We don't remember who told us the meaning of I AM A SPONGE, but the legend is that Dexter Malicay tried to rouse the camp participants during one lengthy Saturday camp talk. Malicay supposedly said, "I want you all to sit there and absorb everything -- like a sponge!" And that's how "I AM A SPONGE" came about.

Some weeks later after the camp, CFC-Illinois held its yearly Christmas party. Menchie Dizon, Maricris' mom, gathered about a dozen large presents from YFC-Illinois in plastic bags to give to their newest siblings in Christ -- the Marion Park group, who had their camp the weekend of Nov. 24-25.

When too few kids showed up Saturday, Orland Dizon jumped in his car along with the first few kids who came and knocked on people's doors one by one. They returned with more than double the first few kids that came.

They also returned to a better-prepared group of camp leaders. Maricris Dizon admits that she and the other facilitators treated camp preparedness lightly. But they snapped back to their senses soon after an earnest camp meeting, worship, and reminders from the participants themselves of what they were up against and who they were serving during camp.

Brothers and Sisters,

Let me tell all of you how I just wrote a TEN-page paper about poverty and religion for one of my finals. I thought it would be a very tedious paper, but instead I loved it... and GOD plans our life out so perfectly too... I learned so many lessons during this camp that will stay with me forever... but here I'll get to that... I'm just jumping ahead of myself!

First of all, I had a paper to write about poverty and religion. At the time, I was thinking about what the heck to write -- YFC was dancing to "Deliver Us" for the WOF conference.

After talking with my teacher, we came to a conclusion that I was going to write about poverty in the Philippines, but more specifically Bagong Silang. This place is a squatter relocation area that was built by Couples for Christ.

Bagong Silang had residents who were the poorest of the poor... not only in wealth but also in Spirit. CFC's mission was to bring GOD to these people. The children were so accustomed to a life of gang rivalry, murder, rape, and prostitution, that they didn't know the better life they had the chance to live.

Anyway, the Philippines is a developing country, yet one of the more spiritual ones. Many say that religion is the only thing the poor have. God comforts the poor.

To make a long story short, during the Great Adventure Tour (GAT), YFC North America and Europe had the chance to hang out with these kids and talk about God and other things, including CFC and its Family Ministries' mission. It's great to be a part of this mission. GAT's quote is "The journey begins when you get home."

Well PRAISE the LORD we were able to bring that sense of mission back to ILLINOIS! Tita Menchie Dizon works at Marian Joy Rehabilitation Center in the Chicago suburb of Wheaton. It is a place for physical therapy and a retirement home. Near Marian Joy is a neighborhood called Marian Park, composed of low-income families.

Everyday she sees children outside playing basketball and "dreams for them to be a part of Youth for Christ." She had hope that they could still find GOD even in their situation of being less privileged than most of us. She also hoped those children would join so that YFC-Illinois would become more diverse... since most of the children were of Hispanic and African American descent.

By the power of God's grace, her prayers were answered. She was able to set up a FREE camp for these kids on a Saturday and Sunday... meaning no sleepover... meaning that if they didn't have fun, then the camp could end Saturday night... but a day of FOUR talks and nobody the next day would be sad.

Well, Saturday morning, three kids showed up. My mom was a little sad but knew that GOD would give us only what we could handle. Well, these kids left... to get more of their friends... and after our own mini worship, our numbers doubled! By the end of Saturday, we had TEN kids!!! Praise the LORD.

So what, you say? Just another camp, you say? NO WAY!!!! The service team consisted of NINE people... with our "top" leaders (mostly unit heads and cluster heads). The team was chosen this way because "we have all done so many camps, that we would already know what to do and be straight to the point" and blah blah blah... so my mom says, right?

Well man GOD kicked us in the BUTT!!! We were a STRUGGLING service team. Easy to be discouraged, easy to QUIT. There was a message that proved that even us, as "top" leaders, were spiritually dry. We almost let evil get to the best of us, but NO WAY!!! God was VICTORIOUS and we declared it after we all realized how none of us were prepared (i.e. "we have done these talks so many times no one knew what to say"... "we forgot how to be a part of the creative components"... "we weren't paying attention during the other talks"... etc.)... our group was young, average age was 13-14 years old... and our speakers old... man... it was hard to get the kids to pay attention.

After a little meeting that put us all in check again, GOD REIGNED! We went through Saturday with no complications except with ourselves... and NINE returned the next day! PRAISE the LORD! Man... the kids had so much fun. The service team had so much fun. Let me tell you, serving the poor and poor of spirit made me so happy because we were able to FEED these children with GOD's word... we BROUGHT GLAD TIDINGS to the POOR!

THE JOURNEY BEGAN! GOD really used us! HE comforted them! These children and their newfound friendship with JESUS was something they could hold on to and call their own... and they want to see us again and again and again!

All these things YFC has taught me recently has really improved my spiritual life... these lessons will forever stay with me... and I can speak for the "top" leaders... I am a SPONGE! AMEN!

The Word | 123001