When we arrived, there were already at least 100 children with their families waiting for us. Their eyes lit up as we unloaded the jeepney filled with juice, meals, clothes, toothbrushes and toothpaste. As we waited for the rest of the team, a young boy who was born without arms came up to us with his mother. He was unable to talk clearly but it was clear he wanted to share with us.
Finally, the mother told us that he wanted to dance for us. So, without arms..the boy began this beautiful dance from the Filipino culture that made everyone forget about the heat and the circumstances; and just enjoyed his expressions. It was truly an amazing experience. …
Soon after, the rest of the team arrived and we unpacked the rest of the items. I introduced the team and shared with the filled room (200 children identified plus their family members) the reason why we came from America to be with them. I shared with them about Christ’s love and that it is possible to have a personal relationship with Him. Pastor Lemuel followed this up with clarification in Cebuano, and a closing prayer. We then distributed the meals to the families. Their eyes lit up with anticipation as we gave them their meals. We proceeded to hand out toothbrushes and toothpaste. While this was being done, Melinda grabbed her electric razor and some scissors and started giving the children hair cuts. As she was doing this, the team started to distribute clothing. This is where it got crazy as everyone started pushing forward trying to get the best shoes and clothes for their family. The team got covered and swamped. The poverty and need of these families was really displayed as they hollered and pushed forward trying to get the attention of mission team members to give them clothing. As we started to run out of clothes, the crowd started to dwindle some as well. Unfortunately we simply did not have enough for everyone…but we rarely ever do; there is always a much greater need than there is supply.
At the end, the boy with no arms was able to get to the front. He was trying to tell me something, but again I was unable to understand. Finally his mom made her way to me and stated that he was wanting a shirt. Thankfully we had one left and his eyes lit up as he got a new shirt… a small act of kindness, to a world full of despair and need. I pray that God’s love was felt in that place…I pray they left knowing more about His goodness and Mercy. I hope that God will use that time in the community to bring the lost to Him.
After the feeding/distribution we were all tired and sweaty…we all jumped back into the jeepney and went to the orphanage for lunch. After lunch some of us went to pick up Layney from the hospital. Others went to shop for supplies for the orphanage. Others stayed behind to work on the chapel, the study area, the office, some benches, the basketball goal and the playground. There are lots of things still to do to fix up the orphanage and provide for the youth.
On Friday the team worked at the orphanage to attempt to complete all of their projects. They painted the walls in most of the orphanage, they bought shelving, items for the chapel, put down grass for the playground area, fixed the basketball goal, and did a lot of work to fix up the orphanage. During the day several left to go to the Metro because a lot of the kids at the orphanage are still in need of clothing and daily supplies. To think that the children were once living on the streets or in the trash…and are now in the orphanage hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ… and the team was buying them new clothes… but there is so much more going on; as the children are taking off of the old ways and putting on the new. Physically/literally but also Spiritually. At the end of the day, the team revealed to the children and staff at WHY that we purchased a washing machine for the orphanage. Linda (the Yaya) started crying tears of happiness. She shared with us that the inner part of her arms have bled many times from washing the children’s clothing. With the washing machine, her arms will no longer have to bleed….
On Friday, Sheryl and I went to Camotes. This is where the donated property for the building of the orphanage is located. We were able to walk the land and pray for what may be. What the future may look like. What God may be able to provide for the children of Cebu and of the Philippines. Our imagination ran just thinking of having our own school, chapel, basketball court, housing for the kids. We are just in prayer about it. We are dreaming and imagining what that would look like and be like if that was our home. The place where we will one day live in the future.
We wished Steve a happy return to Florida on Saturday morning and then headed to the jeepneys for our four hour journey to Boljoon.
When we arrived, the kids were SO excited. Many had never been to the beach before, they didn’t know how to swim. Most had never stayed overnight at a hotel/resort area. Their eyes told the story of their amazement. All of the kids were able to make it. Even the new ones!! We had Boo, Gigi, John Mark, Robi and Nemfa. We were complete!!
We spent the day playing in the beach with them, reading Bible stories to them, looking for crabs, cool rocks and just absorbing and loving our time spent with the kids. When we had our meal, we were all together at the same time. In the culture, typically the kids ate first and then the adults. But this time, we all had the same things offered. We were celebrating Robi’s birthday and they also celebrated my birthday early. It was a lot of fun to eat the same foods and sing the same songs and just have a time of union with the group and the kids. We then ended the night with a Bible study. Though it was late and the kids were tired; some even had a fever; the children sat there without making a noise. They were not restless, they were not complaining, they were there to learn about the Bible and they showed their respect to the pastor and to the team. I shared the story of Mephibosheth with the group. How that we all do not deserve grace, we only deserve death; but because of God’s goodness and grace towards us; He invites us to sit at His table. That we are all equally sinful…yet we are all equally redeemed. That we all, due to His mercies, sit at His table together and worship and experience His goodness.
More to come....
Peace, Dustin
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