AOT: Filipino hospitality

Poverty is not a lack of money but a lack of options.

We experience the hospitality of Filipinos as we stay in their homes during our weekend ministry. These homes are very basic & they are willing to share everything they have with us. 

Each weekend, we travel 2 hours by private vehicle & then another ride by motorcycle to get to our ministry site. There is a stark difference between what we see in the city & what we experience in this area. 

-Andrew

AOT participant

When "Why Not?" Wins

For anyone who knows me, what I'm about to say might come as a bit of a shock: I tried sea urchin!

If you know me well, you know I'm a picky eater. Trying new foods is usually right up there with getting teeth pulled on my list of favorite activities. So when a couple of guys went searching for sea urchins before a Bible study on the beach, I was perfectly content to cheer them on from a safe distance.

After searching for a while, they found exactly one sea urchin. Apparently, God wanted me to try it because there was just enough inside for team try. Being the foreigner we got the honor of trying it. 

Before I ate it, I had one very important question: "Does it taste like fish?" I've tried several kinds of fish here, and let's just say none of them have made it onto my list of favorite foods. Everyone promised me it didn't taste like fish. So, against my better judgment, I took a bite.

The first thing that hit me wasn't the taste—it was the texture. It was somehow the slimiest thing I've ever eaten while also feeling like it was exfoliating my tongue. I didn't know food could be both gooey and sandpaper at the same time, but sea urchin clearly likes breaking the rules.

Then came the flavor.

At first, I thought, Wow, that's salty. Then I made what may have been the biggest mistake of the afternoon. I chewed!

Whatever amount of salt I tasted before instantly doubled... then doubled again. It was like the sea urchin had been marinated in the entire Pacific Ocean. I have never tasted the Dead Sea, but if someone bottled it and sold it as a seasoning, I'm pretty sure this would be it. I'm exaggerating... mostly.

By the time I swallowed it, I was questioning every decision I had made that day that led me to that moment.

Would I eat it again? There are plenty of other foods in the Philippines I still need to try first.

Pray for the high school students who attended the beach Bible study. Pray that they would continue seeking Jesus and come to know Him as the truth.

- Kylie 

Philippine Summer Media Intern 

PH Summer: From Bug Bites to the Good News

I learned quickly that the bugs in the Philippines are on a different level. It seems like every bug is bigger than it is in the US. I saw the biggest spider I have ever seen in the wild (not in a zoo or aquarium) hanging above the stove one night. I've also seen bees that look twice the size of the ones back home. And then there are the mosquitoes (lamok).

From the day I arrived in Butuan, I started getting mosquito bites. As my time there went on, I just kept getting more. I was getting bitten faster than they could heal. By the time I left, my legs were covered. From the middle of my calves down to my feet, it seemed like there wasn't a spot that didn't have a bug bite.

On one of our recent days off, our team went to the beach. After we finished swimming, everyone was changing clothes. There was only one working restroom, so it took a little while for everyone to get changed. I was one of the first ones finished, so while I was waiting, I started putting ointment on my bug bites to help them heal faster and stop the itching.

While I was doing that, Kuya D came up to me and asked what had happened to my legs. I laughed and told him that the mosquitoes had been biting me ever since I arrived. He then asked how long I had been in the Philippines and if I was here on vacation. That simple question opened the door to one of my favorite conversations of the summer.

I told him that I wasn't here on vacation. I was here to tell people about the love Jesus has for them. After I said that, he began sharing about his beliefs and how he had looked into many major religions of the world. He was genuinely searching for answers but wasn't sure where to find them. He also told me he didn't like the idea of having to earn God's favor by following a list of religious rules.

That gave me the chance to share what I believe. I told him that God created the world, but when Adam and Eve sinned, sin separated us from Him. Since then, people have been trying to find their own way back to God. But because God loves us, He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave, defeating sin and death. Because of what He did, salvation is a gift that we can receive by placing our faith in Him. I also shared how reading Genesis and the Gospel of Luke showed me what I was missing in my own life. I realized that I couldn't save myself from my sins and that I needed Jesus to be my Savior.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:23

Please pray for Kuya D. Before we left, he asked me if I had a Bible that he could have so he could read it for himself. Unfortunately, I didn't have one with me at the time. Pray that God would give us another opportunity to meet so I can get a Bible into his hands. Most of all, pray that as he continues searching for answers, God would reveal the truth of the gospel to him and draw him to Jesus.

-Kylie
Philippines Summer Media Intern

PH Summer: One Ride, Two Seconds, A Great Story!

There are moments in ministry that are hard. Moments where you're crying alongside the people you're ministering to. There are also moments that are simply fun. Whether ministry is difficult or full of laughter, it is always worth it.

Living life on mission gives you the opportunity to share the Gospel and the love of Christ with people who may have never experienced that kind of love before. Sometimes that life takes you to places you never expected or has you doing things you never imagined were even possible.

That is exactly what happened to me.

We met some men who use carabao, water buffalo, to pull logs that have been cut down. One day we asked one of the men if we could ride his carabao. He told us what day to come and where we could find him.

When the day arrived, we struggled a little to find his house. When we finally got there, he wasn't home, but his family was. After talking with them for a while, they agreed to take us to where the carabao were.

When we reached the river, we could see three different carabao standing in the water. Then Nanay T disappeared around a bend in the river with one of my teammates. A few minutes later they came back around the corner, my teammate was riding the carabao while Nanay T led it with a rope. She guided it out of the river and over to a shady spot beneath some trees.

Then it was my turn.

It took me a couple of tries just to climb onto the carabao, and then I was immediately kicked off. Nanay T moved the carabao to another spot to see if it would be easier there. This time I managed to get on.

That's when the real fun started.

I've never ridden a bucking bull before, but after this experience, I think I have a pretty good idea of what it feels like.

Picture this.

I'm standing on an old tree stump so I can actually reach the top of the carabao. I give him a few pats to let him know I'm friendly and not there to hurt him. Then, knowing that if I hesitate I'll probably fall anyway, I jump onto his back in one quick motion.

The instant I land, he starts moving.

I was not ready.

Within a second he starts jerking around, and about two seconds later I'm flying through the air. In my mind, I was airborne for at least twenty seconds. According to the video, it was closer to two or three.

Thankfully, I landed pretty softly, jumped right back up, and somehow walked away without any pain or bruises.

As much fun as it was to ride a carabao, and as thankful as I am that the T family was so welcoming and hospitable, my favorite part actually came afterward.

We went back to their house, and they wanted to make sure I was okay. While we were talking, we asked if we could share why we had come all the way to the Philippines. We explained that we were Americans who had traveled to the other side of the world because we had a story we wanted to share.

We spent some time learning about what they believed about God, and then we had the opportunity to share the Gospel with them using a Gospel presentation tool we had been given.

That day we got to laugh together. We got to create a memory that I hope they'll never forget, because I certainly won't. They'll probably be telling people for years about the American who rode their carabao and got bucked off into the air.

But more importantly, we were able to give them something far greater than a funny story. We were able to share the Gospel. And that's why we came.

We care so much for you that we are pleased to share with you not only the Gospel but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 1 Thess. 2:8

Pray that the T family would continue thinking about the Gospel they heard, and that the Holy Spirit would work in their hearts. And pray that God would continue to provide unexpected opportunities to build relationships that lead to Gospel conversations.

- Kylie
Philippines Summer Media Intern

Vacation Postcards: Part 2

We had a wonderful time and even when in rest, were introduced and given the opportunity to share the Gospel with whomever was put in our path. It was truly a great experience being able to witness the Holy Spirit working in the group—as I turned around at the nail salon some of the women on our team were sharing the good news, and the same day the employees at the hotel heard the Gospel. I learned that no matter the moment, God may turn it into a beautifully written opportunity for someone lost to be found.   

Please continue to pray for our last week of ministry and that the days will be long, full of gladness and of spreading the good news! 

-- Skylar 

PH Summer Socorro Team, Media Intern

Is God Truly God??

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believer, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith."  Romans 1:16-17

As we mapped this past week, we spent time talking with several young women who shared they live with constant hopelessness & uncertainity. Because they have little education & few job opportunities, manny have turned to prostitution to survive. They also shared they rely on witch doctors for blessings & protection from curses.

As they spoke, it was difficult to hold back my emotions. Our national partners & I shared the hope of the gospel with them & encouraged them as best we could. After we left, I found a moment to just cry as I was heart broken. 

The lost used that conversation to convict me. I had started the day feeling tired and, if I'm honest, not excited about mapping. Yet here were women desperately searching for hope & truth, while I had come with a selfish attitude. In that moment, the Lord reminded me where my focus needed to be-- on Him alone. He is the One who sustains me & gives me the strength to do the work He has called me to.

The Lord taught me that lesson more than once this week.

Near the end of the week, my teammate & I received a last minute invitation to attend a youth conference for high school seniors. It was hosted by a Christian organization which intentionally invests in students across the country, helping them grow spiritually. As we arrived, I was asked to share a devotional--- that same morning. I immediately felt anxious, unprepared, and once again focused on my own inadequacies.

But through prayer, the Lord gave me peace & helped me share what He had placed on my heart. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be used by Him and that He allowed me to share with so many students.

We had meaningful conversations with the leadership, shared our testimonies, & encouraged one another. It was such a sweet time of fellowship!

This was one of the harder weeks for me, but the Lord taught me so much. He reminded me again that He is worthy of my complete trust, faith, and obedience. Praise God that He is in control-- not me.

As I reflected during my quiet time this morning, not only on this week but on the past several months, I realized one of the greatest lessons the Lord has been teaching me: 

Quit limiting God's ability because of your inability. Is God truly God, or is He not?

As we head into our final full week of ministry, please pray:

• Pray against the strongholds of witchcraft & the prosperity gospel that have led so many away from the truth of Christ. 
• Pray we will continue to depend fully on the Lord, remain faithful & intentional in the work He has given us & serve with grateful hearts & open hands. 

-Shesa

Campus Evangelism & Discipleship

PH Summer: The Flower Woman

 

One way our team has been moved spiritually has been in meeting a variety of people. From the hospitality offered by a Lola to playing basketball with over twenty kids. We’ve learned that regardless the person we all need Jesus and have that in common. This motivates us to walk as far as needed, no matter the distance because that is exactly what Jesus would do for us. Even if it was the last house on the street.

I was going door to door with a few other members when we ended up at a “dead end.” It felt like our options had run out and it was time to head back. However, we caught sight of movement in the last house, where two women sat at their window fixing their eyelashes. When we introduced ourselves the first thing I noticed was the warm yellow-pink curtains and handmade flowers aligned on the shelves. They were so intricately made, and we found out that the woman whose eyelashes being done had curated the flowers by hand, and even so shared them with the rest of her neighbors.

“Have you ever made something and loved it?” That was the question I had asked her that led into sharing the Gospel, and oh the joy she had in her eyes as if they had lit up. When she begun to share her experience, she expressed that she was already saved and was starting to build a relationship with Christ. Some of the things she struggled with was the people’s judgement of her in the church, and that she didn’t have a Bible to read and study. Thankfully, our translator had one to give to her and we ended up setting a Bible study in the future. When we came back, she told us she had read and delved into the Word often, and after our study she wanted to share the same good news with her family in Manila. I was thankful that she was not only wanting to grow in her faith, but we had the privilege in witnessing the importance of spiritual support and mentorship when walking with Christ. That’s an important takeaway for our team, and in hope we may continue to support one another, and may go back to be there for the woman at the end of the street as well.

-Skylar 

PH Summer Socorro Team, Media Intern