord. It will echo in eternity. God bless!!
Always in Christ,
Julianne Viani
Friday, July 16, 2010
Update 11 - Marketplace..
The last two days we have been unable to go to schools because the typhoon closed them down. Yesterday we were able to go to a prison, the market place and a mall to preach and hand out pamphlets about Jesus. We got turned down to go into the hospital because it was highly Catholic and they only wanted deacons in there, etc. As we were waiting outside, we watched them bring a dead girl out and put her into a truck. Suddenly a woman near us started wailing uncontrollably. It turned out that her 17 year old granddaughter, her daughter, and her son in law died from food poisoning. They ate eggplant that was dipped in flour to fry- but the flower had insecticides in it and they were unaware. This is a problem in the Philippines because sometimes they do not separate the food products from the insecticide. It is very scary and made me so sad. The people at the hospital just seemed so depressed, and there was no prayer in there taking place. I wish we could have gotten the opportunity to go in there and speak to them! Not only were there dying people physically, but there were many dying spiritually. The hospital is just so much different then in the U.S. Some of us were talking about how tough it would be to have a child in a third world country. Then we thought of what Mrs. Tebow went through when she was here having Tim. If the hospitals are not up to par now, I can't imagine how they were 23 years ago. Missionaries have children overseas often but the chances of problems occurring certainly rises!
At the market place I was blessed to have led a few teenage girls to Christ right in the square. I witnessed to them about Jesus and then prayed with them and made sure they knew you do not get to heaven and have eternal life by works. It is only through the blood of Jesus and what he did for us on the cross that we are saved. Mr Tebow made a great point last night to us about Romans 6. Jesus did not just die for us as Romans 3 says, but in Romans 6 we died WITH Jesus. Therefore, our old sin nature dies. We are no longer slaves to sin. He made the point that Jeffrey Dalmmer, the serial killer killed probably over 300 people while he was alive. But once he was put to death, he could no longer sin. He is no longer on trial now and can't hurt anyone because he is dead. Spiritually, this is what happens when we die with Jesus. The bible says we died "with him", so we are no longer under the law once we accept Jesus. If we continually think upon our death with Jesus, we don't feel the need to be given over to the sinful desires as much. But if we choose to think upon sin then we have the choice to let ourselves be given to it. It is up to us.
At the market place I was blessed to have led a few teenage girls to Christ right in the square. I witnessed to them about Jesus and then prayed with them and made sure they knew you do not get to heaven and have eternal life by works. It is only through the blood of Jesus and what he did for us on the cross that we are saved. Mr Tebow made a great point last night to us about Romans 6. Jesus did not just die for us as Romans 3 says, but in Romans 6 we died WITH Jesus. Therefore, our old sin nature dies. We are no longer slaves to sin. He made the point that Jeffrey Dalmmer, the serial killer killed probably over 300 people while he was alive. But once he was put to death, he could no longer sin. He is no longer on trial now and can't hurt anyone because he is dead. Spiritually, this is what happens when we die with Jesus. The bible says we died "with him", so we are no longer under the law once we accept Jesus. If we continually think upon our death with Jesus, we don't feel the need to be given over to the sinful desires as much. But if we choose to think upon sin then we have the choice to let ourselves be given to it. It is up to us.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Update 10 - Typhoon
Today we had a day of rest. There was a typhoon that hit us and we were unable to get to schools. It was a torrential downpour, almost hurricane looking early in the morning. Since so many homes are low to the ground, these rain storms can be very dangerous and sweep a lot away when serious. The storm we had was only through the night and lasted half the day. It could have been much worse. Tomorrow and Friday we will do our best to finish the area before we head out. Many of us will be going back to the states since our few weeks are already coming to a close. I will keep you updated on our last couple of days! God bless.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Update 9 - Bataan
The past two days have been interesting! We were up at 345 a.m yesterday and early again today, preparing to head out for long days. We are getting the further schools from us done earlier in the week here in Bataan. This city definitely seems like its a little bit more well off in spots then others. Maybe it's because I came from Aurora which was much more remote. By no means is it well off in a sense that we would think in America. There is just more to do and is much more city oriented.
I passed through the area where the "Bataan Death March" took place in 1942. It was on an extremely steep mountain and there were crosses and signs of remembrance around. It is a really sad atrocity that happened to prisoners in WWII and involves the Americans and Japanese. Read more about that using the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bataan_Death_March
There is also a sense of more spiritual oppression here. As soon as I got to this location I and a couple of others had that gut feeling. What's very interesting about this day is that there were some obstacles that got in the way with some of the groups. I had a good day and many people were receptive to Christ. However, I did come across a teacher who almost did not let us speak because she is a member of Iglesia de Christo church which is very cult like and believes very weird things. They believe being a member of "the church" and being in the building will save them and don't believe Jesus is the Messiah. It's one of the prominent types of churches we see here in the Philippines. There were also other groups that encountered some small and serious issues that really threw their days off course also. Peter Tebow and I were in a group today and he informed me of a really intense dream he had this morning and it had to do with serious spiritual warfare. I have also had some very real and graphic dreams in my life referring to this and many times it is God giving us warnings to make sure we have his full armor on to resist the enemy in the time of evil so that we can stand firm in him. It may be a situation we are in or are going to be in. When I was in Russia and some other places, I encountered a strong sense of oppression-much more so then here. In traveling, it's truly amazing how you can enter different areas and feel the intensity more so in certain spots. We prayed before we went out to the schools against the plans of the enemy that desired to thwart God's work here and desired to bring us down in the process. I am certain that wherever we go, Satan does not want to see God's word spread.
The Bible tells us, "Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:10-12). People do not stress the spiritual battles we are in every day. Many walk around thinking everything that we see is all that exists. But there is a very real spirit world out there that we are warring against. Satan is out to "kill, steal, and destroy" our lives as the word of God makes it clear. But "greater is he that is in us then he that is in the world (satan)". We have the strength and weapons of God in us if we look to him to combat the lies that come at us every day. There are many voices trying to lead us astray in life. It is up to us to have our ears inclined to hear God's voice of truth. If thoughts are coming in our minds telling us we are insignificant, bring fear in us and worry, then those are not thoughts from God. As we keep walking in our faith, God's voice becomes more clear. We have a part to play in seeking him and filling our minds with scriptures from the Bible to sustain us. They are promises from the Lord and he cannot break his promises. Otherwise God would be a liar and he has never lied since the beginning of time. His character becomes more and more evident as we study his word and build our relationship with him. It's an amazing thing if we open ourselves up to sustaining our lives through the Lord.
I also had a moment of revelation today. When we go to the schools, we hand out little pamphlets that talk about Jesus and his free gift of salvation. As I was handing them out, they were surrounding me on every side. The only thing that I saw were tiny little hands reaching out to me in every direction. It was almost like God completely zoomed my eyes in on the little hands, their shapes, their color. I then thought of the passage in the Bible where Jesus and the disciples were preaching to a crowd of 5,000 people. The disciples were about to send them all to nearby villages and farms so they could find food and lodging because there was nothing to eat. But Jesus stepped in and said to the disciples, "You feed them. " They had no idea how 5 loaves of bread and two fish would feed a crowd that large. But as Jesus kept handing them bread and fish it all just multiplied and they were able to feed everyone and had 12 baskets left over. This story is significant to me because Jesus told his DISCIPLES to feed them. He needed his followers to participate. He provided the food to THEM to distribute to the hungry people there. We as people are unequipped to feed others spiritually on our own. But when Jesus is the one holding the food in his hands, HE will make enough to go around to all. We just need to have the willingness to give him what we have (the menial 5 loaves and 2 fish), and watch what he will do with it. We then can take that food from him to give to others. What seems small to us is never small when it's in the hands of Jesus. Our very lives can be symbols of the fish and bread as well, as he breaks us and molds us in his hands, then distributes us to the world. I felt like God was showing me that as I was handing those pamphlets out to the kids and as I preached to them, I was being used as a vessel to give them the life sustaining food- Jesus. I left the school that day with tears in my eyes as this visual hit home in my heart so hard. It is not just about going to third world countries and preaching to children in need, but it can be carried out into our lives in the states. God has given us each talents and gifts, and when we offer it all to Jesus, He and only He can make what seems ordinary something extraordinary for his kingdom purposes. But it is never about us. It is always about the BIGGER picture in God's eyes....
I passed through the area where the "Bataan Death March" took place in 1942. It was on an extremely steep mountain and there were crosses and signs of remembrance around. It is a really sad atrocity that happened to prisoners in WWII and involves the Americans and Japanese. Read more about that using the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bataan_Death_March
There is also a sense of more spiritual oppression here. As soon as I got to this location I and a couple of others had that gut feeling. What's very interesting about this day is that there were some obstacles that got in the way with some of the groups. I had a good day and many people were receptive to Christ. However, I did come across a teacher who almost did not let us speak because she is a member of Iglesia de Christo church which is very cult like and believes very weird things. They believe being a member of "the church" and being in the building will save them and don't believe Jesus is the Messiah. It's one of the prominent types of churches we see here in the Philippines. There were also other groups that encountered some small and serious issues that really threw their days off course also. Peter Tebow and I were in a group today and he informed me of a really intense dream he had this morning and it had to do with serious spiritual warfare. I have also had some very real and graphic dreams in my life referring to this and many times it is God giving us warnings to make sure we have his full armor on to resist the enemy in the time of evil so that we can stand firm in him. It may be a situation we are in or are going to be in. When I was in Russia and some other places, I encountered a strong sense of oppression-much more so then here. In traveling, it's truly amazing how you can enter different areas and feel the intensity more so in certain spots. We prayed before we went out to the schools against the plans of the enemy that desired to thwart God's work here and desired to bring us down in the process. I am certain that wherever we go, Satan does not want to see God's word spread.
The Bible tells us, "Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:10-12). People do not stress the spiritual battles we are in every day. Many walk around thinking everything that we see is all that exists. But there is a very real spirit world out there that we are warring against. Satan is out to "kill, steal, and destroy" our lives as the word of God makes it clear. But "greater is he that is in us then he that is in the world (satan)". We have the strength and weapons of God in us if we look to him to combat the lies that come at us every day. There are many voices trying to lead us astray in life. It is up to us to have our ears inclined to hear God's voice of truth. If thoughts are coming in our minds telling us we are insignificant, bring fear in us and worry, then those are not thoughts from God. As we keep walking in our faith, God's voice becomes more clear. We have a part to play in seeking him and filling our minds with scriptures from the Bible to sustain us. They are promises from the Lord and he cannot break his promises. Otherwise God would be a liar and he has never lied since the beginning of time. His character becomes more and more evident as we study his word and build our relationship with him. It's an amazing thing if we open ourselves up to sustaining our lives through the Lord.
I also had a moment of revelation today. When we go to the schools, we hand out little pamphlets that talk about Jesus and his free gift of salvation. As I was handing them out, they were surrounding me on every side. The only thing that I saw were tiny little hands reaching out to me in every direction. It was almost like God completely zoomed my eyes in on the little hands, their shapes, their color. I then thought of the passage in the Bible where Jesus and the disciples were preaching to a crowd of 5,000 people. The disciples were about to send them all to nearby villages and farms so they could find food and lodging because there was nothing to eat. But Jesus stepped in and said to the disciples, "You feed them. " They had no idea how 5 loaves of bread and two fish would feed a crowd that large. But as Jesus kept handing them bread and fish it all just multiplied and they were able to feed everyone and had 12 baskets left over. This story is significant to me because Jesus told his DISCIPLES to feed them. He needed his followers to participate. He provided the food to THEM to distribute to the hungry people there. We as people are unequipped to feed others spiritually on our own. But when Jesus is the one holding the food in his hands, HE will make enough to go around to all. We just need to have the willingness to give him what we have (the menial 5 loaves and 2 fish), and watch what he will do with it. We then can take that food from him to give to others. What seems small to us is never small when it's in the hands of Jesus. Our very lives can be symbols of the fish and bread as well, as he breaks us and molds us in his hands, then distributes us to the world. I felt like God was showing me that as I was handing those pamphlets out to the kids and as I preached to them, I was being used as a vessel to give them the life sustaining food- Jesus. I left the school that day with tears in my eyes as this visual hit home in my heart so hard. It is not just about going to third world countries and preaching to children in need, but it can be carried out into our lives in the states. God has given us each talents and gifts, and when we offer it all to Jesus, He and only He can make what seems ordinary something extraordinary for his kingdom purposes. But it is never about us. It is always about the BIGGER picture in God's eyes....
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Update 8: A day of rest....
Today has been a day of rest for us. We slept in until 715 and had breakfast around 8. I never thought I would have said 7 would be sleeping in! But since we have been on the go and up at 4 or 5 every morning it felt great. We then had our own mini church service in the hotel. We sang some worship songs to God and shared scriptures and whatever was on our hearts with one another. We prayed about the upcoming week and the hearts of those we will be ministering to. We also laid down our own hearts and asked God to give us each strength as we feel weary at times. We have been here 2 straight weeks so many of us have been tired or sick and need that refreshment from the Lord to help us go on and into this week's spiritual battle. I thank God for his promises in the word. " Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:28-31). This is a promise that I am leaning upon and praying each person out here will lean upon. I know God is faithful and when we draw near to him he draws near to us and gives us strength when we are at our weakest. I am so glad we have a God that never gets exhausted and offers us his strength. When he lives inside of us then we can have all that he is! It is already ours and is in us. It is just a matter of tapping into those springs of life. We can remain in our weakened place or we can fall on our face before God and cry out for him. He loves a seekers heart and never fails to come through for his beloved children.
One thing on my heart has been the saying, "It is better to give than to receive". But when I think of that saying, it is actually better to receive then to give first and foremost. We must make sure we are receiving from God and being filled with his spirit and strength before we are able to "go out" into the world and give. Once we are refreshed with God we then OVERFLOW into other people's lives. When we are so filled up with God in our hearts then and only then can we truly offer ourselves to others in mighty ways. Its always difficult to be of any help to others when we ourselves are depleted of proper nutrients. If you look at someone who is physically ill, they do not have the ability to give fully of themselves because they themselves need to be well. Sometimes its harder for people to receive first because its humbling to say, Lord I need you and I can't do this without you. We are in a society that tells us we should be strong enough on our own. But the bible tells us differently and in so many places that we must lay down our pride and humble ourselves before the Lord. Nothing we do well is us or for our own individual gain but for Gods purposes and overall picture. It is so necessary to make sure we ourselves are staying nourished and looking to Jesus constantly for strength. And as we prepare to go "feed" the Filipino people the word of God, the words of LIFE we are going to need the grace of the Lord to sustain us.
After we had our service, myself and a few of the other girls prayed together and shared some intimate things of our hearts-our struggles, our desires. The time of fellowship was necessary because we were sharpening one another as "iron sharpens iron". It will surely ready us for our week. Satan attacks us when we are tired and vulnerable, so now is the time to refuel. I am so blessed to be in an environment of people who are like minded and desiring the same thing. I am used to being in places in my life where I am usually one of the only believers. Being placed on sports teams, specifically with basketball, the college environment, media, etc I have felt alone a lot. But God used it to help me stand alone and be strong in my faith so I am thankful for those times in my life. It enabled my relationship with God to grow tremendously, where I saw that all I needed was him as my intimate lover and partner. When I was worried about pleasing "the crowd", whether it were the fans screaming at my games with hoops or the crowd of peers, my coaches, teammates, I failed miserably because I was looking to myself. After letting go of those cares and just focusing on my audience of 1, the hugest burden was lifted off my shoulders and I was able to be who I was called to be, and even play better as an athlete. I know it will forever play a huge role in the rest of my life- in not caring what others think of me and not blending in with what culture says is right. This experience is different and encouraging to have others beside me. I know that God has called me to the environments in the world for the sake of bringing the gospel to the unsaved, but it is a nice change to have others surrounding me with the same understanding. The bible says there are others all over the world going through the same trials we are so to take heart and fight the good fight. We are all learning something and there is always someone that has gone through your same battle in a different way. Our hope does not lie in ourselves or in what the world offers, but in God.
One thing on my heart has been the saying, "It is better to give than to receive". But when I think of that saying, it is actually better to receive then to give first and foremost. We must make sure we are receiving from God and being filled with his spirit and strength before we are able to "go out" into the world and give. Once we are refreshed with God we then OVERFLOW into other people's lives. When we are so filled up with God in our hearts then and only then can we truly offer ourselves to others in mighty ways. Its always difficult to be of any help to others when we ourselves are depleted of proper nutrients. If you look at someone who is physically ill, they do not have the ability to give fully of themselves because they themselves need to be well. Sometimes its harder for people to receive first because its humbling to say, Lord I need you and I can't do this without you. We are in a society that tells us we should be strong enough on our own. But the bible tells us differently and in so many places that we must lay down our pride and humble ourselves before the Lord. Nothing we do well is us or for our own individual gain but for Gods purposes and overall picture. It is so necessary to make sure we ourselves are staying nourished and looking to Jesus constantly for strength. And as we prepare to go "feed" the Filipino people the word of God, the words of LIFE we are going to need the grace of the Lord to sustain us.
After we had our service, myself and a few of the other girls prayed together and shared some intimate things of our hearts-our struggles, our desires. The time of fellowship was necessary because we were sharpening one another as "iron sharpens iron". It will surely ready us for our week. Satan attacks us when we are tired and vulnerable, so now is the time to refuel. I am so blessed to be in an environment of people who are like minded and desiring the same thing. I am used to being in places in my life where I am usually one of the only believers. Being placed on sports teams, specifically with basketball, the college environment, media, etc I have felt alone a lot. But God used it to help me stand alone and be strong in my faith so I am thankful for those times in my life. It enabled my relationship with God to grow tremendously, where I saw that all I needed was him as my intimate lover and partner. When I was worried about pleasing "the crowd", whether it were the fans screaming at my games with hoops or the crowd of peers, my coaches, teammates, I failed miserably because I was looking to myself. After letting go of those cares and just focusing on my audience of 1, the hugest burden was lifted off my shoulders and I was able to be who I was called to be, and even play better as an athlete. I know it will forever play a huge role in the rest of my life- in not caring what others think of me and not blending in with what culture says is right. This experience is different and encouraging to have others beside me. I know that God has called me to the environments in the world for the sake of bringing the gospel to the unsaved, but it is a nice change to have others surrounding me with the same understanding. The bible says there are others all over the world going through the same trials we are so to take heart and fight the good fight. We are all learning something and there is always someone that has gone through your same battle in a different way. Our hope does not lie in ourselves or in what the world offers, but in God.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Update 7: The Waterfall in Aurora & Butterflies....
After we were done with the kids we got a surreal opportunity to hike out to this gorgeous waterfall. To think that I wasn't in New York at some park taking a stroll through the woods, but that I was literally in a forest in South East Asia was not something I thought I'd ever really be doing! As we hiked, there were vines and branches all around us. We walked through water hopping across on rocks. We had to be extremely careful because some of the rocks were slippery. Luckily we had the Filipino pastors with us and a couple of native Filipinos. There were butterflies of every color of the rainbow soaring around us as we walked. This site blessed me so much because butterflies are just such beautiful creatures. I tend to see things in spiritual ways a lot, and when God speaks to me he brings about revelation in the oddest of ways. The butterflies remind me of our stages of life as we grow and metamorphosize into the person God wants us to be- first as the caterpillar when we walk with the Lord as a baby..then we go into a period of hibernation in a cocoon as we are being grown, formed, moved, and created in a rather uncomfortable manner..until we become the spectacular butterfly we were meant to be. But when God looked at the caterpillar he didn't see a caterpillar. He saw a butterfly and planned on forming a butterfly the entire time. The scripture that has been heavily on my heart today has been "For I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again" (Phil 1:6). It's great to know that God will not leave us undone, but that he is constantly molding us and bringing us toward who he wants us to be-whatever our lot shows us at the present time. Many Filipinos are now beginning their journey as born again believers in Christ. My prayer is that they continue to walk out their salvation so that they can have God's utmost in their lives. What happens after someone gets saved depends on how much they are willing to let God mold the rest of their life. Many of us remain caterpillars, some remain in the cocoon. This is our own choosing and God's desire is to break us to the point where we become a totally different creature.
When we finally got to the waterfall we swam in there for quite a while. The water was cold but it gave me such relief from the heat we've had here! I loved it. The falls were so powerful it was almost impossible to get too close to it without going underwater to get there. The current was very strong. It was such a site!! My breath was taken away for a while today by the awesomeness of it all. Again, it revealed God's glory through his creation. I did not want a single moment to pass by where I wasn't praising him for allowing me to be there. I didn't want to miss a beat of his heart through nature's finest. When I liken the scene to Fern Gully or even Avatar I am not even kidding. It reminded me of a Rain forest. Pictures and words can't do a justice. Others in the group that have been going for a while said they had never gotten the chance to be in a place like this. So I feel honored to have gotten to do this my first year here. We are moving out of the Aurora area and into a new province this weekend. Please pray for the hearts of the people we meet where we go next. After all, the experience at the falls was just an added bonus. What we are truly here for are the lost souls! But I couldn't have asked for a better way to end my week in Aurora.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Update 6: Deeper into Aurora
The past two days in Aurora have been intense. Yesterday we were up at 4 traveling 5 hours in the jeepney. This was not just "driving". This was the most rigorous ride of my life. We rode through mountains and drove through small rivers. The jeepney is not very shock absorbent and the roads in the mountains are extremely rough and unpaved. It felt like we were on a 5 hour roller coaster through the jungle! I must say, as much as it was difficult, the journey was beautiful and quite entertaining. There were palm trees, goats, caribou, land everywhere. Something that has been so apparent to me on this trip has been how evident it is that God is in all of his creation. It's like every rock, stone, tree and animal is crying out and singing praises to God. As much as God clothed the earth with this splendor, it blows me away that he cares for us way more than it all. I think about how people say they do not believe in God. But saying they don't believe is impossible to me. When one looks around at the earth, God's finger prints are all over it. There is simply no way it was all an accident. If a person never gets to hear the Gospel, they can see this evidence and realize who God is and that he must have created it all. It is far too intricate and creative. The verse from the bible that comes to my mind constantly is " In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of ALL creation, became his choice possession "(James 1:18). It awes me to realize the brevity of this. God chose to make us so that he could love us and be loved back. He gave us his TRUE WORD when he made us his own children. We are the God of the universe's CHOICE POSSESSION! Then to top it off he loved us so much that he sent his only son to save us and die for us. That is something to celebrate.
I have been mentioning the poverty and different lifestyle of the Filipino people. One thing is true, and that is we all suffer through trials and tribulations on this earth, wherever we live. When death and sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, it enabled all of this to take place. God's original intention was for us to all walk in peace and with him in constant communion without sin. "Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later"(Romans 8:18). And sending Jesus as our redeemer gave us access to an eternity with him. In the meantime "All of creation anticipates the day when it will join Gods children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the holy spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering" (Romans 8:22-23). This is true of us all and of all the beauty I am staring at around me. There will be a day when everything will be as it should be on earth as it is in heaven. For us who believe, we can hold onto this hope.
When I think about the long hours we have here, the bumpy rides in the jeepney, the sweat, the traveling; none of it really matters when I think about the souls that were saved in the distant land we were coming from. I have to remind myself that these are not just schools and places I am going to marking off checks on my list of places I went to share the word. These are PEOPLE, souls that are going to heaven because of the fact we went to speak the truth to them. If we didn't go up there or we decided it was "too hot" that day, then thousands of people would not have gotten the opportunity to accept Christ as their savior. That thought brings shudders down my spine. I wish I could reach every last person on earth so that none would be left out from hearing the words. My heart bleeds for lost souls. The thought of even 1 person going to hell utterly separated from God and any kind of goodness forever causes me to tremble with sadness. I am not just someone who decided to go on a "mission trip" for the sake of experiencing it. I have always had a desire to tell people about Jesus. People say your passion is something that lights you up like when you flick on a Christmas tree. This is how I feel when I'm talking about the Lord to people who are itching to hear the message and open to his saving knowledge. I was just never able to go on a trip for missionary purposes. Now that I can, I am glad I am here and I'm open to whatever calling God has on my life. It could be on U.S soil, it could be both in the U.S and elsewhere. I must ALWAYS remember that its our love that the people here see more than anything and cannot ever get calloused to the saving words I'm speaking to them. It's easy to get caught up in numbers and allowing the message we say to be something we merely memorize because we've heard it so often. I pray each time before I go up to talk to the kids that the holy spirit would give me the words, whatever direction he may want to lead me. The way these words hit their hearts is up to the spirit of God to bring understanding. This is a concept we in the states that are believers must remember as well. We are called to be bold ambassadors of Christ, not silent wallflowers blending into society. The message of the cross will sound like foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those of us who believe and are being saved- it is the very word of life. I just hope to be able to continue to be used as a vessel for the Lord's purposes as I remain out here and throughout my future endeavors.
I have been mentioning the poverty and different lifestyle of the Filipino people. One thing is true, and that is we all suffer through trials and tribulations on this earth, wherever we live. When death and sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, it enabled all of this to take place. God's original intention was for us to all walk in peace and with him in constant communion without sin. "Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later"(Romans 8:18). And sending Jesus as our redeemer gave us access to an eternity with him. In the meantime "All of creation anticipates the day when it will join Gods children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the holy spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering" (Romans 8:22-23). This is true of us all and of all the beauty I am staring at around me. There will be a day when everything will be as it should be on earth as it is in heaven. For us who believe, we can hold onto this hope.
When I think about the long hours we have here, the bumpy rides in the jeepney, the sweat, the traveling; none of it really matters when I think about the souls that were saved in the distant land we were coming from. I have to remind myself that these are not just schools and places I am going to marking off checks on my list of places I went to share the word. These are PEOPLE, souls that are going to heaven because of the fact we went to speak the truth to them. If we didn't go up there or we decided it was "too hot" that day, then thousands of people would not have gotten the opportunity to accept Christ as their savior. That thought brings shudders down my spine. I wish I could reach every last person on earth so that none would be left out from hearing the words. My heart bleeds for lost souls. The thought of even 1 person going to hell utterly separated from God and any kind of goodness forever causes me to tremble with sadness. I am not just someone who decided to go on a "mission trip" for the sake of experiencing it. I have always had a desire to tell people about Jesus. People say your passion is something that lights you up like when you flick on a Christmas tree. This is how I feel when I'm talking about the Lord to people who are itching to hear the message and open to his saving knowledge. I was just never able to go on a trip for missionary purposes. Now that I can, I am glad I am here and I'm open to whatever calling God has on my life. It could be on U.S soil, it could be both in the U.S and elsewhere. I must ALWAYS remember that its our love that the people here see more than anything and cannot ever get calloused to the saving words I'm speaking to them. It's easy to get caught up in numbers and allowing the message we say to be something we merely memorize because we've heard it so often. I pray each time before I go up to talk to the kids that the holy spirit would give me the words, whatever direction he may want to lead me. The way these words hit their hearts is up to the spirit of God to bring understanding. This is a concept we in the states that are believers must remember as well. We are called to be bold ambassadors of Christ, not silent wallflowers blending into society. The message of the cross will sound like foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those of us who believe and are being saved- it is the very word of life. I just hope to be able to continue to be used as a vessel for the Lord's purposes as I remain out here and throughout my future endeavors.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Update 5: Aurora, Philippines
Aurora has been an amazing place. It is an island and there are only 9 of us here. I feel so blessed to have been placed in this location because we are staying right on the beach, and the small group allows us to really get to know one another and have greater intimacy. Our first couple of days have been very busy as usual. We got here from the Orphanage in Mindanao Monday morning around 130 a.m. We then had to be up ready to go by 5 or 6. As I have mentioned in the other blogs, God has miraculously been giving me strength and energy physically to go on little sleep and adjust to the 12 hour time difference this past week.
Aurora is the most remote location any of the groups have gone to for this trip. Yesterday I was able to go way up in the mountains to speak to schools about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of the children look at us like we are celebrities since we are from the U.S and we look so foreign to them. Very few Americans pass through this place so we are quite a sight when we are here. It's amazing to me that if we do not reach these people then most likely no one ever will. The land out in the mountains is phenomenal. There are palm trees everywhere in a woodsy setting. Then there are parts that open up where all that you see is open land and mountain ranges. There are rice fields growing all over the place and caribou walking everywhere. It definitely feels like an episode of Jurassic Park sometimes as we go through these areas in our Jeepneys (what the vehicles are called that we ride in-big open jeeps basically), only hopefully we won't be running into any dinosaurs.
On a heavier note, the scripture that comes to me constantly is in Acts 1:8 "But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth..." I truly feel that we are fulfilling this calling here. The holy spirit has been empowering us as we go and it's amazing to be a part of His great work. As I look around here in the Philippines, there is so much poverty. People literally live under thatched roofs and huts and many times their bathrooms are holes in the ground. These things are normal to them, yet in America we couldn't imagine living this way. In some ways the people here are more blessed because they are hungry for truth, hungry for the Gospel. They listen to us intently and want to accept Christ as their savior. I keep thinking to myself, when will Americans come to this great need inside of their hearts? "God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them"(Matthew 5:3). It doesn't matter how much money a person has or how well off they live in this life. If they never realize their need for a Savior then they will never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. It is better to live a life lowlier and less wealthy and inherit eternal life then it is to be rich and never enter Heaven. Now I understand the meaning of the scripture when Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to get into the kingdom of Heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God"(Matthew 19:23-24).
As much as people in our country struggle, we are definitely still considered a rich nation. Even though the Filipinos live lowlier, if they are coming to Christ then they have an eternity of bliss in heaven to look forward to. This life is so short and its important to remember that it is wearing out like an old garment and it is over in a blink of an eye. And if we are so privileged to be on this earth for the rapture, then believers will be taken out of here body and soul according to scripture and unbelievers will be left behind for the 7 worst years the world has ever seen. People can still find Christ at that time if left behind but it will not be a pleasant period to be here on earth (see Matthew 24 and revelation for more details). The point is, isn't it more important to make sure our home in Heaven is more secure then our home here? As Carrie Underwood says it so well in her song that "This is just our temporary home, its not where we belong, we are just passing through on our way to where we are going". God tells us in his word that TODAY is the day of salvation. The Filipino people here have such faith after they hear the message of the cross that they immediately give their hearts to Him. Do not put off until tomorrow what can be done today for no one is promised tomorrow.
Aurora Philippines, Website Photo Gallery
Aurora is the most remote location any of the groups have gone to for this trip. Yesterday I was able to go way up in the mountains to speak to schools about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of the children look at us like we are celebrities since we are from the U.S and we look so foreign to them. Very few Americans pass through this place so we are quite a sight when we are here. It's amazing to me that if we do not reach these people then most likely no one ever will. The land out in the mountains is phenomenal. There are palm trees everywhere in a woodsy setting. Then there are parts that open up where all that you see is open land and mountain ranges. There are rice fields growing all over the place and caribou walking everywhere. It definitely feels like an episode of Jurassic Park sometimes as we go through these areas in our Jeepneys (what the vehicles are called that we ride in-big open jeeps basically), only hopefully we won't be running into any dinosaurs.
On a heavier note, the scripture that comes to me constantly is in Acts 1:8 "But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth..." I truly feel that we are fulfilling this calling here. The holy spirit has been empowering us as we go and it's amazing to be a part of His great work. As I look around here in the Philippines, there is so much poverty. People literally live under thatched roofs and huts and many times their bathrooms are holes in the ground. These things are normal to them, yet in America we couldn't imagine living this way. In some ways the people here are more blessed because they are hungry for truth, hungry for the Gospel. They listen to us intently and want to accept Christ as their savior. I keep thinking to myself, when will Americans come to this great need inside of their hearts? "God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them"(Matthew 5:3). It doesn't matter how much money a person has or how well off they live in this life. If they never realize their need for a Savior then they will never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. It is better to live a life lowlier and less wealthy and inherit eternal life then it is to be rich and never enter Heaven. Now I understand the meaning of the scripture when Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to get into the kingdom of Heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God"(Matthew 19:23-24).
As much as people in our country struggle, we are definitely still considered a rich nation. Even though the Filipinos live lowlier, if they are coming to Christ then they have an eternity of bliss in heaven to look forward to. This life is so short and its important to remember that it is wearing out like an old garment and it is over in a blink of an eye. And if we are so privileged to be on this earth for the rapture, then believers will be taken out of here body and soul according to scripture and unbelievers will be left behind for the 7 worst years the world has ever seen. People can still find Christ at that time if left behind but it will not be a pleasant period to be here on earth (see Matthew 24 and revelation for more details). The point is, isn't it more important to make sure our home in Heaven is more secure then our home here? As Carrie Underwood says it so well in her song that "This is just our temporary home, its not where we belong, we are just passing through on our way to where we are going". God tells us in his word that TODAY is the day of salvation. The Filipino people here have such faith after they hear the message of the cross that they immediately give their hearts to Him. Do not put off until tomorrow what can be done today for no one is promised tomorrow.
Aurora Philippines, Website Photo Gallery
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Update 4 - The BTEA Orphanage July 4th
The orphanage experience was incredible. Most of us only stayed the weekend with about 8 staying through this week helping with medical supplies and visiting the kids. We played with them the entire time. I fell in love with one girl in particular. Her name is Jessa and she is 14. She and I immediately hit it off. She said she sometimes gets called "Boyish" because she likes sports so much. It's no wonder the two of us got along! I played basketball with her and a bunch of the others. They loved watching me dribble for them. They were so cute. We also played baseball and volleyball with the kids.
The orphanage overlooked a beautiful river with tons of land all around us. It felt like we were in the jungle yet with mountains and palm trees surrounding on every side. We went down by the river and crossed over this bridgeway. Then it started downpouring and we all got soaked. The Filipino children were so adorable, trying to get us out of the rain as quickly as they could so we wouldn't get sick. They don't like getting wet in the rain! It felt amazing though because it was hot out.
We ate 3 great meals while there and the kids performed a little show for us at night. I had the best mangos of all time. They did a Filipino tribal dance and a good versus evil spiritual skit that I've seen in the US before. They were fantastic! I loved every minute of it.
The kids gave up their beds for each of us, which was really sweet of them. They slept in a different portion of the orphanage. The night time noises of the wild was quite an interesting experience. I don't think I've heard that many different sounds while I was trying to sleep in my entire life. It felt like we were in the jungle book! But it was neat sleeping to the unique lullaby and waking up to a loud rooster.
It amazes me how Mr. Tebow has gotten the chance to see many of these kids grow up. He has gone to their graduations, he has seen them receive awards, etc. The bible tells us to look after the widows and the orphans. And it blesses me so much to see people like him start up orphanages and genuinely care for each individual there. As soon as the kids saw him they ran up to him and embraced him as a father embraces his children. God's word says that "In you the orphan finds mercy"(Hosea 14:3). The orphans have found mercy and its wonderful to see they have been raised or put into the orphanage and trained up with Godly principles. I cried as I sat out under the large outdoor pavilion overlooking the gorgeous landscape and heard songs to our God playing loudly on the speakers. It was a privilege to be there and love on each one of them. The scriptures say that unless we are like innocent little children, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. That verse kept coming to my mind as I was there. Here are a bunch of parentless or fatherless kids that are so innocent and full of joy. God's love just resonates off them. They are the blessed ones that were given a home and family, but we can learn a lot from them. They (as well as the rest of the Filipino culture) do not need a lot to be satisfied. One of the little boys had a shirt on that caught my eye. He was the one who BTEA raised a lot of money for to bring an American doctor over to perform a kidney transplant on. His shirt said "life is hard, that's why I was given a tough shell", with a picture of a turtle. It blessed me knowing all the things he had been through, yet he was so grateful. Eternal life only comes to us if we let go of all our grandiose confusing mind sets and lack of faith and we choose to trust in Jesus with all that we have since he will NEVER let us down. Its difficult for some people to wrap their head around "childlike trust" once we enter our adult years. But it's certainly possible and well worth allowing ones self to fall into the arms of our heavenly father.
"You are the helper of the fatherless. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more"(Psalms 10:14,17-18).
The orphanage overlooked a beautiful river with tons of land all around us. It felt like we were in the jungle yet with mountains and palm trees surrounding on every side. We went down by the river and crossed over this bridgeway. Then it started downpouring and we all got soaked. The Filipino children were so adorable, trying to get us out of the rain as quickly as they could so we wouldn't get sick. They don't like getting wet in the rain! It felt amazing though because it was hot out.
We ate 3 great meals while there and the kids performed a little show for us at night. I had the best mangos of all time. They did a Filipino tribal dance and a good versus evil spiritual skit that I've seen in the US before. They were fantastic! I loved every minute of it.
The kids gave up their beds for each of us, which was really sweet of them. They slept in a different portion of the orphanage. The night time noises of the wild was quite an interesting experience. I don't think I've heard that many different sounds while I was trying to sleep in my entire life. It felt like we were in the jungle book! But it was neat sleeping to the unique lullaby and waking up to a loud rooster.
It amazes me how Mr. Tebow has gotten the chance to see many of these kids grow up. He has gone to their graduations, he has seen them receive awards, etc. The bible tells us to look after the widows and the orphans. And it blesses me so much to see people like him start up orphanages and genuinely care for each individual there. As soon as the kids saw him they ran up to him and embraced him as a father embraces his children. God's word says that "In you the orphan finds mercy"(Hosea 14:3). The orphans have found mercy and its wonderful to see they have been raised or put into the orphanage and trained up with Godly principles. I cried as I sat out under the large outdoor pavilion overlooking the gorgeous landscape and heard songs to our God playing loudly on the speakers. It was a privilege to be there and love on each one of them. The scriptures say that unless we are like innocent little children, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. That verse kept coming to my mind as I was there. Here are a bunch of parentless or fatherless kids that are so innocent and full of joy. God's love just resonates off them. They are the blessed ones that were given a home and family, but we can learn a lot from them. They (as well as the rest of the Filipino culture) do not need a lot to be satisfied. One of the little boys had a shirt on that caught my eye. He was the one who BTEA raised a lot of money for to bring an American doctor over to perform a kidney transplant on. His shirt said "life is hard, that's why I was given a tough shell", with a picture of a turtle. It blessed me knowing all the things he had been through, yet he was so grateful. Eternal life only comes to us if we let go of all our grandiose confusing mind sets and lack of faith and we choose to trust in Jesus with all that we have since he will NEVER let us down. Its difficult for some people to wrap their head around "childlike trust" once we enter our adult years. But it's certainly possible and well worth allowing ones self to fall into the arms of our heavenly father.
"You are the helper of the fatherless. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more"(Psalms 10:14,17-18).
Friday, July 2, 2010
Update 3 - Friday July 2nd
The past 2 days have been great. We have continued to trek through to the different schools in the province we are in. Today I felt an overwhelming sense of purpose everywhere I went. As I went into one of the elementary schools, I nearly was brought to tears as I stared into this one girls big brown eyes. I had a moment where I realized how vitally important the message I was bringing them was. Its truly the greatest love story of all time, the story of the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In America, we can get so caught up in our business and work, and even ministry and forget the reason we are here. We can also forget how deeply incredible the message of the cross really is and grow cold to it because of hearing it so often. There is nothing dull about the message of the cross, nothing old about Jesus rising from the grave, and nothing mundane about a God who came down as flesh to save us from our sins. Even though my passion in the states is to share my faith with others, this trip reminds me even more about what matters.
The Filipino teachers and people are so amazing. They are kind, grateful, and very hospitable. One of the teachers I met today told me the Filipino people have learned to live and be happy with much or with little. This is so interesting because we in America have so much, yet so much is never enough to so many. As I traveled throughout Europe and lived in Armenia I was able to appreciate the U.S. but this trip has kept my mind and heart in the right place; in God's perspective. Every day starts at 4 and I don't get back until 6, yet God has given me the grace to continue and to have energy. It's true that "When we are weak, He is strong". If we ever go through anything in life that feels WAY beyond what we can bare, when we look to God He always comes through. The psalms tell us that "I have never seen the Lord forsake or fail the righteous, ever."He always lifts us up in time of need. What I am doing feels extremely purposeful, and at the end of the day I am so thrilled about bringing souls to the Lord that I can't even remember how tired I am. Now that to me and all of us here is truly living.
There are times when insecurities try to creep up in me (and all of us I'm sure) as we have to stand in front of thousands of students. It doesn't matter how many times I've talked in front of people, it will always be something I have to give to God. Each time feels more comfortable and God never ceases to come through in the end. Its easy to compare ourselves to one another but each of us have things to learn ourselves and have unique personalities that come out as we speak in public about the Gospel. I'm grateful God has made us all so different!
This weekend many of us are flying out to the orphanage Mr. Tebow founded. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to see the kids and bring them some clothes and medicine, and just love on them. We each will be splitting into 3 different groups next week to 3 different provinces. I am going to Arora, which is the place that holds the most remote locations to visit. It will be a neat experience to go to the "ends of the earth", areas where if we don't go, no one will.
The Filipino teachers and people are so amazing. They are kind, grateful, and very hospitable. One of the teachers I met today told me the Filipino people have learned to live and be happy with much or with little. This is so interesting because we in America have so much, yet so much is never enough to so many. As I traveled throughout Europe and lived in Armenia I was able to appreciate the U.S. but this trip has kept my mind and heart in the right place; in God's perspective. Every day starts at 4 and I don't get back until 6, yet God has given me the grace to continue and to have energy. It's true that "When we are weak, He is strong". If we ever go through anything in life that feels WAY beyond what we can bare, when we look to God He always comes through. The psalms tell us that "I have never seen the Lord forsake or fail the righteous, ever."He always lifts us up in time of need. What I am doing feels extremely purposeful, and at the end of the day I am so thrilled about bringing souls to the Lord that I can't even remember how tired I am. Now that to me and all of us here is truly living.
There are times when insecurities try to creep up in me (and all of us I'm sure) as we have to stand in front of thousands of students. It doesn't matter how many times I've talked in front of people, it will always be something I have to give to God. Each time feels more comfortable and God never ceases to come through in the end. Its easy to compare ourselves to one another but each of us have things to learn ourselves and have unique personalities that come out as we speak in public about the Gospel. I'm grateful God has made us all so different!
This weekend many of us are flying out to the orphanage Mr. Tebow founded. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to see the kids and bring them some clothes and medicine, and just love on them. We each will be splitting into 3 different groups next week to 3 different provinces. I am going to Arora, which is the place that holds the most remote locations to visit. It will be a neat experience to go to the "ends of the earth", areas where if we don't go, no one will.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
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