A Full Circle Moment

Written by Sydney - Serving in the Philippines

I’m already five weeks into my eight-week summer mission and internship here in the Philippines. It’s been a whirlwind of learning, growing, and adjusting, but I’m finally starting to feel more rooted and at peace with where God has placed me for this season.

When I first got here, I definitely felt out of my comfort zone. I was missing home, trying to adjust to a new culture, and wrestling with a lot of anxiety about how I’d make it through the summer. I came in asking God to give me a servant’s heart for the people here—and I believe He’s done that, not by making things easy, but by removing the comforts I usually rely on and inviting me to depend on Him instead.

One thing I’ve learned is that I don’t have to be loving every moment or constantly having fun for this season to have deep purpose. My calling is still the same: to love and serve God by loving and serving others.

The most tangible way I’ve gotten to do that is through medical missions in a local tribal community. I’ve helped with routine checkups for the elderly, traveled with patients to hospitals both nearby and hours away, and navigated everything from a liver failure scare to setting up a hysterectomy for one of our patients. A major highlight was being invited by a team of surgeons from the city to scrub in on my first surgery(!!!) and assist with a few others during a special medical mission.

That was a full-circle moment for the little girl in me who always dreamed of working in medicine.

One of the most meaningful relationships I’ve built is with a woman in the tribe who started off mostly bedridden. Over time—and with daily visits, prayer, and care—she progressed from sitting in a chair, to walking around her house, to stepping outside with a cane. Eventually, we were able to get her to the hospital to schedule her much-needed (but daunting) surgery. That journey was incredibly humbling and reminded me that nothing I do here is my doing—it’s all God’s, and He gets the glory.

This summer has stretched me in just about every way: through medical challenges, through learning a different healthcare system, through relationships and homesickness, and just through having to depend on God daily.

I’ve also developed an unhealthy obsession with fresh coconut water, made the sweetest bonds with children in the tribe, and found a gym and a little track here, which has been such a gift to process, reset, and feel like myself.

A verse that has anchored me is Romans 12:9, especially this part: “Cling to what is good.” (NIV) If you know my testimony, you know I’ve had plenty of reasons to sit in the hard things. But God has continued to show me the beauty of choosing to cling to the good—especially in the little moments.

Please continue praying for us—for endurance, for the upcoming surgery on July 10, for our liver patient, and for all the ongoing medical needs in the tribe. I’m so thankful for all of you who’ve supported this trip—through finances, prayers, or encouragement. You’re part of this story too.