Reflections on the February 2010 Philippines Trip

Do you ever wonder if something you do for someone makes a difference in their life? Have you wondered how you can use your gifts and talents to help another person?  Here are some stories on how some simple things combined with laughter brought healing and light into many people’s lives and made a positive difference to last a lifetime.  Perhaps they will give you some ideas of some simple things you can do to make a difference too.

Thanks to many of you and your very generous donations, a new powerful clown ministry of healing and light has begun in the Philippines as well as in the hearts of the clown troupe.  The six clowns, sound person, photographer and two tour guides were sponsored by Kaleidoscope Konnections and Wesley United Methodist Church in Yakima. 

February is sometimes referred to as the month for healing and light.  This was definitely true for the first two weeks of the month that were spent in the Philippines.  Our clown troupe, through their tricks, laughter, love and joy, not only were able to bring healing and light to the very poor and poor in spirit in the Philippines, but the clowns also received healing and healing and light from the very gracious Filipino people.  The troupe was all welcomed with open hearts and arms as we visited orphanages, schools, churches, community plazas, a fishing village and hospitals.

 At each orphanage we visited, the children sang songs to us as a welcome and we brought joy and hope through stickers, balloons, song and tricks; the children in the schools cheered when we began our performance for them; the church attendees and officials marveled as we mimed the gospel and hospital patients weakly smiled and sang along to “Jesus Loves Me.”

Every performance began with the Bible verse of what are the greatest commandments? “To love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul and love your neighbor as yourself.  This message was portrayed through tricks, songs, mimes and audience participation.  Many in the audience received clown noses.  The troupe brought along 3500 red sponge noses but could have easily given away over 10,000!

After clowning at our first church service, a tearful young woman came up to one of the clowns and shared how she had just lost her child the week before and she had come to church that morning without any hope. After experiencing the clown’s program, she said: “I have hope now and I know where my baby is…in heaven.”  Do you think the clowns brought Healing and light?

One of the largest churches, Tarlac United Methodist Church, had five pastors and held three services each Sunday.  The school they supported housed over 1000 children where the clowns performed two shows and gave every child a red sponge nose.  The lead pastor, Reverend Joe, told us that the church council was not in favor of him having some unknown clowns to take over the gospel and preaching time.  He said he was prepared to lose his job…but the opposite happened!  Not only do the church officials want us to return but they want some clowns to come back in December to teach parishioners and staff how to   clown because the church would like to start a clown ministry as a new outreach for their church.  The clowns were delighted to hear this…did they receive healing and light?

The clowns brought an amazing atmosphere of joy and hope to many very sick children and adults in both private and public hospitals.  The same comment held true there…everyone wants to learn how to dress as clowns and bring the smiles, light and healing to the patients that the plain-clothed staff cannot do.

At a very poor fishing village which we visited, children and adults filled the dirt-floor, tarp-covered outdoor square.  Young mothers held bare-bottomed children…too poor for diapers.  The children and mothers slept on the sand by the water and waited for the father to come home in the early morning.  The “homes” were tarp and cardboard 6’ X 6’ cubicles, side by side in long, dusty, dirt alleyways with an open front.

The children were captivated and in awe as they watched a short little show.  Afterwards the clowns had everyone line up to receive a “Jesus Loves You” sticker.  Someone commented that it appeared as if the children were coming forth to receive communion but with twinkles in their eyes and smiles on their faces.  Mothers came forward with their little babies and received their sticker as a blessing.  Was it a blessing for healing and light?  The clowns thought so…we left like Pied Pipers with children close behind and all we could do was thank them for their big smiles of appreciation.

An important life lesson came from a Filipino Doctor, Vicky Ann Bautista, from Lorma Medcal Center in San Fernando, 300 miles north of Manila.  She spoke about peace…in her home and on the job.  She shared that she had to look deep within herself to accept others without judgment because peace between her and others is what was most important.

The clown troupe also brought peace in a town called San Fabian where they were cautiously welcomed by a group of Filipino Methodists who had been hurt in the past by missionaries who had bribed them for land to build a church.  The pastor, after spending several days following the clowns around to hospitals and schools said: You are not like the other missionaries who have come to our town.  You didn’t ask for anything; you came just to bring us hope and joy.  You are truly the bridge between the Philippines and the United States.”  That was a “WOW” moment for all of us!

 Our two weeks in the Philippines is beautifully illustrated by a welcome song that was harmoniously sung to the clowns by a Filipino Church Group:

“Welcome to our family, we’re glad that you have come to share your lives with us as we grow in love.  And may we always be to you what God would have us be, a family, always there, to be strong and to lean on.”

We are now all family in the family of God!  Halleluiah!

Can you now think of some ways you can make a difference…a smile…a happy face sticker…a hug…a word of understanding…it’s always the simplest things that seem to matter most. 

** Contact me at 509-452-2296 if you would like to have me visit your church, school or service organization to share a moving presentation of this trip.  It is filled with lots more stories, pictures and video clips.