It's Christmas Time

I have spent the past week with a team of 10 different people assisting and serving at our partner project's Christmas parties. The parties were amazing!

To be back in this country that my heart calls home is an overwhelming feeling. Even now, as I write this, my eyes are brimming with tears. It has been beautiful to see how our projects have grown since I was last here. They have had struggles and triumphs, but they have also raised youth leaders and fine-tuned their visions.

I want to take a few minutes to shine some light on each of these parties...

Manila Children's Home: It is here where I served in 2015. It was such a joy to walk through the door to find the boys waiting to greet all of us. Each of them has grown so much since I left (and not just in height and weight.) They are excelling in school, and the boys who were once in the SPED program, are no longer. The older boys are preparing for the ILP (Independent Living Program), as they will soon be turning eighteen. We spent the entire day together laughing, swimming, playing games, enjoying a typical meal called "boodle fight." All the boys now know how to swim. The two youngest boys enjoyed swimming back and forth with me and having me catch them as they jumped in. They loved their gifts and received many gifts from their wish list, which they will share.

Batang Matinik (Smart Kid): This is a thriving ministry out in the province. It has grown by leaps and bounds as they now minister to the mothers and fathers whose children are a part of their program. Many of the families now have successful piggeries, and they can provide for their own families. Gambling (which is very common here) has subsided, as the fathers are now busy in the family business. Houses have been bought, and children have been able to further their education from the earnings of the piggeries. The director, Ate Marlyn, has a background in accounting and her husband is a pastor. Visiting this particular project was an all-day event (about a 2-3 hour drive one way), as we had to take traffic into consideration. We showered over 150 children at this party. Many enjoyed face painting, getting their nails done, and a magic show!

Support A Child: This is a relatively new ministry as they joined our partnership in 2016. They also minister to children between the ages of five to eight (That is the average age span, but they have a few older kids involved in the ministry.) They work in the heart of an impoverished barangay in Metro Manila. They desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus and give these children hope. I made a few new friends at this party and with one girl in particular as we played a round of peek-a-boo. I loved seeing the kid's faces light up, especially as the party came to a close. Their eyes were shining.

Youth Mobilization: During my time here, I also worked with this ministry. When I volunteered with YM, they ministered in about four different locations. They have now targeted a specific barangay in Metro Manila. I did see some familiar faces, but many of the kids are new to the program! The neighborhood that they work in, and many like it, is known for cyber-trafficking. The kids from the local youth group led the activities. It was fantastic to see them in action! Many of the children who attend our parties are from impoverished families. Because Christmas is such a special time for them and a party is even more of a treat, they dress in their "Sunday best." It was at this party that a little girl, Nicole, befriended me. I had to encourage her to participate in the games. She was adorable, and we shared some memorable moments.

Extreme Joy: This ministry is also new to ER as they began their partnership in 2016. This was one of our biggest parties---220 kids---and was also led by the youth! The director, Pastor Toto, watched from the side and interacted with the kids as the local youth group took charge. This particular project is located a little bit out of Metro Manila near a dump. The kids who are a part of this program live and work in the dump with their families. The kids enjoyed a skit and many dances and games, face painting, and coloring activities. At every party, a child received a little gift bag and a warm meal. For many, it was a treat to have received rice and chicken or pancit and a Filipino hotdog. Food containers were opened first as they longed to fill their bellies with something hearty. Their attention then went to the colorful bag that they had also been given. At the close of the party, we were treated to a special dance and song.

Seed of Love: This is a beautiful ministry that reaches out to families whose children have cancer. In third world countries, the family is the one that supplies the medicine for the treatment. The majority of these families are from the provinces and cannot afford to commute for chemo. Many of them used to sleep under their child's bed during their stay. Pastor Junie and ate Au have now opened a halfway house for these families. It has become more than a house; it is a home. The families genuinely do life together. It is a challenging ministry, and it turned out to be an emotional day as we witnessed a young boy being wheeled away on a cart with only a thin white sheet covering his little body. The mother followed behind, crying. We were told that her husband was an emotional wreck and wept in the room where his son had passed. The one comfort was that the entire family, including the son, had recently made declarations of faith. It is then that you know Heaven is truly rejoicing. To be able to see these kids---of all ages---try to forget their pain, even for a few hours, was beautiful. JP, a three-year-old boy, and I played a little round of tag. To hear him squeal with delight made my day. One hundred precious kids were loved on at this party.

Arms of Love: This partner project is located on the beautiful island of Bohol. They have about 30 kids in their care, plus ten young adults studying at the University. They have also been faced with hardship this year as their director passed away in the summer. Lovely, the social worker has stepped into the role of director and is also fulfilling her job. This was our smallest Christmas party, so we were able to spend extra time with the kids. Before the fun and games, we were led in worship by some of the kids from the ILP. We ended the night with a Filipino favorite: lechon---roasted pig. To be served this is a real treat. As we said our goodbyes, the kids broke out in the song "Arms of Love." Tears started to form in my eyes as I knew it was God's way of telling me, "they truly are in His arms," and I know that He is holding them near.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6~