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
Philippines Summer Media Intern