Dear friends and family,
PRAYER REQUEST - I have a little stomach bug from something I ate. Pray it will go away so I can still visit the orphanage this weekend, God willing.
I'm not really an emotional person but today I almost broke down. We were at Pastor Bong's church in Floodway near Redemptio, and they have a daily feeding for 50-60 kids who are malnourished in the community. Once they get on the list, they are regularly evaluated until they reach a healthy weight before taken off the feeding program.
Anyway, they have a worship session where the kids sing with hand motions, and you should've heard dozens of kids shouting of God's love for them and how they want to live for Him. Again these are the very poorest of the poor and to hear them shout, literally shout, of their love for God, it just broke me emotionally because it was so powerful.
Many have little to no food, clothes, running water, electricity. Many of them have never left the squatter community and some come from broken families where siblings as young as 6 or 7 take care of their baby siblings. They live in shacks with tin roofs and sides, and they really have nothing compared to what we have back at home. Yet their smiles when they were singing, their excitement, it just was contagious. I know back at home, once kids get older and reach a certain age, they don't really want to sing and do hand motions, but these kids were just unashamedly belting their hearts out and they knew all the lyrics and all the motions. Their excitement and passion for God was just tangible.
I was trying not to break down just because in that moment, I not only saw but felt God moving and working and drawing that community close to His heart. It was just so apparent though the smile of each child and the wonderful program in the church that God is using that church to bless the community and change lives. Through the church and Redemptio, God is bringing His people to Him in mighty ways, and it was humbling and encouraging to see their worship.
Today I also sorted books at Redemptio since school was cancelled and I was treated to a foot massage and pedicure. Tomorrow Ellie and I are heading to the orphanage for two nights. It's about half a day's drive away. Pray for us as neither of us have been there before and have no idea what to expect. Pray that we can be a blessing to whomever we meet and that God will go before us and give us peace.
Being here makes me excited to pursue long term missions, God willing, and it has really helped me trust God when I see tangibly what He is doing. I can see with my own eyes that God is good and sovereign, and not only that, but He cares and answers prayer. I'm thankful that I have a relationship with a God who is near to me and who is faithful throughout every emotional and physical up and down of my life, and being here makes me excited to serve Him.
God is so good.
Blessings,
Amanda
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