The past, present and future

We have several Bibles in our home, how blessed we are!  So when I chose one this morning I opened it up to find the schedule of our celebration service from our June 09 mission.  It reminded me of how I was feeling one year ago.

The Past:

I wanted to go on the June 09 mission trip to the Philippines for selfish reasons.  Dustin had been telling me of his experiences, of the people, of the beauty, of the horrid living conditions, etc for 8 years.  In my mind, I deserved to go.  But coming up with the money for two of us...well maybe I would be left behind.  But God started working, he provided the means for me to go through a wonderful lady in our church.  As time got closer and through preparations with the team, I began studying and praying about what God would do.  My prayer was, "God, if just one life can be changed the mission will be successful."  I wanted to touch more people with God's love and kindness, but I hoped for just one.

God answered my prayer.  One life was changed....mine.  During those 12 days, God created me anew.  He brought me to the realization of how selfish I had been, of how loving and giving He is - always.  He opened my eyes to how He loves the least of these, this includes us, and gives us that love through His son. 



The Present: Update from Colleen

Last night we celebrated Pam’s 50th birthday. All the kids at WHY (Wesley Home for Youth) made her cards and brought her freshly picked flowers. We had a great time eating cake and visiting with the kids. I got to spend some time with some of the girls. I got to teach Jeraluz, a teenage girl here, a few chords on the guitar and a plucking pattern that I use for slower worship songs.


We finished sorting toiletry items, clothing, and Bibles this morning to take to the children at the garbage dumpsite tomorrow. We will get to visit with a lot of the families there tomorrow. There are five children we will be “interviewing” tomorrow. From those five, we will select one boy and one girl to come live at WHY.

Pray that we can help bring healing to the kids here at WHY. Many of the children who live here now have come from difficult circumstances. One boy told Jonathan, one of our team members, he would probably be a criminal now if he had not come to live at WHY. The teenage boys in the neighborhood where he previously lived would severely beat him up until he agreed to take drugs. He knows that these same boys have murdered people in their barangay (neighborhood), and he feared that he would be forced to follow that same lifestyle. Some of the girls here were exploited merely as a means to bring income in for their families. It is wonderful that these kids have been removed from that environment, but there is obviously a deep healing process that needs to take place.




 
As soon as the kids get out of school this afternoon, we are going to practice some worship songs for them to sing at tomorrow’s outreach. The girls here, especially Michelle, really love to sing, so that has been a great way for me to really connect with them. Declare with me that our worship songs will really touch the people and change the atmosphere tomorrow.
 
The Future:
One year later, our June 09 mission continues through others. The mission has reached from Michigan to Texas, from Tennessee to Florida. What a tremendous blessing to watch God's hand create, provide and open a home that is a means to getting abandoned, abused, forgotten children off the streets. I am certain that things won't be easy, the devil attacks often! But God is completely in control and His will will continue being done as long as we follow Him and don't start trying to make things work on our own.


"But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, but a new creation." Gal 6:14-15

Thankful, Sheryl