We finished our week at Bethel Bible College in Valenzuela City, Manila on Saturday. We had an amazing week working with Pastor Bill and Lavonne Boyer, directed by our fearless leader Brent Wood! We did a lot of different things this week, and we DEFINITELY grew so much as a team.
To start the week, we ministered on Sunday at Jesus Cares Assembly of God in Manila, right down the street from BBC. We did testimonies and special songs for both the morning and evening services. In the afternoon, we got to take part in the youth service, with one of our team members doing the sermon. We also had time to fellowship a little bit with the students and play games with them (namely NINJA!). Also, the girls there are all very gifted in using the tambourine and even tried to help us learn a few moves to some songs. Then on Wednesday, we got to go there again for their prayer service. I really enjoyed the time we spent there. It's such an awesome church, and God is doing some great things there!
We spent a lot of time on the BBC campus during the week. We got to interact with students when we saw them, and even got to go to a couple of chapel services. But most of the time we were there, we were doing work projects for the college. We broke and removed cement, leveled dirt, planted, painted their library, and a few other miscellaneous tasks. Even though it was hard work out in the sun, it was really cool to be a blessing to the college and get some things done that they needed done.
A couple of the days, we got to go out into different parts of the city and minister to people. We went to a couple of squatter villages to simply offer prayer. People there were so accepting and kept pointing to different people to be prayed for. We actually got to pray for one lady who kept hearing spirits in her head and was being lead by them, so we prayed for her to be set free. However, we ended up finding out that she had been to the witch doctor that morning and didn't want to give up what the witch doctor had given her to get better, so there was nothing we could do when she wasn't willing to be free. We also prayed for a lady with cancer living there, and she was very encouraged by us coming. By looking in her eyes, you could tell a definite change of emotions. They went from being afraid and exhausted to eyes full of gratitude and joy for us coming to pray for her. It was so touching.
Another day we went to a nearby town to work with Bethel Christian Church. We simply split into groups and went around to different neighborhoods offering prayer and handing out tracts. One group got to pray for a lady contemplating suicide, and were able to show her the value she has in God. Another group got to lead a man into salvation. And still another group got to pray for a couple leading a Bible study, that many souls would be touched. I really enjoyed working with members of the church and ministering on the streets.
On Friday, we got an opportunity to do something pretty neat, at least in my mind. We got invited to do a Bible study at the City Hall for the City Engineers. It was pretty simple. We just came and sang a song, shared a testimony, and gave a small message. But it was really neat to be able to do that in a government building. Also, pastors are invited into the schools to do "Value Lessons", and the Gospel is allowed to be shared. It's so ironic, because when we explain how cool that is that those things are allowed, Filipinos simply say, "Oh yes, Philippines is a free country." In their eyes, America is not free, even though we pride ourselves so much in that.
Then came the time to leave on Saturday. We had a little excursion to Greenhills shopping center, where many items are inexpensive. We had a good time shopping, but we always enjoy riding different forms of transportation to get places: taxis, tricycles, LRT train, public bus, jeepneys, and the like. We always manage to squeeze in wherever we go. :)
Now we're in a different part of Manila in Ortigas for the week.
