Reflections / Naomi's Tribal Birthday

Today was Naomi’s 8th Birthday in the tribe☺ What a blessed day to see the Agta gathering on the steps eating their candy and tasting cake, many of them for the first time! Naomi helped her mom make a delicious funfetti cake. Reflections: Its just crazy thinking about these people! How little they have – just sleeping in banana leaf houses – the number of people in those things, the bugs, germs and … what did they eat for dinner if they had anything? - a few hundred feet from our nice house (mind you, it is NOTHING like the house you are probably living in, in the States) with my own computer, a nice beds, clean clothes, running water, and lots to eat. Wow. Kinda makes me sad. And then to think of all those precious kids that played games with us in the yard tonight. They are just real kids like back in the states. Some are terrific at Bball, they have a cool way of playing volleyball and soccer that Naomi and I have not figured out yet. They were so happy when I payed them attention – gave them high – fives and especially when I played with them! They really do crave love and LOVE having an adult to play with them, but … they also crave the Father's love! My prayer is for an increased heart of love and compassion for these children. Is this not one of the reasons I am here in the PH? FACTS: The Agta are much darker skinned and have almost African hair. Illokano are lighter skinned and look very Filipino. The Agta are truly the poorest of the poor. And they are treated like it. Even with the children. I am asking the Father to show me how to show these people - especially the kids - that they are all equal and loved by the Savior? I’ve been reading through the book “Kisses for Katie” - about a missionary to Africa. This inspiring book is about a 21 year old girl who is "mother" - literally- to 14 orphan kids in Africa. She even started her own orphanage/ministry. Seeing her heart for the poorest children has been such a good thing and INSPIRING as I begin to live among these poor tribal people. Before you start feeling too terrible bad for these people, consider what one man told me a few days ago when we were visiting (he was working on his English): "We are poor people - we do not have much. But we are rich in love." :)