THE PHILIPPINES

Hello Friends and Family!

I just just want to thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support while I’ve been on this journey, and for all of your financial support as well because I wouldn’t be here in South Africa if it weren’t for all of you, so thank you! I am currently 97% funded so praise the Lord whoop whoop!

Our team is currently in Durban South Africa right now but I wanted to share about our time that was spent in the Philippines and what God has been doing there. And I also wanted to apologize for the veryyy late update, I’ve been struggling to write a blog for the Philippines and the Lord told me it was time so here we are!We stayed about a month and a half in the Philippines, and we lived at a foundation in Cainta. Kids International Ministries is located right in the middle of the community and serves to break the cycle of poverty in local communities. There is a birthing clinic just up the road from the foundation, children’s homes just around the corner, CCS (which are the local Christian schools my team served at), and a feeding program that goes out into the community providing free warm meals. The back story of how this foundation and the children’s homes started is beautiful and is just a testimony to how God has provided for the community in Cainta.

     When we first arrived to the foundation, there was this excitement in the air and the joy of the Lord was already upon the community. There’s this park right outside the foundation, and it has a see-saw and a swing-set. It only takes up the corner of the block but when we arrived it was FILLED with children. There was laughter, yelling, and so much joyful noise! I was so excited to be apart of the community and to serve alongside the schools and foundation.

Ministry-

We got to serve at Cuatro Christian School for about 6 weeks and that included working in their primary school and their High school. I was put on library duty for the first 2 weeks and I absolutely loved it! Me and a few girls got to read with the kids that came into the library and offer assistance if anyone was having trouble. All of the students and staff at Cuatro Christian were super welcoming and this made me feel at home right away. After we served in the library I was then assigned to help out in my first class which was 1st grade. During this time I got to sit in and get to know the children while assisting the teacher in whatever ways I could. When I first entered the 1st grade class my heart absolutely melted. All around me were the most loving and joyful kids I had ever met. Although a little crazy at times, when they were doing what they were told it was great. In being around all of these kids I was reminded of childlike faith and how all of the little children came to Jesus in Luke 18,

“But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Jesus just wants us to come to him like little children and on top of that, the kingdom belongs and is for all of Gods children. Just like it says in John 1, you don’t only have to be the age of a small child and then you can enter the kingdom, but when you receive Jesus into your hearts, he gives us the right to become children of God!

God in his loving mercy adopts us into sonship so that we may no longer live with an orphan spirit, but with confidence that we were created by God and have not only a father in heaven but also a home in our father for eternity. Sitting and talking with these kids at CCS I was just reminded of Gods love for each and every little one and how his grace and love is not only poured out for all of them, but also for me as well, and that I can run to the father whenever I want to as his beloved child. I had a blast with these kids and miss them so much already.

I was then assigned to a 3rd grade class and off the bat these kids were so welcoming, but as I sat in more there was a lot of hurt and pain in the things some of these kids said to each other. At first I just prayed for this class and that everyone would know their identity in Christ and that they are loved. After being in this class for 2 weeks I already saw a change and the class was already so much more peaceful and less chaotic than it was before.

What God was doing in my heart-

    It was the simple tasks that tested me (grading papers, reading books, sitting in a class for long periods of time) and often times I would ask the Lord what difference I was making. But he reminded me that it wasn’t about me and what I was doing, so I took a step back and asked God to reveal himself through each day. He told me to be still and look at what he was already doing. So I asked God everyday to slow me down and to posture my heart towards him. Throughout this time, not only did I feel more at peace, but I felt like I wasn’t having to carry anything he didn’t want me to carry. Where I used to rush and move past things, he was slowing me down and drawing me closer to him.

He revealed true joy to me, and that is something all of the kids at CCS taught me. You don’t need physical things of this world to be happy, but God in his supernatural holiness gives all the joy you need for a lifetime! All of the kids had this joy of the Lord, even the entire community we were in, people were satisfied by the Lord even if they didn’t have much.

Challenges-

In the beginning of our stay in the Philippines I was struggling with insecurity and being in a position of leadership. If I did fail I didn’t want anyone to see that and I really doubted that God could grow me in leadership. I remember thinking to myself so many times and believing the lie that I was just one of those people who wasn’t born with the gift of leadership. I feel like for most of my life I’ve been a follower and I grew content with this and it was safe for me. And now I had to step out in faith where God was calling me. And even if it was something like leading worship or sharing my testimony, I knew if God was asking me to do something he wasn’t just gonna leave me hanging. So I relied on the Lord and asked him for courage and I asked him for boldness. And there were times where I tried to rely on my own strength, but whenever I did, I would remember how much better it is to rely on the Lord. It’s how he designed us so of course it’s better.

God will do what he wants to and along with that, he’ll use who he wants to use.

Prayer-

• I would really love prayer for boldness. Prayer that my fear of the unknown would be let go of and that my grip would be solely on who God is.

• Currently right now me and some girls are doing a Bible burn throughout each day. We’re reading the Bible from front to back and I would love prayer for that time that our eyes would just be fixed on him and what God has for us. That Gods strength would uphold us and new things would be revealed to us through his word.

• Fundraising the last 3% of this trip! God already has all the money set aside but I would love prayer that it would be finished before I get back to the states in 2 weeks in order to pay for the rest of the trip.

  Thank you for all the love and support over these past 8 months, and I can’t wait to share more and give details on South Africa. God bless!

-Abby on the Race

Here are some pics!

I drew this at a coffee shop and the Lord reminded me of psalm 23 and how he brings refreshment to our souls.

Kids asking to play with us (we did in fact play tag and groundies)

Reading some books in the library at the primary school!

Doing some watercolor activities with grade 3! (A fun messy time)

Making decorations in the library for the event at CCS “Gods Love”