What can I say about the last couple days? Let alone the last couple weeks... There's a few things that I've come across, from day to day, that don't phase me in the moment. Its when I look back and think of what I saw that I'm hit with the reality.
For example, walking back from a mall one night, we stopped on the sidewalk to wait for a jeepney to pick us up. Just feet away, under a bench, three people were sleeping. One woman, the one I could see most clearly, was laying face down, covered by a thin scarf, spread out over her body. There were more people sleeping under a tarp, just under the bridge to our left. I'm at a loss when I try and think of anything to say about it. Just like Elie Wiesel, describing his experiences before, during, and after Auschwitz. In the book Night, he tells of what happened, not so much how he feels about it. The little that I've seen so far in Manila is hard to compare to a Holocaust, I realise that. They are too different to contrast. But I think right now, it's easier for me to describe what I see, rather than how I feel about what I see. My focus right now needs to be on my responsibility. What is my responsibility today, what can I do right now, from where I am in the world, to bring God's kingdom down to earth? I can feed a child rice. But he's still going to die eventually, from starvation or disease, or from old age when he's 80 years old. Either way, he's going to die, just like me. So if I feed him rice one saturday, and fill his belly, but never share with him the love of God, what favor have I done him? The rice will pass through his system and he'll be hungry again in a few hours. If, however, I offer him the bread of life, salvation and victory in Jesus, he will never need to be hungry again. Yes, it is GOOD to feed the children! Very good, in fact, it's commanded. (Matthew 25:35-40) But if I leave it at rice then I'm doing little for them. Anyway, thats what I've been realising lately. As Nathan always says, it's all about Jesus.
But that's a whole other post haha. Right now I have a hankering to go for a walk along these broken sidewalks and go see a lovely woman who sells me orange pop :) There's something special about a person who sells you a cold pop in this heat! Almost as much as a coffee in the middle of Edmonton's January.
Mall of Asia tomorrow afternoon, and the burned down mosque. Remember to pray for us and for God's work to be done, love to be shown, and miracles to be the cherry on top.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
no time!!
I have only ten minutes to write but so much to say!
We've moved into our new house. The team leaders are getting beds and some sheets and stuff. We're going to be living simply, and I'm very excited. It's two stories, with 4 bedrooms but really three, since one of them is just a bed in a corner for a maid lol. It's sad, but funny. It looks totally pathetic to be honest, but it might make for a beautiful prayer closet. Two bathrooms, and a kitchen. I think its really lovely, in a rugged sort of way. Nothing like what we're used to back home, but thats what i love about it. I'm really learning things!
We finished reading matthew, now we're on to mark. I really liked reading it. The sermon on the mount is so encouraging. For anyone who says the bible doesn't give clear instructions, I would recommend them to read that passage. Anyways it was really good.
We're going to head downtown to the Mall of Asia on thursday now, round two. I can't think of any reason why we won't get there this time, but it's all in God's hands. Whatever he wants to happen, we're cool with! So be thinking and praying for us as we go down there. Personally, I feel that I'll be challenged in spiritual warfare while we're ministering and sharing at the burned down mosque, so please be praying. And we'll all remember that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us. And there is no need to fear, because the victory is mine when I'm walking with Him. It's just a matter of fighting it out until he comes again :)
The people here at the church are incredible. They have such beautiful, servant hearts. I'm so blessed when I see them doing dishes, or sweeping and mopping, not because anybody asked or even brought it up, but just because it needed to be done.
love you all!
angela.
We've moved into our new house. The team leaders are getting beds and some sheets and stuff. We're going to be living simply, and I'm very excited. It's two stories, with 4 bedrooms but really three, since one of them is just a bed in a corner for a maid lol. It's sad, but funny. It looks totally pathetic to be honest, but it might make for a beautiful prayer closet. Two bathrooms, and a kitchen. I think its really lovely, in a rugged sort of way. Nothing like what we're used to back home, but thats what i love about it. I'm really learning things!
We finished reading matthew, now we're on to mark. I really liked reading it. The sermon on the mount is so encouraging. For anyone who says the bible doesn't give clear instructions, I would recommend them to read that passage. Anyways it was really good.
We're going to head downtown to the Mall of Asia on thursday now, round two. I can't think of any reason why we won't get there this time, but it's all in God's hands. Whatever he wants to happen, we're cool with! So be thinking and praying for us as we go down there. Personally, I feel that I'll be challenged in spiritual warfare while we're ministering and sharing at the burned down mosque, so please be praying. And we'll all remember that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us. And there is no need to fear, because the victory is mine when I'm walking with Him. It's just a matter of fighting it out until he comes again :)
The people here at the church are incredible. They have such beautiful, servant hearts. I'm so blessed when I see them doing dishes, or sweeping and mopping, not because anybody asked or even brought it up, but just because it needed to be done.
love you all!
angela.
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