Brush 'em up !!!

Better late then never. 

That's by far one of my most used (or abused) verses in my 'Excuse bible' Perennial Latecomer Version. I've quoted it both justly and unjustly. Out of context and misapplied, sometimes. Back when I was in high school, whenever I face the Guidance Counsellor after missing the flag ceremony, I would console myself with this citation (forgive the pun).

Friends have already asked whether we've done the 'Dental Care' Seminar. "Yeah, I'm sorry. Things got pretty busy and I've yet to post it." - My answer to the queries.

I can guarantee you, though that some great things have been happening in our neighborhood. And more exciting and fun events are yet taking place before the year ends. In one of my previous posts, I gave a prayer list which included 'a little girl's wish'. I'm going to go ahead and say that God has favored that request. The generous donor has arrived. Yes, from another country. She and her husband will personally head the distribution of the gifts.

(There you go, I spilled the soup.)

This couple have been one of our great supporters in this 'kindness drive' and they are really not up to making public their generosity. It's my honor to God, first, who has touched their hearts to give, but also to really, really thank them from the bottom of my heart. For I know the sacrifices, the efforts and the prayers they've put into this 'offering.' In one way or another, they are instruments of God's love to these neighbors whom we reach.

Not only will they gift the girls, but also the boys. To them and their friends who obeyed God's call to give, joy and the blessing be yours. This will shock the kids who at this point in their life haven't received 'a gift' like normal children do during this season of love. They don't know that. They were brought up not to know. But now they will experience it. I hope it brings the message across. Again, many thanks.

I tell you what, there will be a lot of times that I won't be able to post immediately. Now I'm talking about posting late again.  :-)  And for various reasons. Like, when we started doing this 'small act of kindness' I call it, that's all we had in mind. And then came the sharing thought. It was meant to update, praise God for, and encourage friends. That's the very reason why this blog came into existence. Through these months, God has blessed this program, or project... Now, I'm at a loss for the proper word. It's not only meant to be a project thing, though at this point, that's what it is. And it's not just our project. It's the Lord's project. What I wanted to say also is that, you don't really let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. I don't want to use this as a platform to receive praises for what we do. And so even for the last few weeks that I have been ecstatic with what's been accomplished, I find it hard to write about it. Not that there's nothing to write about, but that the 'doing' part of the work is increasing such that the 'writing' part has to wait. But let me go ahead and share to you the highlights of the 'Dental Care' mini-seminar that we did last October 20.

It kind of sound silly that I had given a crash course on 'teethbrushing.' For what mother doesn't teach her children at home how to brush their teeth? Why give a teaching on one of the most basic and most instinctive activities done by humans on this earth? Yet, everytime we meet with the kids I couldn't help but notice that yellow seems to be the only 'color of the day' all the days of our feeding times with them. When they smile and when they talk that's the only visible color as far as my eyes could see. And I mean, yellow as in yellow. So with our sincere and genuine desire to pass on the cleanliness values we took our chance and offered a hand to some mothers to reinforce this very important habit.  I would add that my growing friendship with some Muslim women neighbors earned me instant access with more mothers. These women somehow were just waiting to be reached out to.

At nine in the morning the children were already rushing to our place with their mothers and siblings for the seminar. I was a little tense but excited at the thought of meeting new neighbors. Thanks to the men of our church who were the scheduled volunteers for this event. They helped take care of the registration, gift distribution and feeding. Everything was so organized. Checking of names, ages, mother's names... they were all handled by the men.

In fairness, the kids were all brushed up when they came. Either they were afraid to get a citation ticket for wearing yellow teeth or they had meant to impress. Either way, they were all smiles when they met me at the gate. With eagerness and pride, they flocked and blocked my way just to be noticed. No need for this seminar, I thought! But they were all excited because I told them we will be giving out 'hygiene packs' for each of the families represented that day. They're all gonna have a new teethbrush and  new kiddie teethpaste.

This was one of the mothers who came with all of her eight children, I think. Including the months-old baby. Her third-to-the-youngest stands behind her. I have been personally trying to make friends with this woman whose only means of living is selling barbecue in the afternoons in our neighborhood. There were times me and my husband found difficulty providing for our ONLY son's needs, let alone eight. But marvel not, the common grace of God provides for the ravens, AND,  not even Solomon in all of his splendor had been clothed like the lilies.

 God is our amazing Provider.

Thanks to our Men's Ministry Group M2M who put order to a now swelling number of children. It's my favorite subject to teach these little ones - Order and Discipline 101. It was here that they have learned to fall in line everytime we would commence the day. We've been quite successful with teaching them that. Even the smaller kids get to follow instructions. Nice and neat!

Always ready for a pose. Never camera shy. Too bad, though not one of them was smiling in this shot so we could see their whiter, or less yellower teeth today.

Keeping their lines straight while getting in. Uncle Rich is seeing to that.

Almost ready to start, you could already see the 'hygiene packs' at the front. What's inside, you'd ask? Well, I thought that the teaching seminar wouldn't mean a thing if they don't have the actual paraphernalia to begin with. So I had teamed-up teethpaste and teethbrush together with  a facial scrub and organic oats and goat's milk soap for the mothers. This was supposed to be 'dental and body care' seminar because I wanted to have something for the moms so I could make them come. The Lord has favored the prayer, about 7 or 8 mothers were in the house today. And 1 dad!


Why do I keep talking about toothbrush and toothpaste in plural - teethbrush and teethpaste? Because, like I taught the kids and the moms today, a baby will have twenty teeth until the age of 18. An adult will have 32 teeth in all. That sounds like, plural. Singular 'toothbrush' only applies to an infant growing his/her very first tooth. Haha! I'm being silly but just to emphasize the fact that we all have to take care of our teeth... No, we can't afford to go toothless! I am. Sadly. Anyway,  I think I've made my point very clear on that. I saw wide-eyed kids drop their jaws as I was teaching them some very crucial knowledge about teeth care. I had scared them to death showing teeth and gum disease photos so they would put value into proper teethbrushing.

I concluded the 30-minute short seminar by showing them a picture of a pretty lady and a handsomely-cute boy with a question of 'who wants to grow to be a pretty lady someday who will not be ashamed to give a big smile?' That did it. Now they know the importance of proper teeth brushing and overall teeth and body care. To make sure they had learned something I gave a review. I was happy. I was able to teach something practical both to the mothers and their children. Fifty children came home this day with a promise to themselves that they will brush their teeth regularly! 

By now, the men are ready to distribute the 'hygiene packs.' Each family was to get one pack. We were able to distribute 20 hygiene packs today. Unfortunately, more than twenty came and so I promised the four mother-children teams that they will get theirs later. I kept my promise. I bought four more sets to give to them.

Photos...photos

Pancit, sandwich and juice time.....

I want to take this chance to thank our friends from Nehemiah who have so unselfishly provided for the twenty hygiene packs today, made it possible for us to get a step closer  towards our goal - to be our neighbors' friends. And to one of my most treasured friends, DJ, thank you so much that you have shared quite your personal resources even though I know you could use the funds to help your ailing sister - may God be good to you. You have always been there for me when we needed.... you are a great example to me of a kind distant neighbor and friend. I offer this day first to the Lord because it's all about Him, to the kids and the moms whom we are learning to love unconditionally, but also to you my friend and to Nehemiah for helping us out. Without the help of friends, this will not even reach their doorstep. But here we are, extending that love to them. From our hearts receive our utmost appreciation. 

To the men in our Community, the Lord continue to bless your families. We are already blessed, that's true, but may all of you experience breakthroughs as you serve HIM more and more. 

I couldn't thank the Lord enough about this day. The fun, the food and the friendship are all priceless treasures. Yes, some amount of money had been spent today but more than the earthly treasures that were expended, think about the heavenly treasures that we have gained as we gave away the earthly ones. 

TO HIM WHO IS ABOVE ALL BE GLORY AND HONOR AND STRENGTH!

I would really like for you to see a collage of today's event so I ask you now to watch this video. While we were giving the seminar and the meal, I was singing the song that is in this video's background quietly in my heart. I wanted to shout to all those who came how true this song is but it would sound crazy. But crazy as it was, the Lord is doing a mighty thing, knitting our lives together in the spirit and where one day, I'm sure, and I just know, from the mouth of these babes will be uttered glorious praises declaring that JESUS IS LORD, today and forever. Not all of them would come to that point but who knows, God is still the God of miracles. 

I am asking a very big favor from all of you, my readers to please pray for us, for me especially as I have been tasked to oversee this unfolding of God's plan and purpose in the lives of these Muslim neighbors - that Jesus died for each one of them to save them from the wrath that is to come. I am not always strong, I have other responsibilities, I easily get tired these days, there are days I feel lazy, some days I think about my own needs only...but in all of this with your prayers and through His sovereignty over our lives, by His grace it shall be accomplished and it will be to his praise. Till then I would request for your prayers and continued support. God truly bless each one of you who's reading this now. 

And now, the video with the song that my heart softly hums for these Muslim friends:

                                  

If only I could tell them that JESUS is their friend...