“I am attending this mission trip for the sole reason of loving God.”
Those were my words back from my reflection before the Great Adventure Tour (GAT) mission. As usual, my words came to fruition in ways I did not expect.
My mission started off with fundraisers. During the preparations, I slacked in my spiritual preparation. So when GAT officially started, I was spiritually struggling. I feared of not being able to relate or connect with anyone. Yet God in His great love for me got me through my struggles and insecurities through the children.
Spending time with children was a part of GAT I knew about from friends from past GAT trips. However, I completely forgot and was surprised to hear that at least two hours of each build day were to be spent playing with children. Several encounters with the children stood out.
I told one girl that her earrings were pretty. Failing to realize most of the girls were wearing earrings, they all started coming closer, turned towards me, and with their heads and earrings towards me, looked at me. It seemed like they, too, were waiting for me to take notice of and comment on their earrings. Each of them wanted to feel special. This was my opportunity to love God through the children by showering them with praises and attention and affirming them of the fact, “Yes, you matter!” He used that moment to remind me that He reaches out to me, adoring me with praises and attention to say, “Yes, my child, you matter.”
Other memorable encounters were with two, quiet sisters, Genelyn and Galisa Nicole. Despite the lack of conversations, they were often with me and wanted to hold hands during activities. The other children were like this with the other missionaries. Every child wanted a new friend to whom to look up and to love. It was the love of simple and innocent children. This love was apparent when Genelyn wrote me a letter saying that she will not forget me and that I must not forget her. Then she wrote, “I love you.” How was it that she loved me after such a short time of being together? True love. God’s love.
The innocence I saw in Genelyn, Galisa Nicole, and the other children spoke to me of God’s love. It was as if the clouds of heaven opened up and God said, “This is my beloved [child], with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:13-17). I attended the mission to love God and God, whose love cannot be outdone, loved me infinitely more.
God walked closer to me, turned towards me, and looked at me waiting for me to notice Him. He was always with me, holding my hands during every single activity. He wrote me a letter saying, “Don’t forget me. I won’t forget you. I love you.”
God’s love through the children got me through the spiritual struggles. I attended the mission and was loved by God.
[This reflection is written by Tanya Uy, one of the YCOM missionaries who attended the ANCOP Great Adventure Tour in August 2014.]
Those were my words back from my reflection before the Great Adventure Tour (GAT) mission. As usual, my words came to fruition in ways I did not expect.
My mission started off with fundraisers. During the preparations, I slacked in my spiritual preparation. So when GAT officially started, I was spiritually struggling. I feared of not being able to relate or connect with anyone. Yet God in His great love for me got me through my struggles and insecurities through the children.
Spending time with children was a part of GAT I knew about from friends from past GAT trips. However, I completely forgot and was surprised to hear that at least two hours of each build day were to be spent playing with children. Several encounters with the children stood out.
I told one girl that her earrings were pretty. Failing to realize most of the girls were wearing earrings, they all started coming closer, turned towards me, and with their heads and earrings towards me, looked at me. It seemed like they, too, were waiting for me to take notice of and comment on their earrings. Each of them wanted to feel special. This was my opportunity to love God through the children by showering them with praises and attention and affirming them of the fact, “Yes, you matter!” He used that moment to remind me that He reaches out to me, adoring me with praises and attention to say, “Yes, my child, you matter.”
Other memorable encounters were with two, quiet sisters, Genelyn and Galisa Nicole. Despite the lack of conversations, they were often with me and wanted to hold hands during activities. The other children were like this with the other missionaries. Every child wanted a new friend to whom to look up and to love. It was the love of simple and innocent children. This love was apparent when Genelyn wrote me a letter saying that she will not forget me and that I must not forget her. Then she wrote, “I love you.” How was it that she loved me after such a short time of being together? True love. God’s love.
The innocence I saw in Genelyn, Galisa Nicole, and the other children spoke to me of God’s love. It was as if the clouds of heaven opened up and God said, “This is my beloved [child], with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:13-17). I attended the mission to love God and God, whose love cannot be outdone, loved me infinitely more.
God walked closer to me, turned towards me, and looked at me waiting for me to notice Him. He was always with me, holding my hands during every single activity. He wrote me a letter saying, “Don’t forget me. I won’t forget you. I love you.”
God’s love through the children got me through the spiritual struggles. I attended the mission and was loved by God.
[This reflection is written by Tanya Uy, one of the YCOM missionaries who attended the ANCOP Great Adventure Tour in August 2014.]