I just returned last week from a 10 day ministry trip to the Philippines where I had the privilege of speaking at a four day camp for 75 Filipino worship leaders. From the moment we were picked up at the airport till the moment we were dropped off we were treated like kings!
We were on the island of Cebu which is listed in the top 10 for island destinations but the crown jewel of this nation is the people. Over 2,000 of the 7,100 islands are inhabited and there are more than 175 ethnolinguistic groups. While many of their different cultures have been heavily influenced by the west, especially the United States, they have held at bay the individualistic mindset and are warm, hospitable, and caring to newcomers in their familial society.
Hosted by justworshipinternational.com we immediately connected with the leadership team and then the attendees. We missed the first day and a half of team building time with the leaders but when we arrived we were welcomed with open arms.
The camp was held at a local village style resort during the middle of their summer and temperatures were real feel 100 degrees every day. We began on a Wednesday afternoon with registration and went full tilt till the camp ended with lunch and group pictures on Saturday. Our schedule was filled with general sessions, ice breakers, instrumental breakouts, early morning small group sessions, meals together, birthday celebrations including mine, and more.
The attendees were super engaged on every level and drank from a firehose of enrichment from the moment they arrived till the moment they left. I was so blessed by how deeply they resonated with the 'Worship is Life' teachings and the insights of God's relational pattern of revelation and response. It truly is his pattern for every tongue, tribe, and nation on every part of the globe and at any point on our earthly timeline.
God invites each one of us to respond to who he has shown himself to be, what he has done, and what he calls us to do...and when we respond then he responds to us...and this is how he grows his kingdom here on earth...worship is life!