Hi friends!
Well, we are about two-and-a-half weeks into our outreach experience. It has been INCREDIBLE! We arrived in Manila on Wednesday, April 7th (I believe) and spent about a week-and-a-half working with the Balut YWAM base. They are located in the slums of Manila and do a lot of their ministry with the Smokey Mountain kids and families. We with feeding ministries and taught Bible studies. At the new dump site (where families are living) we were able to bathe little kids and feed them. Such a blessing! One of the little babies I washed was probably under a year old (not walking yet). He was so happy! I just kept talking to him as I bathed him, and he kept touching my face and mouth with his cute little fingers. My leaders keep telling me I can't bring any babies home... ;)
I definitely created some friendships with the staff at the base and will miss them. They are incredible. A couple of the staff grew up on Smokey Mountain (it is literally a garbage dump). Years ago, the government was able to get financial aid from other nations to build permanent housing on the site so its residents wouldn't be living in the garbage anymore. They are better off than they used to be...but conditions are still not that great. And, now there are people living in the new dump site down the road. It's hard to see, but such a blessing to be a part of the work the Lord is doing there.
We left Manila and arrived in Baguio city (in the mountains) last Sunday. It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL here. It's about 10 degrees cooler here than in Manila, which is such a relief. We don't sweat through our clothes here! And, the view is amazing! I love it here in Baguio. If you get a chance, try looking up pictures. It is just so beautiful. I believe we are about 5,000 feet above sea level right now and the city is built on hills. Not great for the motion sickness when traveling in jeepneys...but I'll survive.
We have been so unbelievably blessed with a two-floor, four-bedroom, three-bath house to stay in. We are in charge of planning, buying, and preparing our own meals for our little family of six...and it is so fun! On top of that, the doors the Lord has been opening for us are great! Philippines government elections are going on right now. The election is May 10th, so we are experiencing the height of campaigning. God got us into the government offices last week and we were privileged to meet - and pray for - the mayor. He is running for congress and hoping to make even greater changes in law there. We were also able to pray for another man in government, as well. Then, a couple of nights ago, we joined an intercession team and prayed at the city gate. We were also invited up into the police tower to pray. Such a great opportunity!
The next two weeks will be quite busy for us. We are teaching DTW (discipleship training weeks) at two different churches. Some of the students we will be teaching do not yet have a relationship with the Lord...so prayer is greatly needed! Our team is running the teachings, worship and small groups.
Prayer Needs:
Be praying for the DTW's - that the things the Lord wants to convey to His children would come across loud and clear and that we would have discernment and open ears as we teach
Prayer for health - 5 of the 6 of us were sick in Manila. Colds seem to be passing. But, Hakon has now acquired motion sickness for the first time in his life. Overall health prayer would be helpful as we continue to adjust to a new location, altitude, and food.
Unity in our team - continued prayer that we would grow as a close-knit family during this time.
Thank you all for partnering with me during this time. God is doing incredible things here in the Philippines and I am blessed to be a part of it. I am sure there is more I could say, but I cannot think of anything else right now (and I am running out on my hour of Internet in the cafe). ;)
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." (Ephesians 3:20)
~Megan
