As I went to work today, only to sit in an office alone, I couldn’t help but think of those I left behind in the Philippines. My heart was yearning to be with them to enjoy their company and laughs. I look up at the newly printed pictures plastering my desk at work, and am sad. I want to be back there shoveling dirt, hauling it away over and over again, and loving on the children. There is something exciting about digging around in dirt that can make one feel accomplished. As I fumbled through paperwork trying to get caught back up, my work didn’t seem as important as what I was doing the week before.
Working along side the Filipinos was an enjoyment all in itself. These guys know how to work hard, but keep it fun. I rarely have fun at work. Today, I was trying to figure out how I could be having fun at work, yet all I could do was concentrate on the paperwork flowing through my hands. How could I accomplish the tasks that I have to do and be distracted by fun? These Filipinos take the time to invest in each other. They jump on the moments to crack a joke, and yet they still accomplish so much. What are we missing over here? The average Filipino worker makes about five dollars a day, and here I can sit in my comfortable home and complain or be discouraged by what I make. I don’t know what most of them go home to. I bet they do not have as big of a home nor all the modern amenities that I do. Sometimes I want a nicer place, or an actual house rather than a townhouse. I am always wanting something, but never seem to be satisfied with what I have. I pray that God helps me see these areas in my life and change me. I want to have as much joy as the Filipinos even though they have little or less than I.
The children. I miss getting up each morning and sitting out on the bench waiting for them to come out to play. We would toss a ball around and no matter how long we did it for, these children were always happy. They always were clean and a fresh pair of clothes on. These children are getting taken care of so well, yet you can see that they have less than I. I saw the children wearing the same clothes every few days or so. (The mamas, caretakers, always washed laundry several times a day, so the clothes were always clean.) It makes me think about how unhappy I can get when I “don’t” have anything to wear. If they are clean what does it matter? Why do I care about material things as long as God is providing? I’ve never gone hungry. I’ve always had a roof over my head. I’ve always had someone that loves me. These children have gone without these things, yet they seem to have more joy than I do. I know that I was there to love on these children and to show them God’s love, but they showed me how to be content with what I have. I pray that God continues to open my eyes to these things. I pray that I don’t just see them, but I live it out and don’t get hung up on the material aspects of this life. I would be better off serving Him with a loving heart and not worry about these minor and unimportant things in life.