School's Out for Summer

Can you hear the old Alice Cooper '70's song?

No more school!

It came suddenly.  I woke up one day and realized that the rest of the school was preparing for final exams, graduation balls, and freedom.  I was content to keep plugging away teaching SSRW.  Hello again, Whirlwind!

I have been enjoying extra time with the Lord and extra time to dance, sing, practice guitar, and plan for the future.  I also have been enjoying extra time with my friends.  My house has become the place to encounter the Lord, eat bread, print assignments, watch movies, and have fun.  I am so grateful for the friendships I have here!

The last few weeks I have challenged the youth to read their Bibles.  Everyone it seems wants to hear God.  But not everyone wants to read their Bibles.  God already spoke so much in His Word.  If we want more, we must live out what He has already revealed.  He who has will be given more.

The youth group is now reading through the book of Acts together.  Some are also following a summer reading plan that takes them through the entire New Testament in 3 months.  Each youth group meeting has a Bible Quiz time over what they are reading.  I love watching young teens scour their Bibles for truth!

We have started meeting regularly for the Worship and Intercession Team.  So many of our members are so young- in the Lord and in age!  But God... don't despise the day of small beginnings.  He can use anything.  He has such great plans for these young ones.  I pray that we all submit ourselves to the burning required to minister to the All Consuming Fire.

I started teaching a worship dance class this past week because so many of the youth group were interested in learning how to dance.  This is a challenge. I have danced my whole life, but mostly in the secret place.  And I have never taught dance.  To dance and to teach dance are two entirely different things.  But I reckon it's like prayer: more caught than taught.  And the public is the overflow of the private.

My summer assignment is to revise the Kindergarten 2 Math Curriculum, conduct a public school training for SSRW, attend Nazarite Training, and God knows what else. (I mean that with complete honesty!)

God says He lives in a whirlwind.  To be close to Him means I get caught up, too.

Down in the Dumps and Up from the Ashes

Have you ever heard the phrases, "Down in the dumps," and "up from the ashes?"  This weekend, these phrases took on new meaning as I saw where my sponsored child lives.

I arrived at a really nice hotel on Friday, excited about a real shower, hot water, and air conditioning.  I couldn't help but ponder the contrast I'd be walking into in the next few moments.

Friday afternoon our team (Ras, Bev, Kathy, Susan, and Lucia from Fullness In Christ Ministries) went to the dumpsite where Anabel lives.  I found out that she is a first year high school student and is 15 years old.  That's the equivalent of  a 15 year old in America's 7th grade.

We walked around on a mountain of 8 feet of trash, visiting "homes" and people.  It had been raining, so the trash was wet and muddy.  400 pound toxic pigs scavenged and lolled around the piles of refuse.

We came up to a house where a young mother was watching her baby sleep in a make-shift bassinet (a hammock of sorts).  When I introduced myself, she shied away from shaking my hand, motioning that she was too dirty to touch.  I looked her in the eyes and said, "I don't care.  It's nice to meet you."  Shortly thereafter, a trash truck arrived.  The mother left her baby in the care of a 4 year old and ran to dig through the freshly dumped garbage.  Her goal, along with the others there, was to find recyclable material to sell for food money.

I don't know if this image will ever get out my head.  I so wanted to show these people that even though necessity has them in this position, they are still human.  They are dignified human beings.

After the trash truck arrived, Anabel got home from school and I met her for the first time.  She is a sweet, reserved young lady.  If our team had not been there that day, she would have been scavenging with the others.  That is her way of life, too.

The following are other pictures from the dump site.

The picture below is one woman's finds from the latest trash truck.

The picture below is of the place where Anabel used to stay sometimes.  She now stays at the church with 5 other girls in a room with one wooden bed and a sheet.

After walking around the dump for a while, we went to the dump-side church.  This is where the phrase, "Up from the ashes" took on a new meaning.  We were welcomed by signs and kids waving flags for us.  We felt so honored! The people showed up from the dump wearing clean clothes and freshly bathed.  The traces of the dump were seen only as a thing of the past.

They had a wonderful child- led worship service with dancing and testimonies in English.

Annabel was one who shared her testimony. For her security, I will not repeat it here.  But, her story makes one realize the hope an education can give.  She has no parents and no siblings to watch out for her.  But because she can go to school, she has hope of a different life and knowledge that someone really does care for her.  She often goes to school with breakfast or lunch because she has no money.

The kids in line for vitameal- a vitamin packed oatmeal-type thing:

Learning to eat FunDip candy:

Good times:

Eating vitameal with a lick a stick?  Yep:

The children grew these plants.  Ras and Bev were asked to judge which plants were the greenest. :-)  Pastor Rudy explained that when the fathers eat the fruit from these plants, their hearts will be turned back to their children.  Malachi 4:5-6.

Shortly after this, we went home to our hotel.  This was only my first day in Mindanao.  I will post about the rest of my trip at another time.  This is enough for one day.

One may be "down in the dumps," but that never keeps God from raising you "up from the ashes."

"The Spirit of Yahweh is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to... provide for those who grieve in [the Philippines]- to bestow upon them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of despair...  They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places ... devastated for generations." 

Isaiah 61:1, 3, 4

If you feel led to sponsor a child who lives in this dump or in a similar situation, or to provide food for the children, visit www.fullnessonline.org and follow the links to make a tax-deductible donation.

Off to Mindanoa

I am leaving at 9am my Friday to go to the island of Mindanao to meet Anabel, the child I've sent to school for the last few years.

I know that the team I'm joining will be doing a pastor's conference while I'm there.  I am expecting to hear from the Lord while I am there, as well.

Please pray:

*Spiritual, emotional, and physical protection
*Great bonding time with Anabel
*Great bonding time with the ministry team I'm joining
*No transportation problems
*Discernment
*To hear the Lord
*To be refreshed

We will go to the beach while I'm there.  I haven't been to the beach in 10 years!! I'm sooo excited!! :-)  We will baptize some people there- even better!

Info: Mindanao is the second largest island of the Philippines and is mostly Muslim.  I know there is a purpose bigger than I know in going there.

I'm bringing my camera, so look for pictures soon! I'll be back to IFL on Tuesday evening.