This is one of my favorite photos. When I first saw it, my heart skipped a beat-it was so balanced, joyful, and fun to look at. It is as if an artist carefully took all of the elements of the photo and joined them together to form a masterpiece. The subjects in the photo could not have been more perfectly posed. The flow of the objects in the photo leads our eyes carefully within the photo in such a way that we are mesmerized by the whole composition. And it sort of leaves us smiling (perhaps not even knowing why).
Anyway, something special was captured in this photo. I think it deserves a prize. I wish I could eliminate the yellow date in the lower right-hand corner. I think this photo is comparable to the famous photo of the American flag being raised on Iwo Jima, the colorful Norman Rockwell paintings, and landscape photos of Ansell Adams.
All of the above said, I would like to share a little of each of the girl’s lives to help you see the work God is doing at Agape Outreach Ministry.
Concepcione
The first girl on the left is Concepcion. Her nickname is Conching, but she is also called Connie by high school friends. She first came to the house when she was a little girl with 2 of her elder siblings. They ceased coming because their father did not allow them to come anymore. Years later he had a change of heart and he decided to allow the children to come, but only Conching came back. She is in her 2nd year of high school in a government school where kids exhibiting high intellectual aptitude are enrolled. She has high hopes for the future and wants to take up Pharmaceutical studies in college. Her father wanted her to study in the big city, however, money (the lack, thereof) has changed that goal. Initially Bellie thought Conching was just sliding by because she was a sponsored kid. Bellie had a change of heart when she heard that Conching testified in front of her class about Jesus when the subject of religion and character building came up. Although she did well in her report, the important thing that could be seen was her heart. She IS born again and one of Jesus’ kids.
Genolyn
The second girl from the left is Genalyn. She was in kindergarten when she first came to the house. She and other siblings were coming with their elder sister. Now the elder sister is working the city and Genalyn is the only one who can help her mother with the chores. She is a very silent kid. One would never know that she can pray aloud for others, but she can. We are glad we had her when she was young. Her personality might never have fitted in the group had she not known the rest of the kids and interacted with them for years.
GeGe
The next girl in this fabulous photo is Geraldine (or GeGe). She is the eldest of six siblings. She came to the house when she was in her third year in high school. GeGe is a gentle and soft-spoken young lady. Bellie had a tough time training her to endorse some of the things she needed her to know. It was very tough but Bellie’s cousin encouraged her to keep trying, saying that GeGe would learn to conform to the positive training in time. Quite a while back, Bellie recalls, she had heard from the Lord that GeGe was going to be enrolled in a nursing school in Danao City. So, based on that word of knowledge from the Lord, Bellie put all her trust in the Lord that GeGe would mature and learn accountability. God’s encouragement through Bellie’s cousin and word of knowledge proved to be true. GeGe is a nursing graduate and is presently reviewing for the nursing board exams. She also can preach and lead Bible study. God is faithful. GeGe has also learned to be a good leader.
Haide
The final young lady in this shot is Haide. She is the younger sister of GeGe. And, along with GeGe, she was actually part of the original six kids with which Bellie and Kelly started God’s ministry in the Philippines. The town of Carmen is very Catholic and very religious. Every first month of the year, she and a cousin of hers used to “dance to the little Jesus” which is a celebration of Jesus coming into the world. One can do these rituals and not understand what any of this means, though. Haide had been dancing for two years since she had started coming to the house. Bellie says she used to put make-up on the girls as she prepared them for the dance. While doing this she prayed to God to give them to her. Then one day, out of the blue, her cousin Mayme asked Bellie who is this Santo Nino (the little Jesus). Bellie’s heart leaped for joy because she had been waiting for them to ask that question. She told them about Jesus and they were all ears, becoming full pledged believers in Jesus. Haide is now in Bible college with Mayme and three other girls. She will graduate in Christian Education next school year.
The work being done in the Philippines by God is a lot like preparing a good stew. All the ingredients are there (the kids, the teachings of the Bible, the love of the missionaries) but each of the ingredients have to be placed in God’s pot and allowed to simmer. Much patience is needed as the carnality is boiled away in the wonderful mixture of love and care and proper teachings. Wonderful character is built in each of the kids on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ. This wonderful process is beginning to bear fruit as the kids graduate in their fields and come back to minister in the house where they received just the right ingredients. Praise the Lord.
I hope you enjoyed this snapshot as much as I did!