Reflections

Well the team arrived on Wednesday at 4pm in Knoxville. We started the journey home at 8pm on Monday (7am in Knoxville). Which means our entire trip took us 33 hours. Our last day there we got two more boys. The boy who could not speak and his friend. They were shocked and excited to see a working restroom with a shower. One of the first things they did was take off their clothes and wash; and then brush their teeth. The boys were elated to feel clean. Christine and Kim had purchased clothes for all of the kids at the orphanage. In preparation of their arrival they had a few outfits waiting for them. The boys quickly made the place their home, coloring, playing with the toys and making friends with Jolley. The rest of the children were in school and were not there to greet the boys. When I arrived, the boys gave me a big hug and were eager to help me unload the car and bring items into the home. They were excited to see the radio/CD player and other items that were purchased that morning for the home. The boy who had been chained into his room was now given freedom. Freedom of a new home, new clothes, food, a clean and safe place to live. The chains of not knowing the true love of God and who Jesus truly is has been taken away as well. It is easy to miss the spiritual implications of the orphanage if you are not careful. It is easy to see the transformations that takes place regarding the physical appearance of the children, the food provided, the living conditions..etc etc..but the unseen; what will truly change their lives is the spiritual. I read in an article that it was determined that over 90% of Filipinos are Christian. What is left out of this article is the belief that the Catholic teachings of the Santo Nino being Jesus, and that to approach God you must go through Mary and that Jesus is not a personal Lord and Saviour but a distant God that you cannot have a personal relationship with is considered Christian. If you take out the equation the Catholicism in the Philippines (which I recognize is different from most Catholic teachings in other parts of the world) the percentage of Christians in the Philippines goes down to about 7%.

After taking care of the boys, we left to do some last minute shopping for the orphanage, Gail went to visit with Ben and Bayon at Mercy, we had lunch; and then we returned to the orphanage. Many of us packed, while others prayer walked the entire property. We were also able to meet the Yaya who will be providing day to day care of the youth. We prayed over the gazeebo, where the basketball goal was located; dining area and their bedrooms. Each of us filled with emotions as we prayed for the street children that now had a name. Those who we have coveted with to provide food, shelter, clothing and any other need that they may have. As we were praying our faith was challenged and our trust in the staff was weighed. I think each of us had developed a bond with at least a few of the children if not all. And now what? We were going to leave them; we took them out of an abusive environment to just spend a few days with them and that was it? No, the Lord answered that these few were the ones who were Blessed. The ones who were cherished. They had been rescued, they were safe now.... no the task has just begun to rescue all that He has planned for; our task is not to cry for those that we had got to know and love; but to have a sense of urgency and desire to rescue those that we are yet to meet.

It is odd, but something that I had not considered on this trip is those who joined this journey with me in June of 2009. I had been praying and hoping that there would be a day that I would be a part of helping the street children in Cebu since the year 2000. In 2009 when the first team came and they saw the conditions that the children were living in; were able to wash away their dirt; hold and love children who had been neglected and abused; their hearts were challenged too. The lives of the team were forever changed. Since June 2009 there has been a group of us meeting, praying, raising money, crying and sacrificing time with our families hoping for a day that these children that we encountered would have a safe place to live. That day came this January 2010. God heard our cries and our longings to help these children and he blessed us with a great home and wonderful staff to provide care for these kids. What didn't occur to me is what happened to many in the Bible. Some sowed seed, some watered and God gave the increase. Many of our team members in June have sacrificed so much; there are ALOT of people who have never been to the Philippines who have been touched by the stories of these kids who have financially supported us from day one... yet they did not get to experience the joy of preparing the home and spending time with these children. Perhaps that is a glimpse of what faith is like. Evidence of things not seen; to be able to invest your time, money and energy into something and not get to physically see the children, to not be able to hold them, to not wipe away their tears or hear their words of gratitude; but to know in your heart that this is happening; to know that the orphanage is not all about you that it is not all about me; that it is really not all about these kids. This orphanage is about building God's kingdom. The injustice in the Philippines has no place in God's kingdom. The poverty, the neglect, the abuse and suffering have no place in His Kingdom. God has called His people. He has chosen us and He has chosen this place to be a place to make His name known. Out of these street children that are now at the orphanage will one day be teachers, pastors, doctors and nurses. The sick will become healers; the abused will become teachers; the victims will become pastors. Is it this building that will do this? Is it the Americans who see this need doing this? No, in all of this; whatever is good, whatever is pure; whatever that will be everlasting is totally from God. Our joy comes from the fact that God allows us to be a part of it. Our joy comes from the fact that we get to be obedient to God and make Him known. We are a part of building His kingdom. I cannot think of a better purpose for a life. Will you be a part?

Dustin