Outreach events are very fulfilling even outside of the actual events themselves, and for these Hope For You ventures, Cy and I were very much blessed. But there were some moments that it didn’t feel that way. Here’s one example.

Cy and I have been blessed by the Lord to live life in comfort for the most part of our lives, often in a position to help others, and I am embarrassed to say that I am somewhat too proud to receive help from others. So in this Hope For You outreach, I struggled whether we should shoulder our own expenses or not. But I had this prompting within me that Cy and I should submit ourselves to be on the receiving end of God’s blessings. From our perspective, to be immersed in the whole outreach experience meant we would submit ourselves to the church’s decisions for transportation, meals, and accommodations, including financial support by the church for our expenses.

I’ve been to week-long outreaches before — twice in Totolan, Bohol where pastor Arnold and his wife Meli minister to the Badjaos (sea gypsies). The team slept in the church sanctuary in mats, and my luxury item was a mosquito net. We had an outdoor stove and we washed dishes in a squatting position using a large basin. We shared one bathroom for all ministry servants (more than 10 of us), not counting the pastor’s family. We didn’t have a running shower. We bathed by scooping up water from a large plastic drum filled to the brim. It was a challenge because we were not accustomed to it, yet this was the everyday life of the Badjaos. It was a blessing to serve! They were tiring but very fulfilling outreach events.

So why was it that in this Hope For You event we were surprised by the meager accommodations in Pototan, Iloilo? What was the Lord teaching us? After all, Cy and I and a few other families had rooms to ourselves while the rest of the team slept in freezing barracks.

Was it because we had a tiny room with no windows? Our cramped 9′ x 10′ room had two spring beds and there wasn’t any room for even a small table. We thought there were no outlets to charge our devices, and after raising this concern to one of the staff, we were shown that the outlets were hidden by the bed. We didn’t have our own bathroom and instead shared a shoddy dorm-like shower facility in another hall. We were expecting something better. It was inconvenient.

But we actually had beds and air-conditioning! So compared to the Badjao outreach, this was a definite upgrade! Yet, I found it difficult to humbly accept that the accommodations were indeed a gift and a blessing from the Lord. Cy and I had to remind ourselves that we were committed to this event. It is not about us and our comfort. Who were we to complain? Only then were we able to thank the Lord for these blessings. After this awareness, we slept peacefully those two nights we were there. As Jesus said, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Matthew 8:20). There is a cost to following Jesus.

The youth are more resilient. We, on the other hand, could be classified as grumpy old seniors. I’m sorry. I’m trying to be funny. That’s a lie. We are old, but we are not grumpy (we can be blunt, but not grumpy; so sorry).

For as long as the Lord leads us to join these events even though they don’t seem senior-friendly, we will obey. Fellowship with the older volunteers blessed us considerably, and it was a joy to watch the younger ones as they went about their merry, youthful ways.

We’ve had the experience of these beautiful spiritual harvests and Lord, thank You, thank You, thank You! Wherever You lead us next, give us the heart to surrender. If not H4U, we will be its prayer partners, especially after having witnessed all the different moving parts of the H4U engine. God bless this team and all future teams. Amen!