The Philippines has been a truly amazing experience for me. I have grown in so many ways these past two months that I never dreamed possible for me having just graduated from high school. The Lord has also inspired me so much from what I have seen in the Philippines.
Everyday that I go out for ministry I get inspired by the people here and this culture. I made a video about one of my favorite ministries here and that was going to feedings. We take a long drive out to a community called tent city where there are hundreds of impoverished people and we pass out food to them. My favorite part of the feedings is when I get to work with the nurses and clean up the wounds of men, women, and children. The people live in such horrible conditions that even the tiniest of scratches can become a huge infection. Cleaning up the wounds could get pretty disgusting at times. I would be consumed with the smell of the wound, the rice soup we pass out, the smell of babies, and people who had not bathed in so long. It was all so worth it and enjoyable because of how thankful the people are.
During the month of Novemeber and January my team and I were also helping take care of a 2 and a 1/2 month old boy named Mikey. He had to be watched 24/7 because he was so neglected by his mom when he was born. Many children are neglected or sold for around 25 American dollars. Women will hand you their baby as you walk down the street. It is so horrible, but it was amazing to work with baby Mikey because he was such a miracle child.
My team and I also worked on fixing up the new house for the JAZ home. The JAZ home (Josie's Angel Zone) is a home for at risk girls. The 29 girls had been living in a very cramped home, but when we arrived the ministry had just bought a new home for the girls. We moved into the new home at the being of December to start fixing it up for the girls to move in. Their new home is amazing. It can fit 80 people, so new girls can now start to move in and thus be saved from their home situations. Many of the girls are abused sexually and physically or are neglected. Christmas Eve night all of the girls moved into the home and I was so blessed to be a part of it. Many of the girls had also never experienced any kind of Christmas celebration so we got to see the joy in the girls eyes when they opened up their first ever Christmas present.
For the month of January my team and I have continued to live with the girls in their home. It is 24/7 ministry and I love it. These girls are so amazing. One would never believe the abuse that they have been through because they are all so joyful. What inspires me most about these girls is that they actually understand what it means to have a true relationship with the Lord. My team has broken the girls up into 7 groups and each day we each lead our group in devotions. We are also always responsible for our group...it is kind of like 24/7 babysitting.
I cannot express into words how much the Philippines has truly grown me. I have fallen so in love and I have also grown so much in my leadership with my team and these girls. I have realized how much joy I get from leading. The Lord has also confirmed to me that this will definitely not be my first or last trip to the Philippines. I am already planning my return. I know the Lord wants me to go to college in the states, but I plan on returning here as soon as possible during my breaks because I want to start growing my own ministry here. I am going to school to get my environmental science degree and I want to use that to start a ministry using sustainable living techniques built around a church and community. I have no idea of the Lords plans for me though so I continue to do my best to keep my eyes on His plan for my life and not my own...because I have learned that that is SO MUCH BETTER!
Africa in two weeks...crazy!
