What is a gift? When I looked it up in the dictionary, gift is defined as: something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation. I have been given so many gifts in my life, but there is always one that is far better than anything I have ever received.
On this day every year, we have the opportunity, almost responsibility, more than any other day to be thankful for something. That something being life, the life of Jesus. This is the ultimate gift! What person would give up everything of comfort and perfection to go somewhere dirty and corrupted, all to one day die for the people? No one in their right mind would say, “Sign me up, I’ll trade this for that!” However, one man did. Jesus did and would come to earth as a baby, to grow up and experience the world just like we all do. He would not die like the rest of us, no, he would be brutally beaten and crucified for each and everyone of us. He would carry all of the shame, guilt, depression, sickness, and sin with him to the cross. DO WE EVEN FATHOM THIS?!
I know most of the time I do not even comprehend what that means. I cannot comprehend a love like this. The love that Christ demonstrated for 33 years of his life, and the love that embraces every one of us is unfailing and unchanging! Where would I be without the true love of God? Looking back, I know I would not be where I am today. This year more than ever, I have experienced what this day, Christmas is all about and what it celebrates. It celebrates the gift of life, not only Jesus’ life, but the life we all posses. A life God has given us and allowed us to live. I thank God that I have chosen to live a life that is worthy of His calling. He has truly changed my life and allowed me to see what this, what Jesus’ life and death are all about . . . saving a world in desperate need of a SAVIOR!
Thank you God for giving the ultimate gift ever. You change lives and give people hope. I am so thankful that on that day years ago, you would change the world to change my life!
I had the incredible opportunity to spend 2 months in the Philippines on a mission's trip with 8 other interns. We were able to share the love of Christ with people everyday, learn about the culture, and ultimately allow God to change us!
Genuine love is a gift we give others, it isn't purchased by their actions or contingent upon our emotions at the moment. Can you imagine where we would be if God did not love us like that? What if His love was solely based on our actions or how He was feeling at the time? Do you think that we, these people so unworthy to have taken even one breath would be here today? I cannot imagine where I would find myself if it were not for the unconditional, selfless gift of love that God himself has given us through the death and resurrection of His son, Jesus!
His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. God is love. And Jesus Loves You. It's a love worth giving up everything for. A love worth dying for. Love like that.
First of all, what an incredible God we serve! My heart was so encouraged today as I came across pictures of a new completed hut that was rebuilt after we watched it burn to the ground this past summer in the Philippines.
For those of you who do not know, I spent two months this summer on a life changing missions trip in the Philippines. Near the end of our trip, my team and I had the chance to immensely bless someone. One night when we were driving home being loud and crazy in the car ride back from dinner, we saw a fire in the jungle. We stopped and ran out to help, but there was nothing that could be done, we just stood there, and watched it burn down. We found out that a blind man was living there and was at his sister's house when his hut caught on fire. That night, God gave us the opportunity to work for His kingdom. We went back to the Bible College where we were staying, which happened to be almost right across the street, and we talked about what to do. We spent some time in prayer individually and then gave money as we felt necessary to help this man out. We also collected extra toiletries, clothing, and food from our bags that we could give to him. After we counted the money, we realized we had given enough to completely rebuild this man's hut and there would be extra to help buy him other things he lost in the fire.
We walked back down the road in the dark to the man's sister's house and him found sitting in the dirt crying. The pastor we were working with told him that the Bible College across the street would be helping rebuild his hut! Needless to say, but it was finished! God worked that night and allowed my team to be apart of something bigger, something that may one day cause this man to find Christ!
God's love is so much more! The devil is no match! God isn't even in a
competition! There is none! God, the God I serve and so many is the
only one true God! God is LOVE! Don't believe the lies of the deceiver. God loves you! He rescued me out the pit of hell and breath life back
into my broken wounded heart for nothing, it is because of the passionate love He has for us!
This film will make you want to get out there and share the love of God with every single person you meet.
The blood of Jesus reaches into the depths of sin, offering freedom, pardon, mercy and reconciliation with the Father. No matter how deep you have fallen, the love and forgiveness goes deeper.
God is incredible! He has given each and every one of us life and it is so encouraging to hear people who fight for that right. This woman's story is a great testimony to life and how unfair people have made it. Please take the 16 minutes to watch this video, you will not regret it.
All I can say is that I am blessed. There are some amazing people in my life that I am privileged enough to call my friends. So love close and some live far, but no matter what I know that they are a huge part of my life. God knew the people I would need in my life and for that, I am happy!
I got to spend all day on Saturday with some of the people I love, my college and career group! We took a mini road trip to Sedona for the day and had so many laughs, screams, and memories. God blesses us in the little things in life and having a great group of people around you is one of those things!
God amazes me on a daily basis. I had a radical heart change while I was in the Philippines and have come home a different person. God loves us so much, sometimes it is hard to fathom, but I have experienced the deep intoxicating love that my Father and Savior have for me. Who am I, beloved? His voice is strong full of power, but compassionate and gentle. He is my provider, sustainer, strength in my weakness, light, hope, joy in troubled days. There is such a consuming passion when we surrender ourselves to His love and grace. When we seem most lost, He is close and wants us to reach out and take hold of His hand. My God is love and desperately fights for my love day after day. He is a mighty warrior in pursuit of His daughters heart. God I praise you, I sing for joy because you have restored me in my broken state. You cleansed, healed, and changed a bitter heart. There is room now to love people and have compassion for them in a way I have not had before. You have revealed so much about Yourself and Your goodness to me. You have swept me away in all of Your love. I am lost in who You are!
So I have been home now for almost a month, how time has flied! I haven't done a whole lot since I have been home, just looking for a job and waiting for classes to start up again. I have also met with quite a few people to talk about my trip and life.
It has been interesting being home, and had quite a bit of culture shock the first week or so that I was home. My first hour back in the states in L.A. hit me hard and I cried in the terminal. I came home and instantly hated America and Americans, I just wanted to get back on a plane and fly 16 hours back to the Philippines. What I encountered in the states, I was not ready for. People were rude, I would smile at people and they would look away. I felt super awkward being home like people were staring at me like I was different. Driving was also very strange. Not having driven for 2 months will do something to you. I felt like a new student driver who had never driven before. It was weird! The thing that I have had the most difficulty with since I have been home though is being in church.
Being home and at church on a Sunday has been hard if not that, just pain depressing. I have cried all three Sundays I have been home. I had fallen in love with a culture, church, and people who were passionate about God. Their worship told it all and I came home to a stagnant church that lacked passion and energy. The Holy Spirit rocked us so many times in the Philippines and I long for that same encounter here at home but I do not feel that the church is ready to be rocked because there is so much lacking.
It has been great to be home and see everyone, but I miss the Philippines and a life that is so simple where we are not consumed by materialism. I know God is moving and working here and am ready to be apart of what He has while I am here. Still, I cannot wait to see how much more He will use me in what He has called me to!
Here I sit on a plane, headed back to the states. In just a few short hours I will ne home, thousands of miles from the Philippines. What an incredible two months God allowed me to experience. I lived in a different culture with different values and expectations for two months. Life over there is so different. I love it that God loves all of us despite the different cultures, that we are His creation. The people are so friendly and open, which is so different from American cultures. There people love God and they express it and are passionate about Him, which is evident from the way they worship and pray. It has been so encouraging to me and has made me pursue God on a deeper level, immersing myself into continual prayer and wanting to read the Bible over and over again. God has changed me and tested me in more ways than I ever imagine I could go through, but in the end, I am so much stronger because of all that I experienced! I will miss the Philippines, I may never return, but I know that God will continue is work in the hearts of the people there. I thank God for allowing me the opportunity to not only serve the people and missionaries on the field, but also, to serve Him!
Two nights ago, Thursday July 29th, I saw God move/work once again. We had a church service outside on the newly purchased property of the AG church that will be built in a few months. Pastor Manny is only 23 years old, but has a passion for God and has been connecting with the community while waiting for an actual building. I joined with some of the Texas XA team and Tom, our host missionary. For about 45 minutes we walked around and invited people to the service that we would be having at 7pm. Out of nine of us, four went and did children’s ministry while the rest of us did the service. We provided acoustic worship, testimonies, and the word all in the dirt under the starry heavens. There is currently only one lady who has given her life to Christ and she is in her 80’s, but that night about 30 people showed up to service and about 25 kid’s too.
Tom telling the kid's a story
Richard would be one of the young adult’s who showed up. He is 18 years old and when he first came, he was a distant bystander, not really sure if he was going to come and sit down. He was there, but not really there. We watched him before service, making reference to him and the story of the man who climbed up to the roof to hear Jesus speak. Richard was a punk/gangster kid we could see from his clothes. During the message, Richard got up and left his chair. Nick and I were both praying that he would come back. God fought with Richard and he eventually came back. We called people up for prayer or for those who needed healing. Richard would be one of them, but not till Tom pointed to him in the back row and called him out saying that God really wanted to move in his life. The crowd parted and Tom told him that he was just like Zacchaeus, just looking on, but Jesus wanted to meet him. You could see Richard physically wresting with this as he grabbed his head and hung on, removing his hat. He was fighting, but stepped forward for prayer and for a hole that he had in his lung. Nick would end up praying for him and being able to relate to Richard’s story!
Richard in the white shirt & hat
God also moved more that night and healed three women that came down for prayer. I prayed for a lady that had an ear infection and it was moving into her neck and causing great pain and burning. She was healed almost instantly! We also prayed for two others one with a kidney infection and buring in her lower back, and the other one with swollen glands in her neck that you could see her neck was enlarged. We laid hands on and prayed for both of them and the swelling in the lady’s neck disappeared, and the other one no longer had the intense burning in her lower back. It was awesome to see God move in such an incredible way that night. I am thankful for Manny and his heart for these people.
We went to Apayao in Northern Luzon for a week with the Chi Alpha team from Texas. We all stayed at HISOM, a small AG Bible College in the jungle. I was so impressed by these students. For a week we lived, ate, slept, and ministered in the same conditions that did; mosquito nets, whatever food we could get, and extreme heat with no aircon. These ten students literally gave up everything to go to school for three years, work in the rice fields to pay for their schooling, all because they want to seek God more and see what He has for their lives. It was an incredible thing to see.
The bathroom and shower
God showed us that we can be stretched way beyond what we think we can handle. The living conditions were not in any way comfortable or convenient, nor were they sanitary, however, in a week, God showed me how many people live and they have no other choice. We can live so simply but do not know what it means to live like this until we truly experience it.
So, the following post is just a few things I've learned since being here. To the best of my knowledge, it is accurate. Anyway, I hope you enjoy learning a bit about what I'm experiencing here!
Language
Although Tagalog and English are the official languages, there are many dialects. For most of the last weeks I’ve been here, most people we encounter speak Visayan, or Cebuano. Some things/words are the same, but many are different. Many people still understand the other two to some degree, but they are not their main languages. Then, in certain cities, there are other sub-dialects so to speak. This means that most people speak multiple languages. Many people around the Surigao area, for instance, speak Visayan, Waray, Tagalog, English, and the local city dialect (the name escapes me). Of course, they are not completely fluent in all of them, but it’s still amazing that they grow up speaking so many languages. Even though English is technically an official language of the Philippines, most people speak Filipino, also known as Tagalog. Also, depending on which area one is in, there are different dialects spoken. But, I can communicate here in English if I want to. However, if I say too much, many Filipinos will claim nosebleed. It's a joke here. Filipinos say that if they speak too much English, they will get nosebleeds. It's actually really funny, because sometimes I realize I'm talking too fast or too much in English and then I say something like, "Sorry, nosebleed?" And then the people I'm talking to just laugh and nod.
Banana as big as our thumb
Food
Well, the food here is soooo good. In many ways, it's not that foreign from food we have in the U.S. There is a lot of chicken, pork, and fish. However, it's just combined with different sauces than we're used to, like adobo and champorado. There is also rice, just way more than we eat it in America usually. Let’s just say, it is not a meal if there is not rice on the table. Spring rolls here are common, but they are called lumpia. A special kind of lumpia filled with banana is called turon. A special glaze covers the fried banana lumpia to make it especially tasty (and unhealthy, haha). Fruit is very common here, but they are different fruits from what we are used to.
BUKO for everyone
Santol
Buko (coconut), mango, papaya, santol, dalandan, and many more are grown here, including 11 different types of bananas. Can’t get anything better than fresh fruit all of the time. Ice cream flavors are interesting as well; common flavors are mango, melon, ube, avacado, and chocolate.
Transportation
Transportation can get pretty crazy here. We mostly travel by a bus from different missionaries and churches, but many times we take forms of public transportation as well. We've ridden coach bus, public bus, jeepney, taxi, tricycles, and LRT (train). We will also ride boat and plane in the next week or two. Most of these are relatively inexpensive compared to the states, but they are waaaayyy more crowded. Manilia has 19 million people, so what does that tell you. I suppose it could compare to a big city in the U.S., but it seems way more crowded even than that. The driving is definitely more crazy here. People cut people off on a multi-daily basis. It's just expected. But drivers don't generally get road rage; it's simply expected to have aggressive driving. The honking is a normal occurrence, more to say, "I'm coming through." than to say, "I'm ticked off." It's definitely interesting, but I feel surprisingly safe. Oh, and no seatbelts!
Gestures
The gestures here are interesting, and it did take a bit getting used to. It's fun now, though, to sort of be on the inside a little bit on recognizing them and even doing them myself. I will definitely have to train myself not to do them when I'm back in the States. There is a thing here called a silent greeting, it is just a lifting of the eyebrows. People use it all the time to say hello silently or even to answer a question yes without speaking. It seemed weird to me at first, but now it's almost automatic. Also, if you ask someone where something is, you're likely to get a lip answer. This just means that people with point with their lips where something is rather than their finger or arm to point. It looks funny, but it's just part of how things are here.
Which way, that way
Also, people are very hands-on touchy. It has a lot to do with crowded quarters, but also to do with how close families and communities are. When people are talking to you, it's not uncommon for them to put their hand on your shoulder, or hit you lightly randomly. Also, you very frequently see people walking down the streets and in the malls with interlocking arms, even girls with girls and guys with guys. Another thing that's common is the "psst" sounds. Mostly moms use it to get their kids' attention, and the reaction is immediate.
Behavior
The people here are very welcoming. At the churches we've been to and just different places, the hospitality is always something to be noted. It's not uncommon for us to get the best food, even though it feels awkward when those you are with don't have it. But the people here are very giving that way. Also, family is super important here. Families almost always live together, even extended. Even after children get married, it's not uncommon for them to stay living with the family. People also call non-relatives names that are considered part of the family. It's a sign of respect. Ate means big sister, and kuya, big brother. When I get introduced, especially to children, I get introduced as Ate Jinnae. It's a respect thing. Also, as a sign of respect, when talking to someone older, the word "po" is added to speaking. So if you're saying good morning to an older person, you would say, "Magandang umaga po". I actually really like these concepts. The culture is just so respectful. Also, everything is Yes Ma’am, Yes Sir, sometimes you even get a Yes Ma’am Sir.
Entertainment
Basketball is HUGE here, and I mean huge, it is all they watch or play. I don't think I've seen any other sport played. We had a chance to go to one of the PBA games which was a lot of fun. Another thing that's popular is singing and dancing. Filipinos love their music. American music is popular, especially among the younger crowd, but any music is enjoyed. There are also dances, such as the ocho ocho, that are popular. It's been fun watching and even learning a little of some.Here are some of the things that children do for fun. Really, they seem entertained by almost anything, but there are a few things I’ve seen quite often. Of course, there is basketball and dancing and singing. But I’ve often seen a kid playing with tires and sticks, just like I was taught was a pioneer activity (except with wheels). Another thing that is extremely popular is spider fighting. Kids can buy matchboxes filled with spiders. Then, they put two of them on a stick and watch them fight. It’s funny because people are not generally afraid of spiders here. I’ve even seen spiders as big as my hand fought here. It’s fun to watch and some of the boys on our team have even gotten into it.
Some of the spiders we caught
Another thing among adults that is popular is cock fighting. It’s legal here, so there are arenas for it.. One of the things I find entertaining is the amount of people they fit on motorcycles. It's usually at least four, but I've seen up to six. While being here, even I have ridden on a motorcycle with three other people. It's fun but also scary. Religion
The Philippines is predominantly Roman Catholic, but there are a number of Protestants here as well. Religion is another big part of life here. Religious sayings are everywhere airbrushed onto Jeepneys and such. People are very open here, even the government and schools. Sometimes when we're presenting in schools I forget that I don't have to be careful about what I say. In some areas here, though, Protestants are known as born-again, and it's seen almost like a cult. But mostly it's open. There are also a number of Muslims scattered throughout, but there is a large number in the southern part of the PI, known as Mindanao. Phrases
To start off, I will list a few common terms here.
CR- comfort room, the word for bathroom here
Aircon-what AC is called here
Chanelles or slippers-the word for flip flops
Tissue- what we would call a napkin at the dinner table, you never say napkin here.
Jobs
Education is very important here. People need a college degree to even be a janitor in some department stores. Nursing is very extremely common here as a major. However, there just aren’t enough jobs for the amount of people graduating. Because of this, you commonly see someone with a nursing degree working as a maid or cashier or something. Many dream of getting nursing jobs in the States, but it’s a long process and also very hard to get there financially. It’s sad seeing so many people jobless, especially when most have college degrees.
Communication
Cell phones are very important here. Almost everyone has one, and they are very valued. Many times, people will buy load for their phone over food. I mean, not everyone does that, but it’s not uncommon. Also, phones aren’t really on plans, they are by load. Load is simply what allows a phone to text or call. A text takes so much load and load costs so many pesos. One of the phrases I learned first because of its abundance was “Load na dito”, which means load here now. Of course, Facebook is also popular, especially among younger generations. I have so many friend requests from all the people I’ve met that it’s ridiculous.
Family
I know I mentioned that family was very important here. But I thought I’d talk about that some more. Even when separated by thousands of miles or much time, families are very close. A couple of girls on our team are Filipina by blood, but American by citizenship. Both have visited family here, even though they have seen them for ten years or more. And they are still super close. Some of their family they didn’t even meet until they came here, but they are still arranging to spend time with them before leaving next week. They are just so much closer than families in the States. Families would do anything for each other here. Families that seem close in the States seem to fail in comparison to families here. It’s just part of the culture, but it’s so rare in the States that it stands out so much to me.
Time
This culture is much more event based than time based. This just means that people care more about the event than about the time in which it happens. If something is supposed to start at 6, it probably won’t until at least 7 if not after. This makes it really hard for Americans to adjust to the culture since we are time based. Filipinos don’t understand why the person gets frustrated if they don’t show up on time because, to them, they at least showed up. We call it “Filipino Time”, and even Filipinos know and joke about it.
Largest worm EVER!
Bugs Okay, so this isn’t really part of the culture as much as it’s just a part of nature. I’ve gotten much more used to bugs since I’ve been here. I have many mosquito bites, no matter how much repellent I seem to use. But there are just random flying and crawling bugs around everywhere. It is something that you can’t really be bothered by here or you’re going to be constantly annoyed. I’ve encountered red ants on more than one occasion, which leave a nasty bite. I’ve also knowingly drank my coffee even though a bug was floating in it. None of us on the team care enough to pick them out anymore; we consider them extra protein. Ha. But we encounter more than just bugs.
Baby Gecko
Frogs, lizards, and geckos crawl and hop around everywhere, especially when we’re not in the city. Many geckos live in our rooms, fall off the walls and ceiling onto the table while eating dinner, or crawl right up your leg. We hear them making noise at all hours of the night. It’s been interesting. It will be nice sleeping without bugs all around me, but it’s kind of fun just being used to it.
Anyways, this is just a little bit of insight into Filipino culture!
On Saturday, July 10 we flew to Bohol from Manila. It's an island on the east part of the Philippines, and it's known for its tourist attractions, from the beautiful beaches to the "chocolate" hills. But even though it is very beautiful, there is still a lot of poverty. Many are still struggling to survive and provide for their families. We saw all of this during our week of ministry there.
Upon arrival, we went immediately to our first ministry site, located in Calape. We worked with New Life Assembly of God until Tuesday. The pastor there is Pastor Rowen, a graduate from the Bible School in Bohol. He's in his twenties, like many of the pastors in the church plants in Bohol.
There at New Life, we did a lot of evangelism in the community. We would go from house to house, handing out tracts and praying with people. We also did a lot of children's ministry. We would split the team up into groups and go to different villages to play and minister to the children. On Sunday, we were in charge of the service, from the worship to the preaching to the children's service. It went really well, and I definitely enjoyed getting to know the people of the churches. Overall, it was a really great experience, and I really enjoyed our time in Calape.
Fish and the drop off
Beautiful fish and coral
After Calape, we had a two day break at Alona Beach. There, we met up again with Tom Bohnert, the missionary in charge of the internship. We talked about the time we had spent in PI already and talked about what was ahead of us. It was great being all-together again to talk about what God has been doing and what goals we still wanted to fulfill for our remaining time. We also took a little time to see some sights in those couple of days. We got to see some of the beautiful coral in the ocean and also got to see the Chocolate Hills. We also got to see the world's smallest primate, the tarsier, on the way to our next ministry point, Loboc.
Alona Beach
Team at the Chocolate Hills
In Loboc, we did similar things as in Calape. We evangelized, prayed for people, held Bible studies in homes, and worked with children. We also worked with a recent church plant, only three months old, and their pastor, Ephraim. We also worked with Pastor Rowen more there and other ministry members, Nathan and Lala. It was really great getting to know them, and I really enjoyed the night we had a fellowship time with them and some other members of the church. We sang and had coffee together. It was a really great time. All of our time in Loboc was. We met some great people in the community and got to encourage many in their walks with the Lord. We did the service at the church on Sunday and had lunch with the people we were ministering with one last time before leaving.
July 28, 2010
What an incredible service we are having. A thunderstorm has come in over the rice fields. It thunders and lightnings and brings rain with a fresh cool breeze. Here we sit in almost darkness in a little tiny church service with only six members, our team out numbers the people here. There are two candles lit up front, no power. We sing worship songs and praises to God with only our voices, the room is filled with the presence of God. The atmosphere is so different from anything I have ever experienced, but God is here in our midst!
. . . Kevin is speaking on spiritual hunger and tying it into the testimonies Ashley and I gave. This message is so powerful.
. . . After Kevin spoke; we had everyone come up to the front so that we could pray for them, and for the church. The pastor wanted us to pray for a revival in the church. All six members plus the pastor and his wife stood across the front and we laid hands on them and earnestly began to seek God. Something so incredible took place tonight there are no words. The presence of God and the Holy Spirit were so strong, the strongest most evident presence that any of us had ever experienced in a room/setting before. We had stopped by the church earlier that day and I remember joking and saying that we were going to the upper room to have service, but looking back on what I said, we had a crazy encounter with the Holy Spirit. We were all praying out loud and I remember praying, “Holy Spirit come and sweep across this place and these hearts right now” and as soon as I had spoke that, a young many down on the end started speaking loudly in tongues, the whole room erupted into tongues and the whole room was boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus. It sounded like there were hundreds of people in the room when there were only a few less than twenty people. Our team has been praying for boldness and I definitely had received boldness. I stepped back from the lady I was praying for and the words would not stop coming out of my mouth. I was almost yelling the words and praying with such a passion and boldness. I have never had an experience where the Holy Spirit overwhelms and overtakes in such a way as what happened tonight.
The absolute passion and hunger for God has filled this place. God has brought a fresh anointing on all of our hearts, The Holy Spirit was in our presence as we all cried out as people of different nationalities, but as a people hungry and thirsty of God. I love seeing the face and the heart of God because when He shows up, you know it and you cannot hide what He is doing in your heart. He swept across this place like a wild fire, everyone was touched and filled! What an incredible night. God’s presence is amazing, we were all broken, undone vessels seeking all that God had, we bowed down before Him and He met us right where we all were. What an amazing heavenly Father we serve. If we seek, pray, and run hard after the heart of God, He will not disappoint, but comes with fervency. He overwhelms, brings abundant joy, and love more passionate than I have ever known. The peace and presence of God is the secret place, My Father’s love is deep, His arms strong, He is what we should always desire to seek day after day!
Wednesday July 28, 2010 We were made to be in a love relationship not with another human being, but with our heavenly Father. He pursues us with a passionate love, unlike any other. This love is so deep, it is the only thing we need. His love is jealous, desiring for us to love Him first, and Him only. We were not made to live in sin or be bound to the world. We were made to have a love encounter with God. The love of God changes us, we are not the same when we have this encounter. I have had the most incredible love encounter with God while on this trip. I cannot remember a time in my life where I felt freer, where God has completely changed my life, and where love abounds and overflows in my life. I fought God’s love, grace, and mercy for years. The freedom I have found has changed me. I allowed anger and bitterness to take control of my life and ruin relationships, but God has changed me! I couldn’t have ever changed any of this myself, but only through God and His love are we made whole again. True joy in its purest form, love like I have never experienced has filled me and I am able to show that and express it to others. God has truly encountered me and everything in my life like never before. God wants to have a love encounter with all of us. I thank God that I am not the same that His love met me in such an incredible and tangible way!
Today during the day we went back to the houses that we prayed at yesterday and conducted Bible studies. I then walked with most of my team to a house way back in the jungle down this dirt road to a house where a Christian family lived. Jason and Rhen had encountered them the day before and were to conduct a Bible study with them today. They also felt that there was evil spirits in the house, so some of us wanted to go with them. We went to the house and Jason led the Bible study. There are 5 people living in the house: the parents, two daughters and a son. We prayed for the family as a whole, and then for Bernadette, the oldest daughter who is 30. The mother told the story of her daughter and this is what we found out. Bernadette was a very smart and bright girl; she graduated high school, but at the age of 18 was raped. The mother also said that something else had gone on in their daughters life that they are not sure about, but now Bernadette has almost no memory, she doesn’t speak, and really just acts as if she was born with a mental disorder. It is clear however that she is demon possessed, you can definitely tell when you look at her eyes. I locked eyes with her one time from across the room and was very freaked out; it was a super eerie moment. We prayed for her and the guys moved into the room where Nelson was. This boy was about 20 years old had been born with polio, and somewhere somehow has also become demon possessed and the parents believe that both of their children were possessed about the same time. The demon that lives in Nelson is very aggressive and the parents have had to chain their son to the bed. The guys prayed for him for about 30 minutes as the demon manifested itself, they continued to pray, but eventually, Nelson, or the demon told them to get out of the room and leave him alone. Jason know that the demon saw Jesus in them . . .
Bernadette and her mom
While the guys were in that room praying, us girls sat with the mother, Bernadette, and the other daughter. The other daughter had been listening to the conversation and prayers and finally broken down crying telling us that she is so frustrated and angry that people in the village where they live make fun of her and her family because they are Christians and love God, but her brother and sister are both crazy and possessed. It was so sad to hear because this girl and her parents love God. We prayed for her and then for her mom who had suffered a stroke and was scared that she could die and not be there to watch over, care for, and love her kids. I thank God that we had the opportunity to be with the family even if it was only for a little more than an hour’s time. We did not see any miracle or freedom from demon possession, but I know that God move in that house and that the Holy Spirit was at work in the younger daughter’s heart for sure. We were able to bring love, comfort, and hope to a family who has been through so much in life. I know that God will continue to use the family in the village and that He will move in their lives. I pray blessing over the family and the blood of Jesus over the daughter and son that they may be free from any demonic spirit, God, I know you can bring healing, may their hearts be opened to you!
Jason and Rhen went back to deliver a Bible to the family
Tonight after dinner we all piled in and onto Pastor Rowen’s car/van and headed into the jungle up a road to a farm where we fellowshipped together as a team with the pastor we had been working with for the week. It was so peaceful to be up in the jungle on a bench made of a couple of 2x4’s sitting under a little covering. It was a clear night, all of the stars were out, the moon was out, and you could hear all of the crickets and frogs making noise. It was truly beautiful and peaceful! God’s creation is amazing! We all sat around singing, worshipping, and sharing about what God had done in each of our lives that week in Loboc. It was great to just sit in God’s presence and have reflection time with our team.
Today was a stretching day for me. We got up this morning at 7am had breakfast on the deck and then left for the church. We split up into four teams with some nationals and went door to door all day praying for people and handing out tracts. Ashley, Miles and I were in a group with Mark Novem. We walked around the villages behind New Life AG and down by the houses that are right on the ocean handing out tracts and inviting people to New Life.
Lady in green healed of asthma
There is something here that they call the American or the White factor. People are more apt to listen to us and hear what we have to say as opposed to when the nationals go around and talk to people. It was awesome that people wanted to listen to us and ask us questions. We had three really awesome encounters today. The first was for a woman by the name of Maria Suzanna. We had met her Sunday after church. She had slipped into service a little bit late that day, but after service, Ashley Miles and I all had a chance to pray for her and for healing in her body. She had suffered a stroke and had lost most of her vision. She also had really bad asthma. Another thing that she wanted prayer for was her daughter who is an unbeliever. Through this I still thank God that even though there is a language barrier here in Bohol, that we are still able to somewhat understand enough to be able to minister and pray for people. Today without knowing where we were or what house we were at, stopped at her house. The one thing on this trip that is hard on others and me is that we do not get follow up on what we do or whom we pray for, but today we did. Maria explained to us that after we prayed for her on Sunday after church that she went home and we able to breath freely and that the cough that she had subsided and she had so much relief! She had been praying for years that she would be able to breath normally, and standing there getting to here this from her was incredible and it was evident that God touched her! We prayed with her again that God would receive all of the glory and the awesome thing was that her daughter was a witness to what went on that day and I hope and pray that she might come to have a relationship with Him!
Man with wound
Another encounter that we had was with a man who lived behind the one of the Catholic cathedrals in very unsanitary conditions. We met him as we were walking back to New Life because we were done doing ministry for the day and it was time for dinner, but God said not yet. This man came hobbling over to us asking for 10 pesos so that he could get some medicine or as we found out he actually wanted to buy alcohol to numb the pain that he was in. As he came closer to us, we could see that his eyes and obviously his vision was horribly messed us, but also on his leg was a large open pussing and oozing wound. As we talked to him, we could tell that he had some psychological problems and drunk. The wound that he had was there for a little over a month and was growing larger and larger. We asked him if we could pray for him and he said yes. Our whole team showed up and we all laid hands on him and prayed for healing to come to this man and freedom from needing to drink. In short, healing never came, but we had the chance to take him to a local medical center and we all paid for him to get his leg cleaned out and bandaged up. We prayed for him on last time and let him be on his way. God did not move in the way of a healing possibly because if the man was healed, I really doubt that the glory would have gone to God. I also don’t think that the man would have changed his life around and seen that God renewed him. I cannot say though why there was not healing, but I am thankful that we were able to pray for him and get him some medical attention. We were able to show love to him even though he may have not been able to understand it.
The last encounter that we had was impactful was with a woman who we were able to talk to, share the love and life of Christ with, and then pray for. We showed up on her porch and she invited us to sit after asking us what we wanted with her and why we were coming. She wanted to know if it had to do with religion and was a bit hesitant, but let us sit. She was Catholic and we just asked her questions about what she believed about Jesus and where she thought that she was going when she died. We sat and talked and each of us were able to share what God had done in our lives, what it means to have a relationship with Christ and also that we knew without a doubt that we know where we are going when we die. It was a really great time to sit with her and pour some truth into her life!
