Covered In Ashes & Grace

Ashfall. That’s what is was but this girl didn’t have any clue about it at first. Instead of staying indoors and safe, I was out on the streets doing life like normal and making a run to pick up my laundry. Walking through the streets of the barangay behind my apartment, I was enamored with the “dry rain” that was falling and came back big-eyed and energetic exclaiming about the bizarre phenomenon that was happening. Very soon I found out that it was actually a volcano eruption. And by volcano, I mean the one that I had hiked 4 times in the past year when wanting to get out of the city. Yikes!

A picture I took at the Volcano in October. This is the crater!

The entire past two months have consisted of much action and activity, paused only by a brief trip home for the holidays. Prior to Christmas, we ended the year at the office with a Survivor Christmas Party that was designed to love on our survivors both from this year and the past. In preparation for the event, I was so impressed with the way our social workers developed a list of specific gifts that each survivor wanted. They then went out and bought what they could to gift each child with something that was unique to them. In our meeting room, a group of us sat down one day to sort out the gifts and prepared gift packages with many essentials. It struck me that the time and care spent on each one was a beautiful reflection of our Heavenly Father – ever so attentive and tender towards each of His beloved children!

Once the big day came, around 200 survivors were in attendance and joined for food, games, worship and live performances.  My favorite part was the performances presented by different survivors and shelters. Several of them sang songs and one particular shelter had a group of kids that stood up for a song that I learned this past year and that goes:

All my life you have been faithful

All my life you have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

I will sing of the goodness of God

Stopping to reflect on their singing of these words, I was quite dumbfounded. These children, all of them minors and many of them quite young, were proclaiming with big smiles and loud voices that God is indeed good. And to take it further, they were declaring that in all their lives God has been faithful in spite of the abuse and the pain they’ve endured. When I compare this to my selfish nature that often complains at the pettiest of discomforts, I realize that I want my heart to be this trusting of God and this bent on His beautiful purpose.

My peaceful hometown in VA while I was back for Christmas.

Merry Christmas from my family! Missing my brother and his wife.

But the goodness doesn’t stop there. Going on from that party with Survivors, we ended the year celebrating as staff and recalling that in the past year the IJM Philippines team was able to do over 50 rescues, reaching over 140 children and achieving multiple convictions. Though there’s plenty ahead to do in the coming year, we rejoice that we are closer to more freedom for these precious kiddos. 

Speaking of the new year, 2020 has started big in every way! Apart from the volcano, we are under a bit of a scare with the coronavirus. The Philippines recently got its first official case and now we are taking precautions – constant alcohol (the Filipino word for ‘hand sanitizer’) in and out of the doors, updates in email and text, supplies of face masks. Yet in my office work, I have started the year focusing primarily on a global conference to come this first quarter. I am not taking charge of the event by any means but helping with one session towards the end and giving logistical support where needed! 

When not focused on the conference, I’ve been diving in to getting the office calendar for the whole year drafted, preparing a few other events and meetings throughout. On occasion, I’ll have a brief assignment to help with something that my supervisor has on his schedule. Just last week, he was able to speak to the Philippine senate regarding the concern of cybersex trafficking and appeared last Friday on the early edition news channel from one of the primary broadcasters, ABS-CBN (watch it here). I take it as a gift that God allows him to have this platform!

Visiting the church of a friend for their 88th anniversary. These kids danced to “Who Am I” by Casting Crowns. Just beautiful!

As I write, it’s a rather simple day at the office but I was encouraged that we “coincidentally” sang the same song today in prayer time with our staff that the survivors sang in their party, mentioned above. One staff then shared the words of Psalm 118 and among them verse 6 stood out, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me (NIV)?” In this time of volcanoes, tragedies, virus, and war – I consider that as the ash falls, the grace of God falls all the more. 

The volcano has finally started to become more dormant again, but I don’t think I’ll ever, ever forget the bizarre moment of that ash falling and how it had struck me in such a strange way. It blanketed miles and miles of city and land, impacting millions in a short span of time. But what replenishes my soul and gives me great hope is that the one thing that supersedes the impact of ash is the impact of grace. To my friends who are experiencing “ashfall” today, I want you to know that grace is not absent because we who are in the Philippines can testify today to its very strong reality. We made it through, we are seeing the work advance, and we remain strong in Jesus. Here are some things to keep praying for:

1. The Global Conference in March – I have to be vague for safety but let me just share that there is immense opportunity in this event! The very fact that we will have leaders come from all the around the world to stop the impact of cybersex trafficking is powerful. Pray for the many logistics that need to fall in place and that God’s hand over IJM would be one of protection.
2. Office Transitions – Since starting the new year, I have been very intentional about making my work be something I can hand over well. Among the meetings and schedule that I help to run, I’ve been very aware that I need to line it up in such a way that my assignments continue smoothly. This is a challenge for me, being both prepared for my leaving in March and still wanting every moment to be savored. Pray for all things involved in transitioning and continual peace.
3. Future Plans – I am finalizing my application now for a Master’s in Biblical Counseling and the waiting game will start for a response. I am no particularly anxious (the Christmas break really helped me to surrender this to Jesus) but I am looking expectantly for a next step in life. Please pray over this application and a job that I’ll need regardless.

Thank you all for never leaving in the prayer and support battle!

Blessings, 

Paige

*Cover picture: My church here in the Philippines. The song on the screen is one that we sing both there and at my church in VA. Love it when people around the world proclaim the same great truth!