Love...Filipino Style...

we currently have 4 campus house students on a short-term mission trip in the Philippines, with students from two other campus houses. missions is a huge part of our vision of helping students find their way back to God. we believe and invest much in missions for many different reasons. it makes a difference in the restoration of God's shalom in this world. but it also does beautiful things in shaping the hearts of students in seeing and loving the world the way God does.

this is certainly happening for these 4 students. here are some words that Meagan wrote on the teams blog about their past few days and about what God is doing in her.

"These past few days have been a blur, but a blast. This past weekend we did leadership training on the beach (how AMAZING!) with the small group leaders from Baguio, Dagupon and BSU. What a blessing it was to see the students from 3 different ministries blend together and just enjoy some fellowship time playing in the waves! This was the first time we met the Dagupon students and Stephanie, Allison and I roomed with 5 of their girls. It seems like connections to these students happen in a flash. They are so full of love, acceptance, curiosity and most of all, joy. They continue to be an example and encouragement of how I should be living my everyday life.
Yesterday, we traveled into Dagupon from the beach and got our first chance to check out the Encounter Christian Campus House connected with Luzon University. The students were eager to share with us their culture and many many giggles and fun stories. We pretty much crashed into our rooms at the YMCA hotel, where we are staying until Thursday this week, after that. This morning, we traveled to Luzon University and got to have a meeting with the Deans from all the colleges and some student and faculty representatives. Let me tell you this... I experienced an incredible amount of hospitality. We were welcomed in a huge way, and were given a tour of the University and took about a million pictures. Tomorrow, we will be teaching classes connected to our major to anywhere between 50 and 200+ students, and tomorrow evening we will join Encounter Dagupon in their mid week fellowship. Long story short...well, semi-short, God has shown up in a HUGE way in this country and He has and continues to do amazing things. The Filipino people have been such an example to me in how I was created to love...just as God does. I wish I could explain in words how this trip is changing and shaping my heart to love and want to be His servant even more. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts!
With love and joy and thankfulness,
Meagan"

God never seizes to amaze me in the ways he teaches us! and i love to see the teaching come from so many different angles. this morning i was reading in colossians 3 where it says:

"And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."

what struck me was the fact that i grasp the idea of making the choice to love in a marriage sense. from the beginning Cailyn and i have had a solid understanding that the marriage love is one you chose, and it has made a huge difference in the quality of marriage we have.

but i fail often at transferring this idea to other people and situations. when love is easy and convenient and something i feel like doing, i share it with others with no problem. but when it is not easy and convenient, and when i don't feel like it, it is not something i do well. i want to actively be making the choice to love everyone...not just my wife. it is the way of Jesus.

and ironically (or not so ironically, because that is just how God works), Meagan is learning the exact same thing from Filipino college students halfway around the world.