The Medical Mission

Medical Mission
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The Registration Table: Before the patients could enter for a check-up, their names and other first-hand information had to be written down on sheets of paper, as well as on the major list. Christin was assigned here, as well as my sister Hannah, and Zarah, our pastor's daughter.

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The Vital Signs Booth: Several caregivers and nurses-to-be were assigned to this area. Their job was to get the blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature, weight, and other vital information of the patient and write them on the patient's sheet for the doctor's reference.

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The Waiting Room: Here, the patients had a chance to talk to the counselors (some of our church's members) while waiting to be called.

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The Doctors' Area: This was where all the doctors (there were six of them) saw to the needs of the patients. My sister Damaris and I were assigned here as runners. It was our duty to see to the needs of the doctors and to escort the patients to the Pharmacy.

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Pharmacy: Here, the nurses and other nurses-to-be were assigned to give the prescribed medicines to the patients. [The little boy in the middle of the picture is my brother, Jotham. He was assigned to give out the foot wash. :)]

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Snack Table: In this area, snacks and tracts were handed out to the patients before they left the church. Some of them went back to the waiting area to talk to the counselors.

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Thanks so much for your prayers!

Prayer Request: Medical Mission

On Sunday, our church will be having a Medical Mission. Throughout the past few weeks, the Missions Committee of our church has been preparing for this big event. We have been contacting doctors and nurses, gathering medicines, planning, and praying. And now, the big day is near.
Please pray for us, especially on Sunday, that we'll be able to minister to the people who will be arriving, and that we'll also be able to share to them about Jesus.

Thanks, and God bless!

Across the Street, Around the World

THE MISSION

There's a call going out
Across the land in ev'ry nation,
A call to all who swear allegiance
To the cross of Christ;
A call to true humility,
To live our lives responsibly,
To deepen our devotion
To the cross, at any price.

Let us then be sober,
Moving only in the Spirit
As aliens and strangers
In a hostile foreign land;
The message we're proclaiming
Is repentance and forgiveness,
The offer of salvation
To the dying race of man.

Chorus:
To love the Lord our God
Is the heartbeat of our mission,
The spring from which
Our service overflows.
Across the street or around the world,
The mission's still the same,
Proclaim and live the truth
In Jesus' name.

As a candle is consumed
By the passion of the flame,
Spilling light unsparingly
Throughout a darkened room;
Let us burn to know Him deeper
Then our service flaming bright
Will radiate His passions
And blaze with holy light.

November is Missions Month in our church. But really, every day should be seen as a chance to share the gospel to a friend or loved one. Whether they may be the next-door-neighbors across the street, or a relative from across the sea, they need to hear about the Love of a Saviour. Why not take the time to talk to them or even sit down and pray for them? There's a world full of people who may have never heard of Jesus.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Matthew 28:19, 20

"Mirror, Mirror on the Wall"

In the well-known and much-loved fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, there is a part when Snow White's wicked stepmother asks her enchanted mirror: "Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?", to which the mirror would respond by saying the name of the most beautiful woman in the land.

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Girls are always trying to find some way to make themselves more attractive. They pore over latest fashion magazines. They spend hours in front of the mirror - primping their hair, fussing over their clothes, worrying about their looks.

Being a girl, I admit that there were times when I used to worry about my looks. Everyone seemed to think that physical beauty was very important for a girl, and I guess I thought so too.
By God's grace, as I grew older, I learned that what matters most is not how you look, but what you are.

Proverbs 31:30 says:

"Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."

Favour, or charm, may look good, but once you have it, you'll find it unsatisfying. Physical beauty is nothing. It won't last forever, and it isn't essential to life.
Instead of focusing on our looks, we need to focus on the Lord and how to become more like Him.

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Most people have grown used to judging others by their physical appearance. Instead of looking at a person's heart, we tend to focus on what the person wears and how he or she looks. We judge people by the way we see them, often stopping at the looks and never proceeding to know the real person behind them. Nevertheless, that is not how God wants us to regard people.
The Bible says:

"...man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

God does not look at our face or our clothes, or what we have. He looks at our hearts, and He wants us to do the same. He wants us to see people by who they really are deep within - the heart.

The same applies to ourselves. We are oft times so busy focusing on trying to look beautiful that we forget that it's the heart God looks at, and not the face.
We spend all our time, money, and effort in making sure we look beautiful, but we never stop to think about what kind of heart we have and what kind of life we live. People may judge you by your physical appearance, but remember that what is in your heart is what matters most.
Being physically beautiful is not what counts - being beautiful from within is. Instead of poring over fashion magazines and worrying in front of the mirror, spend that time with the Lord, getting to know Him more. Our purpose should be focused on becoming more like our Heavenly Father, and not like the fashion magazines.

There are still times when I catch myself looking at the mirror and worrying about my looks, and then I am rebuked by the Holy Spirit - "Beauty is vain."

Here's a challenge for all of us (especially girls): Every time you look at your reflection and wish you were more beautiful, think about what your heart and life would reflect if you could see them from a mirror.

Eight Reasons Why I Don't Share My Faith

Stop and Think: Online Video Evangelism

Check out The Rebelution for more information

God's Perfect Choice (Author Unknown)

A very good friend gave me this poem several years ago.

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Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone
To have a deep soul relationship with another
To be loved thoroughly, and exclusively
But God to the Christian says, No…
Not until you are satisfied, fulfilled and contented with being loved
By Me alone, with giving yourself totally unreserved to Me
Discovering that only Me is your satisfaction to be found
Then you will be capable of the perfect human relationship
That I have planned for you.

You will never be united with another until you are united with Me
Exclusive of anyone or anything else
Exclusive of any desires and longing
I want you to stop planning, stop wishing,
And allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan existing
One that you cannot imagine
I want you to have the best, please allow Me to give it to you
Just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things
Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am
Keep listening and learning the things I tell you
You just wait…that’s all!

Don’t be anxious, don’t worry
Don’t look around at the things other have gotten or I have given them
Don’t look at the things you think you have
You just keep looking off and away up to Me…
Or you’ll miss what I want to show you…

And then, when you are ready, I’ll surprise you with a love
Far more wonderful than any of you dream of
You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready
(I’m working to have you both ready at the same time),
Until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I prepare for you
You won’t be able to experience the love that exemplifies
Your relationship with Me and is thus the perfect time.

I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me
And to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty
Perfection and love that I offer you myself
Know that I love you utterly,
Believe and be satisfied.

"Everyone's Doing It"

A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a friend who said she enjoyed peer pressure. When I asked her why, her response was "Well, at least you get to do what everyone else is doing."

Needless to say, I was horrified. Although some peer pressure may be good - like teaching you to have more self-confidence, helping you grow, et cetera - most of it will lead you the wrong way.

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Everyday, teenagers face struggles brought on by media, peer pressure, and other factors. Everyday, culture tries to influence us by presenting something that looks "good."Almost all teenagers will accept anything, try anything, and do anything that will put them in the "cool crowd." Ask them why, and you'll get the same answer - "everyone's doing it."
Often, we Christians blend in with the rest of the crowd, going with the flow, and allowing ourselves to be influenced by our friends and by our culture. Often, we make excuses and say "everyone else is doing it, so it can't be wrong", yet deep down inside, we know that what we're doing is not right.

Romans 12:2 says:"And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

It means that we shouldn't adapt to the low standards of our culture, but rather, we should live as we had been transformed when we received Christ.Ephesians 4:23, 24 says that we need to put on the "new us" created to be like God.
I admit that I find it easier to do what everyone else is doing and go where everyone else is going. Nevertheless, I am constantly reminded that I need to live like Jesus; that I need to take a stand and be different; and that I need to go the opposite - but right - direction.
It's so easy to go with the flow. It's so easy to follow the crowd. That's not what God wants us to do, however. He wants us to do what is right in His eyes, even if that means turning your back to the crowd.
Before I end, there's a true story I'd like to share:
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A college freshman at the University of Arkansas banded together with another Christian friend or two and pledged Sigma Alpha Epsilon (a social fraternity). This particular fraternity was notorious for its wild and crazy reputation. But these young Christian men were on a mission. They began praying for their "brothers." They modeled the Christian life and shared their faith. Four years later, when these two men graduated, there were some 50-60 Christians in the chapter!

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See what a difference those Christian men made!If we tried to be different, if we went against the flow, if we did things not because "everyone's doing it" but because God want us to, then we'd make a difference.
Don't blend with the background. Stand out. Be different. Go against the flow.

Don't Quit

Author Unknown

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road your trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and its turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When they might have won, had they stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victors cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when your hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit!

Essay: Finding the Rebelution

This is a school essay I wrote about finding the Rebelution.

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""Changes ain't totally pleasant but they're excellent things," said Mr. James Harrison to Anne Shirley from L.M. Montgomery's fascinating Anne of the Green Gables Series.

I did not think so before. I disliked changes or anything else that would make my life - or even me - different. I wanted things to remain just the way they were. Apparently, it wasn't to be always that way.
Last February, I came across something that changed my life.

A "Rebelution"
I was browsing through one of the forums where I am a member, when I came across a strange name in a topic title that immediately caught my attention. I opened the topic thread and read its contents. There was a link to another webpage, and out of curiosity, I decided to click on it, and found myself in The Rebelution.

What is The Rebelution? It is "a widespread teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture". Its battle cry is to "Do Hard Things."
The Rebelution was started by Alex and Brett Harris, godly, young men devoted to serving the Lord in His ministry through the internet and beyond.

A Change
Simply clicking on that link changed my life. I learned to look within myself, and I saw the person whom I really was. I had never done that before. I had never looked at my life and my actions or ever wondered about myself before.
I saw the things I needed to change to become a better person. Within myself, I saw the selfish desires that had kept me from serving God wholly. I saw the faults that had hindered me from serving others. I saw the pride that had kept me from admitting that I was wrong and the impatience that had kept me from trusting God concerning my future. Within myself, I saw the "weight" that was keeping me from running my race freely, and I saw that I had to change.

How can we correct our mistakes if we refuse to change our opinions? How can we push back the obstacles in our paths if we will just turn back, discouraged? How can we strive for excellence if we will not correct our faults and look for a way to strengthen out weaknesses? How can we make any difference in this world if we will not change our lives?

It wasn't altogether pleasant, and the change was not immediate. It took long hours - days of thinking, and meditating on God's word. I had to pass through the fires of purging and refining where I was rebuked of my past thoughts, actions, and judgments. There, I confessed to God of my wrong ways and asked Him to change my heart and my life. It wasn't pleasant, but it changed me and made me a better person.

A Challenge
Until I came across The Rebelution, I had never ventured out of my "comfort zone" where I had grown used to serving God. I had never accepted the challenges that looked too difficult. I enjoyed things just the way they were. Until then, I had never fully surrendered my life to God.
My comfort zone was a 'place' where everything was just the way I wanted it to be; a condition where I didn't have to make extra effort to do something difficult. A state where I could sit back, relax, and enjoy myself.
Before, I did not want to step out because I was afraid of failing the challenge and failing in my service to God. It was some time before I realized that no matter how many times I fail the people around me, God will never consider me a "failure", and I can always trust Him to give me the strength and courage to get up and go on.
Coming across The Rebelution brought about a challenge to look deep within myself and see the person whom I really was, and what was in my heart. It also brought about the challenge of stepping outside of my comfort zone. It wasn't easy, but looking to God for help, I stepped forward, away from the easy, relaxed life that I was used to living.
Outside my comfort zone, I found that I could serve God more wholly, and use all my talents unreservedly for Him. Outside my comfort zone, I learned to lean on God for strength, instead of leaning on the small pleasures of this world for comfort. Outside of my comfort zone, I learned to "Do Hard Things."
"Why bother to do hard things?" people always ask. "Why can't you just do the things that you enjoy the most?"
For me, doing hard things meant doing the things I had never done before, the things I considered "too difficult", such as serving with a glad heart, looking for a way to learn from my mistakes, obeying wholeheartedly the voice of God. For me, it meant taking action and living more like Jesus.

Without doing hard things, there would be nothing to challenge us to become better people. Without doing hard things, there would be nothing to exert our efforts on to mold our character for the better.

A Call
After visiting The Rebelution, I thought, "Now what?" I felt that I couldn't just sit still after that. I felt as if God was calling me to do something.
My friend and I created Godly Ladies in Training as an answer to God's Call. Ablaze with the Fire of The Rebelution, we decided to create a joint Blog where we could write all about our spiritual journey and the lessons God taught us as we went through life, such as modesty concerning dress.

Why do I want to be a "Rebelutionary"? It is because I want to take a stand in what I believe is right in the sight of God.

A Purpose
I had wandered unconsciously into the website of The Rebelution, and the next thing I knew it had changed my life. It was an experience that I never regretted because it made me a better person. It was a stepping stone that helped me see the things I never saw before. It was a journey that taught me an important lesson that I shall never forget.
I've learned a lot, and I'm still learning, through God's grace.

I don't believe that it was "by chance" that I came upon the thread and decided to click on the link out of boredom. No, I believe that God led me there for a purpose.
I've made a commitment to spread The Rebelution in the East, starting with my country, the Philippines. It's not that easy - teenagers these days would rather "go with the flow" than go against it. That way, they would blend with the crowd and not be labeled as "odd" or "weird." Teenagers aren't that open to changes that would make them different.
Progress is slow. Culture is demanding. Teenagers don't really care. I won't give up though. I'll stand firm on what I believe, and with God's help, we'll start a Rebelution.