Before I left I had this mindset of unless I work until my back is breaking, sweat is pouring down my face, and I am covered from head to toe in dirt and grime, I am not doing missions. Unless I travel the world to the unreached places, or reach the unreachables/unlovables in my area I am not on a missions trip. If I am driving a nice car, with brand label clothing, much less live in a very nice house, I cannot be considered a "missionary". But it was not until I went to the Philippines, just a week ago, that I realized what a "missions trip" really entails.
During our first week in Manila, I felt like I was living in America. Our hotel was very nice, we ate good westernized culture foods, Starbucks were almost on every street corner, I could wear my American clothes, our contact's car was an A/C provided Honda CV-R. I felt like I was in Vegas with humidity-minus the chaotic-I-want-to-see-Jesus-jay-walkers, street vendors walking in traffic and knocking on our windows to see if we wanted to buy, or the street kids running in traffic begging for money. And the fact that they go ALL OUT in decorating Christmas (even the gas stations have some lights or bows), they start decorating and celebrating in September and do not stop until January.
Below our hotel we could see the shanti's (slums), I soooo badly wished I could be living with them, playing with their kids, sharing the Gospel while sitting beneath the fan careful to not hit my head. Instead, I got to experience God on a whole new level starting with when we witnessed to some college kids.
Colleges can be very expensive, and only a handful who can afford the prices may go. One night we visited Jesus Flock's office/church building (our personal church sponsors them), and for several hours we witnessed to eight college kids about Jesus while sitting in a Boiler Room (Prayer Room). While the six who were there who did not know Jesus did not accept him that day, they most definitely experienced him. Two of the kids were covered with giant flecks (not specks) of gold dust. While praying for God to speak to them and reveal what it means to have a personal relationship with him rather than confessing to a priest about their sins, several kids began to cry (usually a good sign that God is moving).
The next day we were able to attend Jesus Revolution Now's "Campus Awakening" which was a day set aside to worship, fast, and pray for God to revive the campuses of Manila. Ironically, or perhaps divinely appointed, it happened on the same day that the first solemn assembly of JRev occurred ten years prior in which 150,000 showed up. It was also the same day as Bonifacio Day which is a day when Filipinos remember one of their nation's heroes who brought a revolution of freedom from the Spaniards. (Like I said, a day divinely appointed.) At the end of the nine hours of praying, fasting and worshipping, Pr. Jerome asked if there were people who wanted to consecrate their lives as a modern day Nazarite-which means they would live a life of humility, holiness, and hunger for God. Every young adult/kid who attended came forth, as did many of the staff working the production.
After the glory of God fell, and a Holy Spirit rain party went down at the Campus Awakening, Summer, Jesse and I left for Quezon Province. Heading there each of us were slowly growing fearful, especially after the shocked faces, horror stories, and "well this is a missions trip" responses were given after we told the locals we were going.
During our four days in Quezon, all heaven broke loose and miracles started raining down. A man who fell 55 feet from a bamboo bridge which connects the coconut trees (they get the coconuts for food and "lampanog" [coconut wine, 97% alcohol]), had dislocated his spine. While we prayed for him to be healed, the spine only partially went back into place but he accepted Christ as his Saviour that night. A man who is lame from birth still cannot walk, but has an ever-growing desire to do the Lord's will and share what God has done in his life. A woman who lost her husband and grew up an orphan shares the story of the Father's love and the joy as a bride of Christ. In a public school we were asked to pray for every teacher as well as the second in command (vice president). Forty kids in that same public school accepted the Lord in their classroom after openly hearing about God's love and purpose for their lives. In Quezon alone, we saw close to 80 people give their lives to Christ for the first time.
After Quezon, we headed to Batangas for some R&R and to process what God had been teaching us for the past week. As I sit on the beach explaining what God has done, how He wrecked me and stripped me of all knowledge once again, I slowly realized I had the wrong concept of missions. John explained it best, he said, "Lauren, it is good to sweat and get dirty for the Lord, but that is not the only way to do missions. Missionary work means that you are obedient to the Lord in whatever he asks you to do wherever He tells you to go." I began to think about it, and it dawned on me how much emphasis I had put on doing dirty work for missions, then again that's all I knew. The only missions trips I had been on prior to this trip was going to India and working with slums, poor communities, and the Red Light District. There was nothing wrong with those trips, and they definitely were mission trips, but I was called to do the dirty work for that time in my life. I don't have to go above and beyond doing dirty work and going to third world countries just because God has blessed me and my family.
For a long time I have felt so self-guilty because I have a Mustang and brand label clothes and live in a nice house. And I have been ridiculed for those things while saying I work as a "missionary." Why? Because a stereotypical missionary is supposed to be poor and barely make ends meet. But people do not realize that I didn't buy my car, it was given to me as a gift from my beloved grandfather who passed away a few months later. Most of the "label brand clothes" are either old, I have saved up for them, or bought them from Ross. Yes I live in a nice house, but it's because my parents have proven to be faithful with the small things in their line of work, so the Lord has blessed them with bigger things and more clients. My dad is just as much a missionary in being a lawyer as I am going to the ghettos of Vegas. We both have been called to those lines of work for such a time as this and will stay there until God directs otherwise.
Blessings come in many shapes and sizes, so while some missionaries may be blessed with 1000's of dollars, others may be blessed with seeing 1000's come to accept Christ every year. You cannot reject the blessings God has given you no matter how big or small (or be envious of what others have), because God has called you to where you are because he knows it's where he can use you best. Or perhaps you are cheating yourself of the blessings because you are NOT where God wants you to be. (Granted, I cannot tell you if you are or are not where you should be, that is between you and God.)
This has by far been the best trip of my life, and I am so grateful that God moved through and in me as much as he did-regardless of my initial feelings or desires. I'm super stoked to see where God is taking me next, what he has in store for my life, and when I will be able to go back to the Philippines. I was "offered" a position to work with JRev, and to stay in the Philippines (I even had a dream that there was no room for me on my plane--John was excited about that one, lol), but I know God has work for me here in America. I will definitely be back in Asia soon, and I cannot wait to see the JRev staff come in February for the Nazirite Training. (Anyone who wishes to come is welcomed! http://newdaychristianchurch.com/nazirite-training-program/)
Thank you all once again for the many prayers and support! May God bless you as you continue to be faithful with that which is given to you. I love you guys, and missed you terribly--unless you are in the Philippines, then I miss you now! (:
During our first week in Manila, I felt like I was living in America. Our hotel was very nice, we ate good westernized culture foods, Starbucks were almost on every street corner, I could wear my American clothes, our contact's car was an A/C provided Honda CV-R. I felt like I was in Vegas with humidity-minus the chaotic-I-want-to-see-Jesus-jay-walkers, street vendors walking in traffic and knocking on our windows to see if we wanted to buy, or the street kids running in traffic begging for money. And the fact that they go ALL OUT in decorating Christmas (even the gas stations have some lights or bows), they start decorating and celebrating in September and do not stop until January.
Below our hotel we could see the shanti's (slums), I soooo badly wished I could be living with them, playing with their kids, sharing the Gospel while sitting beneath the fan careful to not hit my head. Instead, I got to experience God on a whole new level starting with when we witnessed to some college kids.
Colleges can be very expensive, and only a handful who can afford the prices may go. One night we visited Jesus Flock's office/church building (our personal church sponsors them), and for several hours we witnessed to eight college kids about Jesus while sitting in a Boiler Room (Prayer Room). While the six who were there who did not know Jesus did not accept him that day, they most definitely experienced him. Two of the kids were covered with giant flecks (not specks) of gold dust. While praying for God to speak to them and reveal what it means to have a personal relationship with him rather than confessing to a priest about their sins, several kids began to cry (usually a good sign that God is moving).
The next day we were able to attend Jesus Revolution Now's "Campus Awakening" which was a day set aside to worship, fast, and pray for God to revive the campuses of Manila. Ironically, or perhaps divinely appointed, it happened on the same day that the first solemn assembly of JRev occurred ten years prior in which 150,000 showed up. It was also the same day as Bonifacio Day which is a day when Filipinos remember one of their nation's heroes who brought a revolution of freedom from the Spaniards. (Like I said, a day divinely appointed.) At the end of the nine hours of praying, fasting and worshipping, Pr. Jerome asked if there were people who wanted to consecrate their lives as a modern day Nazarite-which means they would live a life of humility, holiness, and hunger for God. Every young adult/kid who attended came forth, as did many of the staff working the production.
After the glory of God fell, and a Holy Spirit rain party went down at the Campus Awakening, Summer, Jesse and I left for Quezon Province. Heading there each of us were slowly growing fearful, especially after the shocked faces, horror stories, and "well this is a missions trip" responses were given after we told the locals we were going.
During our four days in Quezon, all heaven broke loose and miracles started raining down. A man who fell 55 feet from a bamboo bridge which connects the coconut trees (they get the coconuts for food and "lampanog" [coconut wine, 97% alcohol]), had dislocated his spine. While we prayed for him to be healed, the spine only partially went back into place but he accepted Christ as his Saviour that night. A man who is lame from birth still cannot walk, but has an ever-growing desire to do the Lord's will and share what God has done in his life. A woman who lost her husband and grew up an orphan shares the story of the Father's love and the joy as a bride of Christ. In a public school we were asked to pray for every teacher as well as the second in command (vice president). Forty kids in that same public school accepted the Lord in their classroom after openly hearing about God's love and purpose for their lives. In Quezon alone, we saw close to 80 people give their lives to Christ for the first time.
After Quezon, we headed to Batangas for some R&R and to process what God had been teaching us for the past week. As I sit on the beach explaining what God has done, how He wrecked me and stripped me of all knowledge once again, I slowly realized I had the wrong concept of missions. John explained it best, he said, "Lauren, it is good to sweat and get dirty for the Lord, but that is not the only way to do missions. Missionary work means that you are obedient to the Lord in whatever he asks you to do wherever He tells you to go." I began to think about it, and it dawned on me how much emphasis I had put on doing dirty work for missions, then again that's all I knew. The only missions trips I had been on prior to this trip was going to India and working with slums, poor communities, and the Red Light District. There was nothing wrong with those trips, and they definitely were mission trips, but I was called to do the dirty work for that time in my life. I don't have to go above and beyond doing dirty work and going to third world countries just because God has blessed me and my family.
For a long time I have felt so self-guilty because I have a Mustang and brand label clothes and live in a nice house. And I have been ridiculed for those things while saying I work as a "missionary." Why? Because a stereotypical missionary is supposed to be poor and barely make ends meet. But people do not realize that I didn't buy my car, it was given to me as a gift from my beloved grandfather who passed away a few months later. Most of the "label brand clothes" are either old, I have saved up for them, or bought them from Ross. Yes I live in a nice house, but it's because my parents have proven to be faithful with the small things in their line of work, so the Lord has blessed them with bigger things and more clients. My dad is just as much a missionary in being a lawyer as I am going to the ghettos of Vegas. We both have been called to those lines of work for such a time as this and will stay there until God directs otherwise.
Blessings come in many shapes and sizes, so while some missionaries may be blessed with 1000's of dollars, others may be blessed with seeing 1000's come to accept Christ every year. You cannot reject the blessings God has given you no matter how big or small (or be envious of what others have), because God has called you to where you are because he knows it's where he can use you best. Or perhaps you are cheating yourself of the blessings because you are NOT where God wants you to be. (Granted, I cannot tell you if you are or are not where you should be, that is between you and God.)
This has by far been the best trip of my life, and I am so grateful that God moved through and in me as much as he did-regardless of my initial feelings or desires. I'm super stoked to see where God is taking me next, what he has in store for my life, and when I will be able to go back to the Philippines. I was "offered" a position to work with JRev, and to stay in the Philippines (I even had a dream that there was no room for me on my plane--John was excited about that one, lol), but I know God has work for me here in America. I will definitely be back in Asia soon, and I cannot wait to see the JRev staff come in February for the Nazirite Training. (Anyone who wishes to come is welcomed! http://newdaychristianchurch.com/nazirite-training-program/)
Thank you all once again for the many prayers and support! May God bless you as you continue to be faithful with that which is given to you. I love you guys, and missed you terribly--unless you are in the Philippines, then I miss you now! (:
salamat para sa pagbabasa,
Saint
P.S. Yes, I ate many new & different foods during my time there. Here is a list in the order of trying them:
Chibits (deep fried chicken guts): Pretty tasty
Fish eggs (not caviar): Tasteless, minus the dousage of soy sauce
Crab sushi (my first taste of real sushi): Not bad
Filipino Mangos: Amazing!
Coffee Jelly (famous at Filipino Starbucks): It's like coffee-flavoured Jello
Squid legs: Tasteless, but interesting texture
Whole Crab (as in you pick them out of the ocean): Tasty, but hard to get through the shell/legs
Tuna (on a stick): Tastes like can tuna and a hint of wood (;
Lumpia (fried spring roll with jackfruit): Very sweet, really good
Coconut water (stick a straw in a coconut): Tastilicious!
Coconut meat (the white substance that coats the inside): Tastes like a hardened coconut smoothie
Coconut Milk (there were 1000's of coconut trees in Quezon): tastes like milk with coconuts
Fern (yes, as in the plant that grows in your yard): Tastes like soy sauce-marinated, yummy grass
Lambanog (coconut wine): 90% alcohol (if bought locally) with a hint of coconut, after 4 sips I was done!
Lechon: a pig that was alive 6 hours before they roasted him on a stick
Barbecued isaw (pork intestines on a stick): Super good & Very filling!
Balot (boiled duck embryo): It was only after I swallowed they told me I was not supposed to eat the hard part: Tasted like a hardboiled egg with a duck twist... Extremely filling.
Halo-halo (rice, evaporated milk, assorted fruits and rice): Can only be found at Christmas and is bright purple, sticky but very sweet
Bingbingka (hot rice & coconut milk mixed cake): Another Christmas treat, tastes like sweetened, sugar-y cookie/pizza dough
And now American food is somewhat "boring." :P
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