I recently had the honor of going to the Philippines. It was beautiful! Going with a group of young adults, all of us focused on serving others, made it easier for me to intentionally travel with the idea that this trip was in no way about me… And it felt great! Not to sound like a job interview coach, but challenges became opportunities (Side note: TSA is a lot more fun when you high-five as many people in line as will let you. 🤓) and all the inconveniences that would ruin my day here in the States (not enough water, no toilet paper, etc.) were normal and nothing to stress out about.
One part of the trip that opened my heart the most was the chance to spend three whole days helping at a youth camp. I fell in love with those kids! So many of them were just so happy and fun! They taught me Tagalog (very little) and hand clapping games, and I got to play, worship, study, and eat with a bunch of kids who always rose to the occasion. Getting to see the change in them, opening up to us as they realized that we really cared about them, was so encouraging. It makes me think about all the friends I have made in the last couple of years, how the ones I have gotten close to almost feel like they are two different people (don’t get offended if you are one of them, keep reading). It’s like the more time I spent with them, got to know them, the more complex, full, and intricate a knowledge I had about them, the more the face value first impression of them paled. They are so much more to me than the paper thin idea I had of them before getting to know them. I hope that is what happened at camp. That the more they got to know us, the fuller an image they got of our character, the less we looked like just pale, rich, fat Americans, and instead became genuine, honest, trustworthy people who care deeply.
Sojourn Nation 