The Philippines - Eastern Samar

Adventures in Missions | Life is People

More often than not it's hard to sum up everything you feel when you return home from a jam packed, thrilling adventure. You are adjusting to reality after entering into a new land absorbing as much as your senses will allow you. For time's sake, one is so quick to respond with the word "good" when asked "How was your trip?" Really this cheapens the whole experience and doesn't give God the glory He so amazingly deserves. The happenings are always so much more than good. My hand can never write in my journal fast enough to document all the goodness that exudes forth before my eyes. The surroundings are always awesome, the travel tiring, the getting used to a new culture interesting, and the landscape breathtaking. This trip to the Philippines was nothing short of any of that. It was beyond my wildest expectations. And what set this trip apart, making it ever so delightful, was not only all of the above but the relationships made. The people and the conversations were so divinely wonderful, I wish I had a record button in my mind to play them all back. If I could, this is what it would sound like ~

the stillness of the night as our team drove 6 hours to reach our end destination, all the while fireflies waltzing against the night sky, moon reflecting on the river.

the words of a friend sharing she had prayed a prayer to take the brunt of any pain a child we had visited in the hospital was feeling.

the rolling of thunder as that same friend winced with a shocking pain from fingertip to elbow as we bobbed up and down amongst waves, an answer to her previous prayer.

the heartbeats of a woman who lost her ability to speak 10 years ago, & the glistening of tears against her cheek because no one had ever stopped to pray a personal prayer with her.

the laughs echoing in the empty streets as our team soldiered back to our place of refuge with the starry night sky illuminating our way.

the crackle of gravel as a man stood to his feet, putting out his cigarette & cracking a smile after we stopped to smile first, acknowledging his presence in this world.

the voices of children as they recited from memory, "I've got peace like a river in my soul".

the cracking of coconuts coming crashing down to earth.

the broadcast of our team's voices on a local radio station telling tales of hope and how to gain peace in a time of sadness & devastation.

the strums of guitar blended with the Filipino language creating a beautiful melody for worship.

the boldness in countless testimonies demonstrating lives changed & how Jesus is the only one who can do the saving.

the rawness in raspy voices from the local children who have the ocean as their swimming pool.

the puttering of the trikes (Filipino taxis) as we trekked miles upon miles to minister to the people.

the endless thank You Jesus' & definitive yes' once eternal life was offered.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;

just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples,

if you have love for one another." ~John 13:34-35