I asked the team members to share what they think of the bible studies and to explain anything God has shown them or changed about them through their experiences this summer.
Macey: It’s neat to read the Bible with people and see it change their lives. I see that it is not my words or my wisdom that has the power to penetrate hearts or change lives, but the incredible power of scripture can. Through our experiences I am learning to walk by faith every day ad really trust the Lord in every situation. Experiencing things like moving to new villages and not knowing anyone, or wondering how needs would be met for the team, or our water pump breaking has taught me to truly rely on God for every single thing I am given in my life – spiritual or physical. God has opened doors for us to get everywhere we need to go safely and to make progress for the kingdom once we got there. None of this is our doing.
Chelsea: I really like the approach of our bible studies and the importance we place on sacrifice. The way our lessons end with the people learning that Jesus is now our Great High Priest really pulls everything together for them. Many of the people come from a very basic Catholic background, so they hear some of the well-known stories and offer their opinion. When we get to lesser-known stories that they haven’t heard in mass, the people seem to really be thinking hard and trying to understand. We don’t preach to them or stress our own opinions; we simply walk them through God’s word and let the Spirit work. This summer God has shown me how to work in a team and the importance of unity. He has pushed me to have an attitude of humility and child-like faith. I have prayed that He would make me a woman of prayer this summer, and I am slowly becoming exactly that.
Donnatello: I think the selection of stories that were given to us to tell is perfect. The stories are told in an order that build on each other and makes sense to the people. It’s been really encouraging to see the people willingly accept the Christian ideas that contradict their incorrect Catholic views (Filipino Catholicism is much different from American Catholicism). This summer has been an experience that is completely out of my comfort zone. Because I am so far from what I know, God has taught me to let him lead completely in my life. Also, seeing how these people live and knowing what a tiny piece I am in the puzzle of God’s work across the world has been extremely humbling.
Michelle: The Bible studies are because we are reading such seemingly simple stories, but the power of God’s word is becoming more and more evident. We’ve heard these stories our whole lives, but they still speak to us too. We move chronologically through the Bible, so each story builds on the next. Because of this sequence, God’s plan for His people is easier to understand for our listeners. We don’t have to add further detail or tell the story in some dramatic way, we just share and let the Spirit move – and it’s definitely been moving. God has really been teaching me patience on this trip in unexpected ways. By adjusting to Filipino culture and the obstacles of camping life, such as always maintaining a fire, hiking to where you bathe, cooking outside, not being able to preserve food, I have had to have patience. But I haven’t just learned patience for the physical world. I am now more willing to wait and listen to what God wants for me, and I know changes He wants to make or answers He will give may not be instant, but they are coming.
