Only Here In The Philippines!
If you have heard about the Philippines from anybody in Cornerstone, you may have heard about Pastor Mark and Mary, Sefton, the pre-school, the children’s home, the Hospital and Jail Ministry. You may also have heard about the amazing story of Pepito and the Angel. Have you heard about the balut? No worries if you have not, for it is a just harmless egg that is meant to be eaten. It is not just found in the Philippines (where it is native). Laos has it, Cambodia has it, and so do Vietnam.
For the well-informed, the balut is a delicacy. Ooh, a popularly-believed aphrodisiac, and a high-protein and hearty snack at that. We have some pictures to show you what we mean:
If you are an ardent fan of Fear Factor, you would know what we are talking about here. With all due respect to the Filipinos, some of us find it really grotesque. Yes, it tastes like just an ordinary egg. Yes, it’s cooked. And yes, please don’t make me eat it.
Why talk about the balut in this mission blog?
The truth is, those of us who have been there on a mission trip know that the balut cannot be avoided. It is part of your package. Daunted? Fear not. We who were there ate and live to tell the story.
You see, what we discovered is that the little nibble seems to be a little link that connects the Filipino to his/her visitors. Not that they need any help, though. These are real friendly and hospitable people. They love watching you squirm when you struggle with the stuff, cheering you on with fierce, merry coercion laughter. Amidst painful bites, we tasted the sweet Filipino spirit and the bond of unity that lingered in the air.
This we witnessed it further in the various ministries of the Cornerstone Church in Sefton.
At the public hospital, we joined in with the pastors and prayed for the sick and the poor. Now, the public hospital in Santiago is not a pleasant place. No one, unless they are sick, will want to be there. However, compelled by His love, Pastor Mark and his team go week after week to minister His power and love.
At the jails, inmates gather to hear the Word of God and worship Him. We hear of testimonies of gang leaders whose lives were irrevocably changed by His love. The pastors work in teams/pairs to visit them weekly and feed them with the Word of God. We shared of our testimonies and preached while we were there. Truly, we felt immensely blessed to be able to witness God’s work in their lives.
At the schools where the church organises feeding programs, hundreds of children walked away with a bowl of congee each in their hands. In ten minutes, they finished pots of congee that took 3-5 hours of preparation. The team smiled as they saw the smiles on the children’s faces. There are about 8 million children in the Philippines who are malnourished. May the Lord fill them with food that nourishes the body and food that fills the spirit and soul.
 Children's Church at Nagassican |
 School Feeding Program at Echague |
We have more stories to tell, just like each Filipino we spoke to. Every life, we realized, is a testimony of His power and love. For the few of us who were there during this trip, it mysteriously felt like home. You have to be there to know what we mean. See you soon, in the Philippines.
By Grace Ang
