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| | What the Filipinos taught me...I realized tonight how much I had forgotten about my trip to the
Philippines and how much it meant to me. I looked at my pictures and
saw the little faces of the children, and staff memebers of Compassion
there, and it made me remember what they go through every day for
survival. I got frustrated that I haven't shared their story as much as
I should have(because that's my part)...so here it is. This is only
part of it--written after the second day. There is so much more, but,
you will have to go without it for now, unless you want to ask me and I
will try to share the full story. Please, take time to read this--not
because it's good...it's not perfect in any writers perspective, but
it's my heart and these peoples' lives.
-----
When I got to the Philippines Sunday, I was really tired and really
unprepared for what would happen in the next few days. My heart was not
ready to be Christ's ambassador. It was not ready to do what we as
Christians are called to do--love as Christ loved.
So it was with this truth lurking in me that I went to bed Sunday
night. I woke up in the middle of the night, tossing and turning, but
God had given me a prayer. "Don't let me be a 'clean', white, middle
class republican from America that is afraid to get dirty, afraid to
smell like the places I had been, afraid to cry, afraid to laugh,
afraid to love." I don't know how many times I prayed this that night,
but in the morning I had a new peace. So, after breakfast, we headed
off to the projects and I was quite nervous. When we arrived at
Compassion Headquarters, here in Manila, I was overwhelmed with the
excitement, joy, and love of these workers. If you didn't know any
better, you'd think you were someone really special from the way they
treated you. By the end of lunch I was starting to realize how amazing
these people really are. They love to laugh. Love to talk about Jesus.
Love to dance. Love to sing in worship. But these are the workers. They
have nice houses, I'm sure. They have plenty to eat. Why not be happy?
After lunch we were off to our first project site. I was pretty nervous
as I lathered on my insect repellant and sunscreen and stuck my handy
germ-x in my bag. When we arrived we were overwhelmed by greetings from
the workers and mothers and children. We made our way to a large
pavilion and sat down. In a minute I realized that where I was sitting
was the classroom. American kids would die if they had to go to school
in a "picnic spot" where it was hot and humid. How spoiled we are, I
thought. I looked at face after face of the mothers of these children.
Almost all of them had a ready smile and welcome for me. They were so
happy. Of course, these mothers have plenty to eat, plenty of security
since they are enrolled with Compassion right? So why not be happy?
Soon we were headed in little groups to the "homes". I wasn't quite
sure what to expect and when they dropped us off at a little corner
store I hopped out and looked around. Uhh...where are the houses? Our
leader lead us through a narrow alley beside a standing of water that
made your stomach turn. It was so dark you could hardly see where you
were going. We soon took a left turn, and went down another alley that
was about 3 ft wide maybe, then ducked through another area, and then
up a ladder and into a little room. On our way, we had passed countless
people living in little areas wherever they could find a place to lay.
Children ducked in and out of view. The amazing thing was, these
people, too, had a smile and hearty welcome for us. One lady shook my
hand and kissed me--again, were I not otherwise aware, I would almost
think I was someone special. So anyway, the woman welcomed us in to her
house. It was a small room about 5ft by 5ft, with a small area where
they had their "food" and the rest was empty--this was their kitchen,
bedroom, living room, den, breakfast room, dining room, and playroom
all rolled into one. Our little group piled in there, and we talked
with the lady and her child, Jeremy, and her nephew Jericho(who was
sick and not enrolled in Compassion but would be soon). It hit me that
places like these--probably a lot worse than this one, was where all
those happy mothers and all those smiling children lived. The lady we
were with, I think, was pretty shy and I could sense that she had hurt
a lot. I could almost feel the way her heart must have felt--bleeding
and broken and scared. Her nephew was sick. She never knew when her
child might get sick. Her husband had a bad disease of the liver. And
then, who knows what she had been through in her life. We prayed for
her, and I hugged her. I don't think she was used to being hugged, but
she gave me a kiss in return. I will never forget her, and I won't
cease to pray for her. As we left we were smiled at and told "goodbye"
by countless children and mothers and fathers and grandmothers. They
seemed happy. Why be happy?
So now I come to the point of why I was writing. God has shown me how
amazingly wrong Americans are(and I am adding myself in with this). We
are so scared of getting our reputations dirty, getting out clothes
dirty. We are scared of loving without fear of being hurt, or not
getting anything in return. We are scared of dancing. We are scared of
living life to the fullest. We are scared of letting Christ be the
center of our life. We are scared of not smelling like the finest
cologne or perfume. We are scared of not having time to go to Starbucks
on Tuesday mornings. These people, the Christians and non-Christians,
are so happy and full of life and yet they live in conditions we
wouldn't let a stray cat live in. If we in America would stop obsessing
over the newest iPod or hottest hairstyle, and start living in the
reality of Christ and all the amazing things He has done for us we
would be able to live life how God meant it to be lived. I can't help
but think that this is how He wants us to live--happy, free to love,
free to laugh, free to dance! What else do we need--what else do we
need to see? Things won't make us happy, this place shows us that. So
why not dive into the ocean of Christ and see how He can change our
worlds into a place of beauty and happiness and most of all, love.
So, I came here wanting to show these people Christ's love. However,
these people are showing me Christ's love, and Christ's beauty. Even
the ugliest, most smelly, smallest house, if there is Christ's love
there--is beautiful. Christ has put His beauty in every person, every
thing. We just don't realize it. I plan to go back home, with a new
outlook on life. I want to love without fear, laugh, cry, dance, in the
realization that Christ is all we need, and He can truly make us happy
no matter how much or how little we have.
As for these people here--well they will go on living in the streets,
not knowing where their next meal is coming from, the mothers will stay
awake at night worrying about her sick children and husband in prison
unless we step up and give what we can to them, whether it's just
hugging them or whether it's giving money or our time. Compassion
International is doing all of those things and doing an amazing job.
Men, women, and children are getting the things that they need for
survival and learning about the God that gives them the ability to do
the things they love. You see, another thing I learned is that mission
work is not about giving money or putting food on tables. These are
just the things that flow as a result of what missions is all about
which is, yep you guessed it, love. Love makes things happen. It puts
food on the table. It heals diseases. It brings a song to your lips. It
makes you want to dance. It makes you happy. Love is only a reflection
of Christ. So whenever we see love or happiness we can see Christ,
whether it's in America watching a movie while eating popcorn and
laughing with a friend, or whether it's a child playing kickball in the
streets of Manila. God is there. Why not be happy?
---
After I wrote this article, we went to a cemetary which was home to
lots of these kids. It was very sobering. In my writing up above, I
hope you don't think that I was trying to be flippant. There is still
pain. There are times to be serious and times to be happy too. :) Don't
forget the faces you see below--let them remind you of "the least of
these" which Christ talked about when He was on earth. Pray for them. :)
(This was a little guy that was crying near his home--in the cemetary)
 | | | Posted 8/24/2007 10:36 PM - 13 comments
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