From the Philippines: Why I'm doing "Mission" work

Brothers, Sisters, Friends & Enemies:    
     Yesterday my team spent 11 hours in churches, here in Tagum City.I believe that is a record for meJ.Though it was strenuous, it was all worth it, and the cherry to top the ice cream “Sunday” was a question my team leader asked in a sermon he shared.His words were simply a question, “Why do I do missions?” I realized I had not shared this answer with you well, and I want to do so today.
     The Bible states in Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.The fact is this statement is not a request; rather it is a command from God for His followers.But, this is not why I am doing “mission work” here in the Philippines.
      There are times when organized religion makes it seem that people are going around trying to make everyone else "like them". To make their clubs "bigger" for more money, or whatever. But, I must say that if the world was full of people like me, I think that would be overwhelming! One Rayelle is enough for the world, so I don't do Mission work because I want more people in my club.
      The reason I am here at this time is because the love I have for my LORD is so great that as I think about it, I feel like my body will burst from pure joy! The same God who spoke and created the universes, lives inside of me by the Holy Spirit.He is ALIVE!He speaks to me, He shares His love with me all day long.He gives me the honor of being able to pray with others and to ask God how He sees them, and God speaks to me to share those things with individuals! And it not my words and thoughts, these are people I’ve never met before and God speaks so specifically that people crumble in tears from His love!
     Yesterday we prayed for a man, Paulos, and 3 of us heard separately the same thing!One person heard “Perseverance” and received a Scripture.I saw a picture in my mind of waves hitting rocks on a coast and I asked God what it meant and he said“Perseverance” and a third person saw Paulos climbing a mountain.It was snow covered and brutal, but he was almost to the top and the other side was a beautiful field with wild flowers, and God spoke about perseverance.When we all shared these things, I think we were more in awe at first than Paulos.But Paulos needed to hear that word from God.What love the Father in Heaven has for His children! Nothing by our power, but toally the Holy Spirit being allowed to move and becaues God loves Paulos more than any of us!
      The only thing worth leaving a great job, my house, family, friends, and everything the American Dream would say should fulfill me is this LOVE!God is so faithful and everyday He fills me with more of His love.He shows me how alive He is, and how much He loves others.It is the most precious gift and the strongest force I’ve ever known. So why did I do it?Leave“everything” to come here… the answer is LOVE.
      I hope that you are blessed by my sharing, and that you feel the love God has for you. It is an amazing thing to know that no matter what, God loves you, and He loved you first... He just wants our love. If face that is why He made us! (see Genesis) If you have any prayer requests send them my way! And if you pray for my team and I, please lift up our health and perseverence these last 4.5 weeks here in the Philippines. We'll be very busy at schools, churchs, evangalizing, and even doing construction this week!!! (blame it on my Mexico trips, buildling homes... but I'm mega-excited for construction :))

May God Bless You in your times of rest, work, and play,

Rayelle

Filipino Birthday!!!

I don't have much time, but thanks for those who asked about my birthday!  I totally went into the day telling God I didn't need anything special as it was a travel day to Mati, where we are serving all week.  But God loves to spoil us and He has been showing me that in my time here especially in the "little ways" no one else would know how to do it here! :)  You see at home a great birthday would usually involve a good meal and games with my family, much laughter, singing and more.  And I've always wanted a "surprise party" in my life.

Well, we were on a 3 hour bus ride, or more, when we arrived.  It is hotter here, and we met some pastors, waited a long time in the heat for our rooms (that's okay), and more... we then made our way to a "pastors gathering" which turned out to be a HOG ROAST!  Hello great food!  (and praise the Lord I was feeling better to be able to eat it!)  They sang to me "Happy Birthday", had a dart board, basketball and a pool table!  (DARTS I missed) and great company!  Exactly what I longed for with food and games and fun!  Then as we came home late to the orphanage where we are staying... the leader and I lagged back, only to find that they had a surprise party waiting for me!  I walked in (NO IDEA) and each of my team was holding a mini cupcake with a candle in the dark, singing!  There were snacks, and a multi-tiered tower of champagne glasses filled with fruit punch, and a sign!!! IT WAS AWESOME!  Great music (thanks Frank Sinatra), a little dancing, and they took the time to each share how I've blessed their lives.

So the day that was to be "whatever" was one of the best birthdays ever!  Thanks for all the wishes from home also, HUGE BONUS!  So greatful to be here and for all of you!

Message from the Roof! :)

Tagum City, Philippines... You want my autograph?

Hello Friends!

I can't believe how fast time has gone! It is July 5th here (we are ahead of Central US by 13 hours) and I'm sitting in an internet café for the first time, a 5 minute tricycle ride from our apartment. We have been in Tagum City for 1.5 weeks now and the time seems to be going so quickly!  My team has a blog going with photos, video, and write ups at www.teamphil.tumblr.com so check it out!!! (it's part of my work duty while we are on outreach).

Just to try to give you a feel of what it is like here, from my perspective... we are in a city that is less than 10 years old, and it is growing rapidly.  There are 12 of us here on the team, and as we walk around the community we are literally seen as “famous” because we look so differently than the Filipinos (tall and white).  This has been a huge blessing as people WANT to talk with us, but it is also overwhelming at times when people surround us, ask us to have pictures with them, and have even been asked for autographs!  I must also add that I’ve never felt more beautiful in my life than here, as each day I’m being told I’m “guapa” which is beautiful in Talago, their native language in the southern area of the Philippines.  It is wonderful, but at the same time sad as it shows a major issue here, that the Filipinos see themselves as less than other cultures.  We are trying to show them how amazing God has made them!

            We’ve had the opportunity to meet many people through activities that include:

-          Attending a “youth on fire” event where we did a skit and prayed for over 50 people, and it included an opportunity to accept Christ that 40ish chose to do! YEAH!

-          Playing Ultimate Frisbee in a park with locals, building relationships, and talking to approximately 30 young people in the park too.  We sang songs, shared stories, and God even opened a door for me to be able to meet a group of engineering students there, and to share my story of God’s faithfulness!

-          A group went to a prison north of us and they were able to share their testimonies with the guards and leadership!  They were sitting in the midst of some of the highest leaders of the Philippines, police and military.  Somewhat intimidating sharing Jesus being surrounded by men in uniform holding M16s, but God is with us and opening doors all over! J

-          We’ve been in a number of churches here where we’ve made contacts, done skits (including the Everything skit), and my group even asked me to give the sermon this last Sunday in a Compostella Valley church.  I wasn’t nervous at all, and God gave me some awesome words on the dreams He has for each of us being bigger than we can imagine (see my story and many in the Bible… Abraham, David, Noah, Esther, etc)

We are getting our schedule set for the remainder of the time that will include doing seminars with some local pastors to encourage them and teach them some new tools, as well as going into a number of high schools and colleges to evangelize and invite the youth to some larger meetings at the end of our time.  There is a spirit of religion here, where people know of Jesus but don’t have a relationship.  In fact at noon the malls even come to a stop as there is a Hail Mary prayer played over the intercom.  It’s very different from home, so learning God’s heart for people in a new way.

Some of the additional “fun things” we’ve done include getting to know the Call2All Impact World Tour team through fellowship by food and playing volleyball together.  For my teammate’s birthday we ate at a French restaurant to have a break from the basics of rice and vegetables that they eat around here.  And shopping at the local outdoor market is always an adventure. 

I’m so thankful to be here at this time.  The cost of living is much less, 43 pesos equals an American dollar and to give you an idea, a specialty coffee drink is about 80 pesos, I can get an ice cream bar for 20 pesos, and we can get across the city in a tricycle for 9 pesos.

I’ll be trying to do more video on our group page, so keep a watch there.  Thanks for all your support and prayers, it is an honor to be here!  Please pray for opportunities for us to evangelize to open up in the area and for my heart to be open to the Filipinos.  I’m such an action minded person, and the people here are very relational.  Being an hour late is not abnormal, so I’m learning to appreciate that.  My biggest request would be more intimacy with Jesus in my time here and I yearn to know Him more.

Salamat!  (Thanks in Talago)

Rayelle