Simplicity

      I have been traveling in the Philippines for a little more than a week. I was first in Bohol with ICM leading a trip with another ICM staff member. It was quite a memorable first trip as a typhoon came into Hong Kong and we were stranded in Manila until flights got back up and running. It was my first trip to the Philippines and was great to see all the help ICM is providing, but also see how much more work is needed. After that trip I went to Cebu for an ICM livelihood conference discussing the most practical and effective ways to combat poverty financially. I was blown away by how passionate the 100 ICM livelihood trainers are and how committed they are to helping their local communities more toward a more sustainable future. The Filipino people are incredible. They are continually smiling regardless of the situation and love to laugh. I’m pretty sure I heard more public laughter the first day in the Philippines than I did in my three plus weeks in HK.

     Since the conference ended, I have been able to spend some time in Cebu and see more of the Philippines. I have been able to see a lot of cool stuff in all of the traveling, but it has also been difficult at times. Especially in the past several days I have had lots of time to myself to think. In this the Lord has revealed a lot about myself that I honestly don’t like. It is always a difficult, painful, and humbling process to come face to face with the brokenness of the world and then reflect inwardly and see the brokenness in yourself. It’s so easy to direct that brokenness into anger, guilt, fear; whatever it might be. Instead of simply focusing on Christ and I’m in the process of simplifying my faith.