On August 9, 2014, I left my home to attend a mission trip held in the Philippines. This particular mission trip was my first ever mission trip. It was a dream to be in a mission trip and to fully experience how to live and be with the less fortunate.
We went to two ANCOP sites, an urban and a rural site which is located in Tarlac and Quezon City. I remember the first day we arrived in the ANCOP site in San Vicente, Tarlac, the children were all grouped together and they all greeted us with, “Good Morning visitors." Since it was my first time being there and doing a mission trip, I did not know what to expect. But, I remember vividly that I was filled with so much joy. During our lunch time, the families cooked us food and the way they called it was “boodle fight." During our working time, the children willingly and happily helped us, which brought happiness to me when I was tired. Even though the environment was different in Quezon, I was happy. The Holy Spirit was really present.
In the middle of this mission trip I had two realizations. My first one was that in order to be fully filled to the brim with His grace, I need to completely be broken apart. By breaking myself apart, I am allowing the Lord to fill me. I was really challenged and broken apart during this mission trip because of the hardships that was given to us. Our particular mission group made a rule for the whole trip to not complain and to be more grateful. Whenever I felt broken, it was amazing to be grateful rather than to complain because it was a selfless act and not a selfish act. From this I learned to be more grateful whenever I was broken apart which led to happiness. This is the happiness that I shared with my mission group, children, families and workers.
My second realization is that the families, children and workers blessed me more than I blessed them. Coming from Canada, I thought that I would be blessing them more, but I was wrong. They made me feel special. Even though they did not have much, they were still able to make us feel special and still able to make all of us happy and loved. That really inspired me because I found myself just being there and told myself that I am really blessed. Their blessings gave me a purpose to continue to be fearless and to persevere whenever it was difficult. They taught me that materialistic things in this world cannot be compared to the greatest reward that I will attain which is Heaven. After this trip, I was affirmed of my mission to spread His good words and His good works. I am affirmed that His mission is also my mission and that is to bring young people to Christ and to be Christ to them.
[This testimony was written by JP Escala, a member of the YCOM GAT Mission team of 2014.]
We went to two ANCOP sites, an urban and a rural site which is located in Tarlac and Quezon City. I remember the first day we arrived in the ANCOP site in San Vicente, Tarlac, the children were all grouped together and they all greeted us with, “Good Morning visitors." Since it was my first time being there and doing a mission trip, I did not know what to expect. But, I remember vividly that I was filled with so much joy. During our lunch time, the families cooked us food and the way they called it was “boodle fight." During our working time, the children willingly and happily helped us, which brought happiness to me when I was tired. Even though the environment was different in Quezon, I was happy. The Holy Spirit was really present.
In the middle of this mission trip I had two realizations. My first one was that in order to be fully filled to the brim with His grace, I need to completely be broken apart. By breaking myself apart, I am allowing the Lord to fill me. I was really challenged and broken apart during this mission trip because of the hardships that was given to us. Our particular mission group made a rule for the whole trip to not complain and to be more grateful. Whenever I felt broken, it was amazing to be grateful rather than to complain because it was a selfless act and not a selfish act. From this I learned to be more grateful whenever I was broken apart which led to happiness. This is the happiness that I shared with my mission group, children, families and workers.
My second realization is that the families, children and workers blessed me more than I blessed them. Coming from Canada, I thought that I would be blessing them more, but I was wrong. They made me feel special. Even though they did not have much, they were still able to make us feel special and still able to make all of us happy and loved. That really inspired me because I found myself just being there and told myself that I am really blessed. Their blessings gave me a purpose to continue to be fearless and to persevere whenever it was difficult. They taught me that materialistic things in this world cannot be compared to the greatest reward that I will attain which is Heaven. After this trip, I was affirmed of my mission to spread His good words and His good works. I am affirmed that His mission is also my mission and that is to bring young people to Christ and to be Christ to them.
[This testimony was written by JP Escala, a member of the YCOM GAT Mission team of 2014.]