The YWAM DTS Journey: Just Pray

So for our first day of ministry on our YWAM DTS outreach here in the Philippines we decided to go visit this hospital. The prospect is not extremely attractive when it's the first thing on your agenda.

We left the base in Calbayog to walk to our destination. Every step splashing water from the fresh rain. The overcast day making it even a little more strange that every eye stares as you pass. Finally I gained some courage to say a simple, "Hello." As we past another set of wondering eyes. Suddenly those eyes that seemed to be a mix of fear and anger turned to eyes of gratefulness and love. 

Along the way my DTS stopped to pick up some snacks for the hospital patients. While we stand buying oranges two young girls sneak up behind us. I heard their voices, (That truthfully sounded more like songs) and turned to see rows of white teeth and eyes that shone. It was the first sunlight I'd seen on this cloudy day.

We finally arrived at the hospital. Our guide stops us outside to tell us to prepare our stomachs for what we may see. As we entered I realized it was not an un warranted warning. We prayed for people who lie on wooden hospital beds with sweat dripping off their bodies who were paralyzed from strokes to people who I wasn't quite sure what was wrong but the pain was evident. As we left the room I managed to stay strong. My team mates looking to me with evident shock. The next sight was close to unbearable a baby boy lying in the middle of the hallway with an IV attached to his tiny body. His parents staring helplessly. One thing I'm learning is that the eyes truly are the windows to the soul.

We asked if we could pray for him, his parents agreed. Looked at us as if we were the only hope left. They looked at us as if we were the doctor they couldn't afford. They looked at us as if we were HOPE. I have no idea if anything changed as we prayed but I have never heard prayer with such authority as my team prayed in that moment. As we finished tears welled in my friends eyes. I asked if she was okay as if the same heartbreak wasn't falling on me.

I told my DTS leader I was going to go outside cause I was hot. Maybe that was true or maybe it was me lying to myself. I felt like I was in the presence of so much suffering. As I turned the corner five children came around the corner with the biggest smiles I had ever seen. I was staring at JOY, I was staring at LIFE. My friends and I quizzed them about Jesus. They knew what he had done for them and they believed it. In that moment I realized what JESUS meant by, "Greatest are these in the Kingdom of heaven."

I had been praying that God would allow us to experience Angels. I believe in that moment we did.

Read more in this series here: THE YWAM DTS JOURNEY:¡VAMOS!