Share the Blessings

This past Sunday, we had an outreach to one of the house parent's communities after being so blessed by the Lord we were able to give back to. We spent Sunday morning preparing for it by packing 8 giant batches of pancit noodles into 300 to-go boxes and taping straws to Zest-Os  (orange drink).

At 2pm, we headed to the community where some of us played games and sang songs with the kids while the others were ministering to the parents and sharing their stories with them. We handed each kid a goody bag filled with school supplies, toys, and Koko Krunch, and each parent got a goody bag filled with toiletries. 

I got to speak and play with some really cool kids, then one of the boys from our children's home who has grown deep in my heart, came over and wanted to see what I was doing and I realized he doesn't really know what to do when you are the foreign one and you are there to serve. I told him just to introduce himself, at first, he was a little shy, but then I pretended that I was the one talking and said "Hi! I'm *his name* and I'm 11 and I'm super cool and fun, what's your name?" and I think he thought I was being silly so he fixed the conversation and was a complete natural after that. It was so cool seeing him starting conversations and being aware that he's here to not just give the kids gifts and food but to also be a light in their lives. 

Praise the Lord for the community outreach going well and for the youth from the children's home who came along being so obedient and willing to serve even though they were exhausted and hot! 

PRAYER REQUEST: This is our last week here in the Philippines and the children's home, so please pray for us, as a team, to stay present and available to the children and staff here.

-Alex

School Life

Earlier this week I was talking to a house parent during of our devotionals and asked if she was a Christian and she said she was still working on it.  She said she feels like she doesn't deserve what Jesus has done for her.  I believe many people think this way and it is true, we do not deserve God sending His only Son to die for us, but He still did because of His great love for us.  John 3:16 reminds us how "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  As I continued to talk to her, she said she had no idea what she was getting herself into when she started working here, she one came to get some experience so she could be a teacher.  How awesome is the God we serve!  It blows my mind how this house parent only came here to get teaching experience and God is using that to get a hold of her heart. God is always working everyday for the good of His kingdom and He meets people when and where they least expect it.  Our God is an amazing God and a loving God and He cares for all His children.  

   

Please pray for:

• our health
• that we will have many opportunities to share about Jesus during our mission trip this weekend 
• one of the house parent's health
• the house parent I talked about, that God would soften her heart so she can fully accept Christ as her Lord and Savior
• the children and their future forever families

Join us in praising God for:

• another great week of tutorials
• getting to know our house parents more!
• recovering from some of our health issues
• one of the boys and one of the social workers celebrated another year of life!!

-ROXY

Broken Heart

Yesterday was our day-off and I usually don't have much to journal about on those days, since we aren't doing any ministry, but the Lord spoke volumes to me yesterday and I rejoice in it! I cried buckets of tears yesterday when we got back to the home because of how much pain I was feeling for the children who are still out there being abused, neglected, uncared for, and unloved by anyone here on earth. The fact that a lot of them will die not knowing any joy because they have never heard the Gospel hit me like a freight train yesterday afternoon. I rejoice in my ability to weep with Jesus-- like wow! How amazing it is that I am able to have such a deep and close relationship with the Lord that I feel what He feels and see the same brokenness that He sees. 

Although, I rejoice I also have a heavy burden on my for the unreached. Eternity is forever, it neither has an end nor beginning. To think about children-- people existing in ETERNAL HELL is absolutely heart wrenching and unfathomable. The responsibility is so real and it is my duty as a citizen of the Kingdom of God to share the Gospel and make disciple-makers in hopes of reaching the ends of the earth. Until all has heard, we must not stop trying. We can't-- I can't do it on my own though, we must-- I must rely on the Lord for my strength, durability, motivation, patience, understanding, and wisdom to share with and invest in people who do not know.

My mission here has become so clear. Though I never once questioned our purpose here, the Lord has revealed an additional task that wasn't so apparent to me in the beginning. We are to help mobilize these children. They know the Gospel, but now they need to take it places. I am beginning to understand what it means to be a blessing, God has shown me that our investment in these children will be missions focused.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Please continue to pray my devotionals with the older boys. Please pray that our language barrier isn't such a barrier and that the Holy Spirit will fill our conversations and lead us to opening of hearts.
• Please pray for the team, Alex, Roxy, and I. This is the mid-way point, so please pray that we are able to be present and not distracted with how long we have been here or how long we still have to go. 

PRAISES: 

• Praise the Lord for clarification in our mission!
• Praise the Lord for the boys wanting and asking for devotionals every night!
• Praise the Lord for the spiritual conversations we are free to have with our students we are tutoring!

-Emily

Teachers Being Taught

A large part of our week is spent in one on one tutoring. During the time with our kids, we are able to see what they are learning about in various places including church and in the devotion times.It is really cool to see their reaction when we asked about being a Christian. They quickly correct us and say "No, I am born again" and then tell us how the Lord has saved them.  I have one boy in particular who was telling me about a discipleship program he and another boy were going to start this week. This young boy was PUMPED to start! He told me that this week is salvation and it is a large book but at the end they will have the opportunity to get baptized.

It has amazed me how these kids are on fire for the Lord. The social worker also shared with us that they have had several children decline opportunities go with families because their faith was not the same knowing that they may never have another family. How incredible!

Please pray for us to be lead by the Lord as we continue to love and invest in these children who are SO eager to learn more about the Heavenly Father.

-Alex

Attitude of Humility

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:3-7

Team of the Day: Kids Lovin' & Learnin'

Country of the Day: Philippines

Pray for team members to serve as Christ - with a humble attitude. May they seek to glorify God alone as they share the Gospel with the lost.

Sending Them On

This week was quite the treat. We were able to have a full week of tutoring but the best part of the week was Friday and not because we didn't have school. Friday was a child's "Gotcha Day" which means that the child leaves the children's home with their forever family (adopted parents). These only happen a handful of times each year and we were able to be a part of it.

The new parents were greeted by everyone and then a quick lunch before the ceremony. The ceremony consisted of musical numbers by the children and reading letters written to the little girl and her family. These children are so loved by the staff here. They do not say they are loosing a child but gaining a two new members to their family (the parents). The children also wrote letters to the the little girl--their words were short and simple but these children know what true friendship is. One lady in whom I have learned a lot from in the last two weeks said it perfectly in that raising children is hard but it is also a privilege. Seeing her faith in how she trusts the Lord in how he hand picks each of these children's new families is incredible. (Jeremiah 29:11 being shown in her life everyday in her love for them).

This coming weeks please pray for the children who are still here who long for a family that they will be content and continue to learn more about the Father who has perfect timing.

-Alex
Kids Lovin' & Learnin'

Kids Lovin' & Learnin': Week One

This week we started tutorials with the kids!  As I am teaching these kids, they are also teaching me. One day during tutoring, I was talking to one of the girls and asked her if she was a Christian. Her reply was "I am born again."  This really got me thinking. Am I really born again? Or am I just hiding behind the term "Christian?"  Has my old self died and am I now alive in Christ? Am I still dead in my trespasses and sin or have I been made alive together with Christ? I encourage you to ask yourself these questions and to be honest with yourself. God knows our hearts and i pray that each one of you knows Him on a deep personal level.

Matthew 27:21-23 reads:  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

   

 We ask that you will pray for:

• our health
• the children, especially one of them as she is going to get adopted next week!!
• next week of tutoring

We also ask that you join us in praising God for

• a successful first week of tutoring
• a great garage sale
• friendships that are forming

-Roxy

Learning and Teaching

We have begun our daily devotions with the children and I got the older boys. These boys are fun group and really do love the Lord. Each night I am excited to see what they get from the devotional and what they will teach me.

The first night, I read a story about Ben Carson (the neurosurgeon) to them and then asked them what kind of aspirations they have and how they will glorify God through them. One boy wants to be a professional basketball player and he said he will use that platform to share the Gospel. Another said he wanted to be a soldier and that he would do Bible studies with his fellow comrades. It was just really cool to see them realize that they can glorify God through so many different avenues. It was also very encouraging to see that they are actually getting the Gospel. It excites me knowing that God will use them wherever they end up, whether it's staying here at the children's home or becoming a famous basketball player -- they are willing to be a vessel.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

- Please pray that our devotionals will continue to be life-giving and for the conversations to be led by the Holy Spirit

- Please also pray for our team's grasp on Tagalog so that we are able to better minister to the children for some know English pretty well, but other's aren't so fluent.

PRAISES:

- One of the boys I am tutoring was having a difficult time when we were going over science and English but thrived when we started talking about Christianity and the New Testament! These kids are taught the Gospel and have an understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done for us -- at the end of the day that is what matters most!

-Emily

Getting Things Started

Mangandang Hapon (Good Afternoon),

We are all settled into the Children's Home we are staying and are having a blast getting to know all of the children and adults we will be living with the next several weeks. Most the adults and several of the children are already believers! With them, we were able to attend a local church at a mall--how cool!

This next week we will start tutoring one-on-one with students who are delayed in their school or will soon be adopted so we will practice a lot of English. Each night we will be sharing devotions with each of the different age groups. And on Fridays we will be teaching different characteristics of God and how we should model them in our lives.

Please pray for the children and other adults who will be present to have tentative ears and that the Spirit would lead us what to share with the children! Also pray that they would catch the World Vision and the responsibility they have to share with all of those around them!

-Alex

Meet the Team: Lovin' and Learnin' Team

Hello readers! We are the Kids Lovin' and Learnin' Team and we will be serving this summer at a Children's Home in the Philippines. Here is our team:

Emily, Roxy & Alex

Emily lives in central Texas where she studies recreational therapy. Her favorite color is orange. Emily is most excited about hanging out with the children and learning more about her Filipino heritage.

Roxy is from southern Texas and is studying speech therapy. Her favorite color is blue. She is most excited about getting to know and invest in the children and being in a new culture.

Finally, I am Alex :) I am from Tennessee but go to school in Arkansas where I also study speech therapy. My favorite color is green. I am most excited to love the children and being back the Philippines for my second summer--bring on the rice and great treats!

Please pray open hearts of all of those we meet (children, social workers, house parents, and other volunteers) and that we represent Christ in all of our words and actions!

-Alex