so the philippines.
it’s been a process just understanding what all we were to be able to be a part of in Baguio City. “the summer capitol” called this because the president who is a women moves there during the months of april to september. This city sets in the mountains which are the highest point in the islands of the Philippines. The temperature was beautiful and the people there are so great.
We worked with a ministry called kalinga-crossover they work with the women of the red light district. They also offer ALS (alternative learning school) to the women and to people who did not have the chance to study in school because of having to support their families or having children at young ages a number of reasons really.
The ministry I was most involved with was working with the girls of the district. We went out at night to clubs, bars, massage parlors to meet and speak with these women who felt there was no other way. I wont lie it was very hard for me to see the hurt and pain in their eyes. As we met girl after girl some very young and others not so young. It broke my heart to see these beautiful women being devalued.
In all honesty I did not know how to offer a real way of getting out and moving forward.
Of course there is the love of Christ but what does that mean to someone who has 5 children they need to provide for. I think the only way women can be pulled out of the cycle is by community. Whenever I got the opportunity to talk with these girls I was able to say that GOD LOVES YOU but what does that mean….it means you show love to your sisters around you…you pull them up when they are down. Encouragement, Understanding, and REAL LOVE. The love that only comes from God alone.
I think where kalinga-crossover ministry is headed is a great place. The people that volunteer there as well as Marita and Tony are really working with these women to achieve new life, redemption, and faith. It is very taxing on your emotions so to these people I know God will bless you and the work you are doing.
During the month the girls on my team and I decided to have an event that these women would be able to attend. we went out and invited nearly 200 women to this event but God had something else in mind. Now of course we weren’t expecting all these women to show but we figured at least a good 70.
The event we held was called R.A.H.A.B. Redemption, Acceptance, Hope, Anointing, and Beauty. these are the things we wanted to instill in these women. we had a couple of stations…pictures, making masks of the labels we and the world put on us, making flowers, painting nails, and a mural. At several times throughout a couple of us spoke and gave testimonies that really spoke to these girls hearts. God was there. 20 women were in attendance and many of the women we had come in contact through multiple churches we had the privileged of partnering with during the month got involved.
