Mission Trip... Day 2 // Blind Church

Our first full day in Manila went a lil' something like this... (well the morning).

We woke up, ate some breakfast, and walked to church. As we walked to church, we embraced the humid heat, the smells, and the view. On this stroll I was in awe of all that my eyes were seeing. There were so many different levels of poverty. And people were everywhere. 

This area became a familiar view by the end of the week.

Upon arriving to this church, I didn't really know what to expect. I knew what church was like here in America and that is all I had to go off of.

The church we went to Sunday morning was a church for the blind.

To not only go to church in another country but for that church to be filled with blind people takes things to a whole new level. The church service began and they started to sing some worship songs. To see blind people raise their hands in worship well to simply put it is beautiful. While we were there, I was just in awe of these people around me, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and their love for the Lord. Their love for Jesus is evident. Pretty amazing stuff how people who are physically blind seem to be able to see so well. I wrote this in my journal... passionate people who love Jesus embody this beautiful, precious church. 

Meet Pastor Ranold.

Jared gave his testimony.

The group sang 10,000 Reasons.

Vica gave her testimony.

Pastor Ranold gave the sermon and the main scripture was Colossians 2:1-5. The sermon was mostly in Tagalog but he threw in some English here and there probably just to help us out. Haha.

The flow of this church was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Yes, there was a schedule but it wasn't as concrete as churches here. The Holy Spirit is evident in this church and nobody was stopping him from moving within the people. When it came time to tithe, I looked around and pretty much everyone in attendance gave. Reflecting on this right now makes me think of Mark 12:41-44...

And the sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she to live on."

Perspective. These people at this church who don't have much were tithing. With their money they understood a concept far too many can't grasp... the money we have isn't ours it is God's. We are to give back to him our first and our best. Not only was I amazed by this but also by the joy and community amongst these people. We can learn so much from not just the Filipinos but the blind Filipinos.

that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:2-3