My first trip to Babyannes Mansion was in January of 2010, as part of a team who helped with the final building stages of the orphanage. Together, we painted murals on all the bedroom walls, built a massive 10’ x 150’ perimeter wall, hauled 40 truckloads of dirt- by hand, and planted a dozen mango, papaya and banana trees. Great stuff.! But what was REALLY great, was the feeling I had the moment I walked through the doors. I was home! And I could hear God say “This is what its all been for.! This.! This is why you love children the way you do. This is why your heart breaks for the homeless and marginalized. This is the plan I have for your life!” I knew right then that I would return….I just didn’t have the details.

So after a year of praying, (and not much planning) God brought me back to the Philippines. Only this time it would be for 3 months as chief cook and bottle-washer for the 53 children and staff at the orphanage. What an amazing experience! Each day was an adventure, and each day my heart was stretched, broken, healed and restretched again. And God was right there the entire time, through it all.

During my time at BAM – I have seen children come. I have seen children go as they were reunited with their parents who simply needed a little help during a difficult time in their lives. I have seen children brought to us by social services due to neglect or abandonment, and I have seen the dream that one day these children will have a loving and nurturing home. I have seen a child born, and I have seen that same child die just 12 days later. But mostly – I have seen lives changed.

I believe that God brought me to BAM at this time so that I could witness all these things. And through it all – I’ve seen God. I’ve witnessed how Our loving and faithful father pours out his grace each and every day, and provides in very practical ways. He provides our daily bread through the generous donations of items and money. He provides our strength, because this is SO MUCH MORE than any of us can do on our own. And He provides encouragement by allowing us to see the fruits of our labour. Nothing is sweeter than seeing how our efforts are changing the trajectory of not only the children’s lives, but their parents, and the lives of the staff at BAM through witness as well as the weekly bible study that Karen & Jenny have organized.

So in answer to the question – how has BAM blessed me……Like so many others who pass through these doors, BAM has impacted and shaped my heart and the direction of my life, and molded me into the person I am today, and the woman that I strive to be in the future.

Wendy Conford
Coquitlam Alliance Church Missionary

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