Hiding from True Happiness

What’s up y’all? Another raining day here in the Philippines! They've actually reported that a storm is headed our way and could hit sometime in the near future. Nothin to be worried about though.  This country is hit by hundreds of typhoons every year and rarely are they note worthy. We might be wading through the water by later tonight though! It's those little things that make the missionary experience that much better.

Pia and her family are my absolute favorite people ever. We visited them again this last week and I have grow to love them so much. She paid us an amazing compliment.  She told us about her years of inactivity and how she often saw Elders walk by her house, but she never felt the desire to call out after them. She saw them as she drove on tricycles and jeepneys but never initiated a conversation. For some reason, the day we walked by her house was different. She was filled with a unique feeling that caused her to finally call out after us. She then looked at us and stated, "There's something different about you guys. I guess now is the time I’m supposed to come back to the church." The Lord definitely has a plan. The longer I know Pia, the more that plan is unfolded unto me. I begin to realize that we have something specific (character trait, knowledge on a specific subject, a personal experience, etc) that she needs. I have been placed in this specific area to help specific people. They need something that I have. Other missionaries will affect other missionaries that have been prepared to talk with them. Those people need something that they have. I'm just happy that I am worthy to heed the call. 

Fun Fact about the Philippines.  When some people don't want to talk with you, they hide.  Some people don't want to say no, so they just hide. We had one experience this week that cracked me up. I opened my mouth to this old man the other day that wasn't interested at all. A couple days later, we were walking down the same street and I saw this same old man in the distance sitting on a plastic bench. As we got closer he noticed us. As soon as he noticed us he jumped to his feet and ran inside. Then, he realized that he forgot his bench. He ran back out, grabbed his bench and again retreated inside. We walked by and continued on to our appointment that was just a few houses down from him. As we were talking with someone else, I looked back at where this man was and he was just inside his door peeking out at us. I made eye contact and he pulled his head inside. A few minutes later, I looked back his way, and there he was again peeking out his door. This happened multiple times. At this point I was laughing my head off. I then hid myself a little bit so he couldn't see me. I waited a second and then peeked around again. This man was half way out the door and then he saw me. He turned around and ran back in faster than I thought possible for a man of his age. It was hilarious. Every time we walk down that street, we go through that same routine. It's so funny. However, it's also sad that he's hiding from the two men that can help him find true happiness. Maybe one day he'll understand.