After several hours of travel we made it to the humid, sticky and hot
country of the Philippines around noon on November 27 (November 26 for
all you folks back home)…(we are 14 hours ahead for central time and
13 hours ahead for eastern). Thanksgiving the next day consisted of
LOTS of rest and a zesty thanksgiving feast for dinner that consisted
of mashed potatoes, stuffing, chicken, corn, and apple pie. It’s been
rough adjusting and overcoming jet lag for many of us. We are drinking
lots of water and resting up at our different locations.
First let me begin by saying that unfortunately, we are not working
first hand in the disaster relief area for now, nor are we very near
to it. The typhoon hit the southern islands of the Philippines and is
too dangerous for our group to be going to at this time. We will be a
part of the ministries already started here in Manila that way we can
give the people already established here a better opportunity to go to
the effected areas to get children and families help and out of there.
A way that you can specifically be praying alongside our squad is for
the children and girls in the effected areas. 1.7 million children are
displaced from this storm alone and 170,000 children will be
trafficked due to this disaster for only 200 pesos which is only $5
USD! The ministry here will continue to go down there in order to
offer food and vitamins to those that have survived this storm.
Moreover, they will be building relationships and hopefully bringing
in some children and families here to our home.
While they are taking part in this, our teams will be continuing the
ministries already established here and beginning some new projects.
Our team (Beloved Daughters) and another all girls team (Eucharisto)
are here at whats called the Jazz or Angels Home. We have our own cute
little set up right next to the girls home for those young girls who
have suffered sexual abuse. While here we will be working in little
squatter villages and homes to deworm children, make relationships and
other things that are in the works. In the afternoon we will help out
with various things like tutoring the girls and just hanging out.
There is a kids home that hosts several children and infants that one
team will be working with.Other groups on our squad will be doing
various other ministries around the site such as tutoring, basketball
ministry, squatter villages and various needs around the community.
I am so looking forward to this time here in the Philippines. A NEW
chapter, a NEW season!! “Behold, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of
them.” Isaiah 42:9
The Father has definitely revealed that this is a time of really
walking in freedom and confidence! A time of failing with GRACE, a
time of succeeding with VICTORY! “Though an army encamp against me, MY
HEART SHALL NOT FEAR, though war arise against me, yet I WILL BE
CONFIDENT.” Psalm 27:3
He’s taking me deeper in intimacy…romancing me, teaching me to dream
again, confidently walking in royalty as daughter! “‘My beloved speaks
and says to me: Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for
behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers
appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of
the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree ripens its figs, and
the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. ARISE, MY LOVE,
MY BEAUTIFUL ONE, AND COME AWAY. O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your
voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Catch the
foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our
vineyards are in blossom.’ My beloved is mine, and I am His.” Songs of
Solomon 2:10-16
To live and walk and breathe in the spirit! To BELIEVE!!! To identify
my whole self completely with Him because I have been crucified with
Christ. My flesh is dead! Right before we left debrief in Honduras the
Father revealed to me that I had been trying to make my flesh worthy.
My flesh will never be made worthy. My flesh is actually DEAD. I am
already worthy. He says to me “shhh, Laura Beth, be still my love, you
are already enough and worthy…just be you.” “I have been crucified
with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
And the life I now live in the flesh I live BY FAITH in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Over the next 3 months you can be praying for me to be myself, to show
myself and others grace, to walk, live, breathe, think and see in the
spirit. You can pray for me to be transformed by the renewing of my
mind every single day. Pray for me to be single minded on the
Father…to let him romance me, that i would come away with Him!
