A Great Get-a-way

Last Saturday I finally did something I have been wanting to do for a long time, I ran away from the city all by myself to think and reflect and gain perspective. I had not been a rough week in regards to work load or things happening in the church, but in dealing with pain. I had been looking over a popular social networking site in the Philippines that a lot of youth use here to find a youth I had not seen since I had been back. I was shocked to find some not so nice pictures on her site. I sent her a message and asked her whats going on and why she had not come to the church to see me. She replied and gave me her cell phone number. I wanted to meet, and I asked where she was and she replied, "Malate." This got me very very nervous because Malate is part of Manila notorious for prostitution of all ages, bars and foreigners. I went to meet her that night and we chatted and she said she had not come to church because she is shy to the other because she had gotten into some bad things. My worst nightmares were true, a newly turned 17 year old girl had been selling her body to foreigners for the last 4 months. I was absolutely heart broken. I have known this girl for almost 3 years, she is a sweet simple girl and even my parents met her on their first trip here. I pleaded with her to come back and just get away from there. I offered that she could stay with one of my team members and we would take care of her for a while, but she was to shy or embarrassed. So I settled for her to just come and talk with one of our female workers that knows her very well, she did not show.

I was so overwhelmed for days and on Saturday I had to get away. It was 4:30pm Saturday that I decided to go, and by 5pm I was on my bike and off to a wonderful place called Tagaytay. I arrived at 7:30pm and asked one person where I could spend the night, and then the beauty and hospitality of the Filipinos shined. The women took me in to a resort, woke up the worker, got me a room and a cheap price, then fed me and checked up on me the each day. The resort had no others staying there except for Korean tourists during the day coming for boat rides. The place was quite and beautiful and right on the lake! I will attach a picture. It only took till lunch and I new all the staff of the place and mid afternoon I joined the guys working there and we took out a bamboo raft into the lake and swam. It was so nice to laugh and joke with those guys. I spent my nights listening to teaching on my laptop and thinking. The book of Micah has been in my heart for weeks now. I preached on the book a few weeks ago and fell in love with it. Though no one wanted to hear, Micah stood up and fearlessly called out his nation to justice. He called out the social injustices that plagued his people, and elegantly in chapter 6 shows the people what God is really after. I know that it is my call, like Micah, to not let injustice consume the Philippines. The pain of the people has been burning deep in me, and those few nights I spent reflecting God reminded me that it's because of pain I am here. Its so challenging to fight injustice when it is almost a way of life for people. Please pray with me that God will continually reveal to how to effectively and meaningfully fight injustice here.

I came back to the city renewed and missing Vincent or "bunso." I am surprised to say but I really love having him live with me. We have grown close and most nights we wander off and eat dinner together and tease each other. Its so nice to see him happy since I know the deep pain he has endured. I have a good relationship established with him now, and I want to start working towards a more permanent solution for him. Please pray for this because it could be very complicated. Its been a big change having to think about another person all the time. I really feel like a father, and I again find myself in way over my head, but I am also coming to peace with that because it seems to be the story of my life in the Philippines.

The girl we casted a demon out of a few weeks ago is doing well. She just graduated high school and looks like a new person. The next prayer meeting after the exorcism I did everything I could to try and see if there was any more demons in her, thankfully there was none. Near the end of the meeting I told them to each get a partner and pray with them. After a few minutes I noticed she had finished with her first partner and did not have one. I called her over and put my arm around her and asked her to pray first. She began to cry and I listen to a beautiful prayer of thanks giving. She had finally known freedom from the anger that probably was the door for the demon, and I stood there amazed. I gave thanks to God for the healing He had done in her. It was a beautiful moment, and a real triumph for me!

The next few months will be interesting as we are in the middle of summer. Lots of youth around all the time, and we are planning on starting some new ministries. I will be writing some tests for bible school in mid May so please pray for me that I can do well.

Though I feel much better then I did last week, the pain of what people are going through here has become a deep burden, its like I carry it now as well. I know that in the same way Jesus carried my burdens I must for the people. There is no more pure and potent way to show the love of Jesus.

Pray with me as I try and figure out what I am going to do. Pray that God can restore the broken and that I may be faithful hands and feet of Jesus.

Brett