Vacation Bible School

It is amazing how you can become attached to someone so quickly, even in less than one week! This past week our family had the opportunity to help with a Vacation Bible School at an orphanage here in Manila. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with the children. Saying goodbye today (Friday 27, 2007) was sad as we realized how fond we had grown of all the little children.

A very poor community surrounded the New Faith Family Children’s Home. Seeing the living conditions and the needs of the children in this area showed us how important it is to remember to care for and visit orphans as it says in James 1:27.

You might be wondering how we became involved in a VBS when we basically just arrived to Philippines a few weeks ago. Well…while we were still back in Dallas, Texas, we met Mr. and Mrs. Davies. Since we had been praying for some ministry opportunities in the Philippines, we were very excited to learn that God would be bringing the Davies over to Manila with a team from their church to teach Vacation Bible School! They graciously allowed us to participate and help out with their team.:-)



The whole Vacation Bible School atmosphere brought flashbacks of our mission trips to Mexico….humid weather, a need for flexibility:-) (This may sound familiar to those of you who have been on our mission trips to Mexico), and precious little kids who love to be hugged and sit on our laps! At the orphanage, many of the children had emotional and physical needs—some of them have even suffered from abuse in the past.


One of the children who continues to struggle is Maricel (in Melissa's lap). She is such a sweet girl and in the second grade, yet throughout the week she showed evidences of emotional issues. Her conversations were minimal (only speaking a maximum of two words at a time), but we noticed that she communicates her joy with a beautiful smile and a unique, lively giggle. We pray that Maricel, along with others at the orphanage, will realize that only Christ can release her from her struggles and give everlasting joy.


Opportunities that place us amongst others less fortunate than ourselves can really open our eyes to the physical and spiritual needs of those around us. It is so easy for us to forget those outside our small circle of living—like the kids in the orphanage—yet we are asking God to help us be alert to those we can serve and minister to who need His love and salvation.


By helping at the orphanage this past week, our eyes were opened to a whole new area of people with lost souls vacant of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Yet in every one of our lives—no matter where we live—we interact with others who inwardly struggle and have no peace because they have not found Christ.

When we let Christ’s love overflow from our lives, He allows us to reach those who have been forgotten by others, suffering inside, or desolate with sin so that they might be made whole in Him.