Thursday, April 30, 2009

Kensie, College Students, Cupcakes, and Missions

Kensie has never been to the Philippines yet she is making an impact over here already. In fact, she has never left the United States, but has ambition, goals and dreams that will carry her wherever she wants to go.

We honor you Kensie for your heart for missions! We were so moved by what you have recently done that we are copying the link from your blog so that others can see what people can do, if they just give it a try.

Kensie wants to improve the girl's dorm at the ACTS bible school campus and is doing so with fund raisers, her own funds and by getting others involved. What an inspiration you are!!

Check out her blog!
http://paintingherreverie.blogspot.com/

Tondo Young Person at Home- Day After Youth Camp

Matt Maddix and Travis Worthington were in the Philippines preaching the North Western Luzon Youth Camp, where they had over 200 receive the Holy Ghost for the first time. It was a legitimate blowout.
They had street marches, and all the stuff normally associated with Matt's ministry. Of course, they have been invited back, only this time they think they will be ready for him.

We all went back to Manila Friday night and so when the camps were over, that Saturday we picked up Travis and Matt from their hotel and was going to offer them a bite to eat, and another plan. A plan we were sure Matt would go for.

"We can go to eat at Chili's or California Pizza Kitchen, or something else." Matt had at first said he was hungry, but the idea of having a mysterious option seemed to intrigue him.

"What is the other plan?"

I told him that Brenda and I would like to return to one of our favorite places in the city, Tondo, near Smokey Mountain, one of the most infamous concentrations of abject poverty in all of Asia. We have found these to be some of the most engaging, industrious, and resourceful people in the country. And we are determined to help as many of them as we can.

Matt jumped at the idea of going into this area and immediately lost his appetite for food. "This is much bigger here!" I have heard people say Tondo is dangerous for people like us, but then we have also heard that the people in Tondo who may wish us harm are kept in check by the decent and moral leaders of that ragamuffin community. The real word is that in Filipino culture, a guest is to be fed, protected and entertained before the other members of the house.

We ran into this articulate, intelligent young person, who let us know that he had attended our youth camp two days ago. Someone had gone into this very depressed area and invited him and then had paid his expenses. I don't know who did it, but I pray that God blesses that generous soul beyond measure.
Listen to the song he sings, then listen to the song next to the previous blog.

Party Time at NCR Youth Camp

If you ever get a chance you have GOT to attend one of these youth camps!! Volleyball, basketball, badminton, campfires... but what everyone really comes for is to have church... and do they ever have church!

Thursday night the service began at 6:30 and the video below was taken over 4 hours later and, as you can see, they were still going strong.

Filipinos love to sing and worship. They would have done this all night except the guitar player broke 3 strings, the drummer could hardly raise his right foot, and the singers looked like they had just climbed out of a swimming pool.

I just love being in a place where there are NO excuses...

Hot? So what?

Tired? We can rest tomorrow!

Watch this little "taste" of what it was like at the Metro Manila (NCR) Youth Camp 2009.