This is a passage that I feel describes where our entire team is right now. All of us are discerning where we are in this journey with Christ, how much we have given, and how much we are still holding onto. There have been multiple opportunities for the team to say, "I am too tired", or "we don't have enough money" or "shouldn't we be dong x, y, or z instead of a, b, or c"...but they have not. The team this past morning got to experience one of the most frustrating aspects of short term missions known to man...waiting. It seemed that one thing came up after another that delayed us getting to the orphanage. Arnell and I were running behind (I know imagine that right?) but eventually picked up the team from where they were staying around 10:40. Gail Shipp had successfully made it in earlier that morning and we headed off to check into the new hotel that they will be staying for just one night. Since there is SO much to do before Wednesday; the team decided that they will stay all night in the orphanage tonight (Tuesday) and then look at how they want to break up their night stays.
After checking in we finally got to the orphanage around 12pm. Jonathan and Michelle was introduced to sawing bamboo with a dull saw and how to chop the bamboo with a machette. They pretty much did that ALL day!! We will use that wood to build our dining room table and some of it for the gazeebo. Chuck and Chris left shortly after getting there to get supplies to do the electrical work that they needed to do and then returned to trouble shoot all of the unique wiring that our Filipino brothers had left for them. After alot of prayer and discernment Chris and Chuck were able to get some lights put up and have a few more to complete today. Gail was busy getting things set up to do health screenings for the children who come for the intake process. She will be going to the health department today (Tuesday) to complete her preparation for the big day on Wednesday. The rest of us Kim, Kristine and myself with to Ayala which is a huge mall in Cebu. We purchased flooring that will placed today; we purchased 14 mattresses; 12 blankets (we will not let 2 go cold, we anticipate starting off with 12); paint for the beds, railing and several walls, brushes; Kim and Kristine got into the kids toy section...bad idea.... and walked away with basketballs, soccer balls, hoops, and all kinds of crazy stuff for our kids to enjoy while at the orphanage. As we returned back to the orphanage we purchased chicked lechon for the team to eat for dinner, some mangoes, and 2 phones for the team to call each other back and forth on that we will give to orphanage staff to use while we are gone and for mission teams to use when they return.
After dinner we had a great time of sharing and prayer. I was thankful that Arnell participated and we were able to pray for his mother who is slowly dying of cancer and kidney failure. It was a great time of bonding for the team.
Today, (Tuesday) will be more of the same. There are just a few items we still need and then ALOT of manual labor to get everything ready. I believe I shared in an earlier post that tomorrow (Wednesday) is when the kids (all of them) and their families will be coming to the orphanage to visit and then some of the key supporters will be there as well. We will feed all of them American food (spaghetti.don't laugh), give them a tour, and may have a brief time to speak and sing songs with the visitors...who will soon be residents. After they leave; our team will discuss each family and their situation to get a clear understanding of who will qualify and who may not. Many of the kids that we anticipated to be placed there did not come to our Sunday meeting and many that we did not identify showed up. So God is bringing to us who He has chosen. Please pray for us during this process. It is easy when looking at the cost and time and sacrifice to get discouraged; but we know this is of the enemy. What a blessed time to be in service for our God. As we build and go into war (above Scripture reference) may we be found to be a true disciple of Christ.
Pray for strength for the team today. Working outside in the heat is difficult. Pray that we are a witness to some of the laborers that are there working alongside of this constructing and completing what needs to be done.
Grace,
Dustin
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