Meet my friend Don Don. He’s on my list of favorite people I’ve met around the world.
At the beginning of the month, our ministry contacts told us a little about his story and passion for street kids. We were shocked at what we heard but excited about the two weekends we would do a camp for the street kids from Manila with him. The first weekend, we became fast friends as he guided me to a safer crossing of the river. He was constantly yelling over his shoulder, “Jessica, you okay?” or offering me his hand to help me climb over the rocks.
During the second weekend, we were sitting on the stairs in our backyard shooting the breeze. It was here I got to hear his full story. At the age of six, his father was out of the picture and his brother had died because of a lack of access to medical care. His mother literally began to lose her mind after this. Don Don loved his mother very much and set out to Manila so he could earn money to help her. He hid aboard a cargo ship and traveled from the southern Philippines to Manila; it was a three day trip.
When he arrived in Manila, he realized he wouldn’t be able to earn any money. No one would hire him to work because he was only six years old. He began to beg on the street. Eventually he was doing drugs and drinking a lot of alcohol. His body was attacked by other people on the street. He was stabbed with an ice pick and had boiling water poured down one side of his body. Ultimately he ended up in jail for two and a half years. There he met a pastor whom he wanted nothing to do with. In his words, “I had no father, lost my mother and brother. Where is your God?” After prison Don Don was moved to a Christian orphanage. Here God finally grabbed a hold of him. Through daily devotions and fellowship, he fell in love with God.
The years passed and Don Don longed to return to his mother. He had never stopped loving her or wanting to help her. Finally, he was able to fly back to his hometown. He arrived at his mother’s doorstep only to find out she wasn’t there anymore. He cried and cried and cried.
Now, Don Don lives to hang out with street kids rather than hangs out on the street in order to live. His passion and desire are to help those kids because he knows so well what it means to live on the street. If you could see him care for the little ones and preach to the older ones, you would know that this is what he was meant to do.
When I asked him what his job was he told me nothing. He lives off of faith and love offerings once a month from his church. He is taken care of as he lives out his calling. His story was such a great reminder of two things:
1. God will always provide for us.
2. Our most effective ministry often comes from our own dark pasts.
Who better is there to minister to the darkness in others than those who have experienced the same darkness?
Much like Don Don, my teammate Kaylee is living off faith. Although we are approaching month 10, she is still in need of $2,445 to be fully funded. If you would like to donate, please click here.
