Thoughts on Manila

So we are half way through our trip which is crazy to believe. I am so grateful to be back in Manila and see so many familiar faces and people that I have gotten to know over my past four summers here in the Philippines. Even though coming to Manila has become a very familiar and very comfortable thing for me I am amazed how God never ceases to teach me new and challenging lessons each and every time I come. Two lessons that I have been learning on this trip so far are patience and humility. From the beginning of this trip God has been placing me in situations to stretch and grow my patience. The three most challenging situations were the wait at the airport, the wait in Guam, and the hurry-up and wait time table here in the Philippines. I have been learning that as I practice patience that it is really God who is the one working through me, because I am not a naturally patient person. I am thankful to see His hand working in my heart in this way, and that I can grow in the grace of patience to serve others more effectively and experience more joy. 


2 Corinthians12:9  has continually been brought to my mind. This passage has brought humility in that He is using my weaknesses to accomplish some necessary tasks here. For the last week we have been sorting and entering library books into a database for their school. My first reaction was that I am more comfortable and confident in working with the children directly, but the Lord knew that there was a need to be meet and chose to use us to meet it. Even though I may not be directly affecting the kids with the work I am doing, I know that  I am indirectly affecting them by providing them with an accredited library that is easy to use. One of the reasons it is so important to meet this need is because it allows them to receive accreditation for their school library. If any of you know me I can be a very scattered and unorganized person so to be used to do organization and inventory of a library is truly using my weaknesses to God's glory. It is very humbling to know that the work I am doing has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the work God is doing through me.


"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."


Prayer Requests:

• continued use of my time intentionally
• contentment even in the use of my weakness
• continued patience as we will be working with 90+ teenagers the next 3 days.

~Jessica