Two kids sleeping in front of McDonald's next to Barangay Arboretum
It’s been a while since I blogged. A lot has been happening from our connections with Barangbay Arboretum. We got the approval to begin doing activities with the kids and mothers out there, materials that are educational and for their livelihood but also which is essential is the Word of God or the Bible. We are meeting today, members of Extra Mile Foundation, members at Victory Church, to strategize and brainstorm what we will do for this Saturday. Already there a few other people joining us, April and Phoebe with their guitars and songs, and Pooh with his knowledge and experience on doing missions in other countries for kids.
I spent some time with Pooh (his real name is Winnie) yesterday. We got to learn more of our background and experience. It’s awesome to see how God created so many people of different background and personalities but how often He has people go through similar experiences so that they can share stories and testimonies and bond together. Pooh has a lot of experience in doing missions and working in poor/depressed communities. He also had a lot of experience to share in terms of making sure I have a foundation with the Bible and God so that situations I may get into or even not be prepared for that I will have a strong grounding or be rooted, so as to not be swayed in what I come across and can remain focused.
Sunday was great as well. Zandro is starting to minister with some kids around the church that do not normally attend service so he is reaching out to them and they are responding with the teachings from the Bible. Later in the day at 3pm, I attended that service to come watch and support Pastor Erwin and the messages that were being delivered. I got to witness a new friend named LA deliver the message to the 3pm congregation and it was cool to see how God works in different people to have them portray things in a different style. LA was very effective on delivering the message and engaging the congregation.
Before the service started, Pastor Erwin said a little prayer and had small group leaders (bible study leaders) come to the front. He then asked if anyone wants something to be prayed for them or someone in the family that they come up. After that, Pastor Erwin also asked for people that want to commit their lives to Christ to come as well. It was very emotional for me, overjoyed and overwhelmed with happiness since I was comparing my life to how it was to how it is now. I have been saved in a sense from all the darkness that consumed my life before: confusing relationships, destructive behavior in substance abuse, destructive behavior in violence or anger, confusion in direction for career or life in general, and loneliness in isolating myself from time to time.
Now that I have come to know God and the teachings and truths in the Bible, I am free from all that darkness. Learning about the Word and His love, I am able to just be so free and open in relationships with others. Serving the poor community confirms in my heart God’s purpose for me and also confirming the truths I have come to learn about in the Bible. Connecting with people that are already Christians and still being able to connect with friends and strangers here and back in the States confirms the truths I have found in the Bible and continue to learn on the day to day. I see the change that has happened in my life and the change that happens in others and this fuels my drive. I feel and see how God works in my life and others and learning more about the Bible is what drives me. God is good.
Other things to note:
- Spent time with new friends, brothers/sisters in Christ: Owie, Joash's party
- Seeing more of the talents and creativity of new friends. It’s awesome to learn of God's given talent to others and noticing it: Jorel's guitar and his band Kjwan, Ryan and Abbey's singing, EauJ's dancing
- Spending time and sharing experience with others grows our bond and is another way of teaching of God’s truth and the words in the Bible: Moina, Aaron, Rocky, Pooh, Zandro, Bimbo, JP, Brandel, Darlene, Ryan, Camille, Pastor Erwin
- Balance: it is important to balance your learning and your work with also spending time to relax. If you do too much of one thing, anything, you will get burnt out. But even taking time to relax, you can’t over indulge, because then it will have the opposite effect, disabling you from being effective in your work. Whether your work is ministering, involvement with the church, or working at your job for money, you need balance to keep focus on every aspect of your life.
Here’s how I balance. Spending time with friends. Here’s Joash’s birthday party yesterday
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