My team and I have been so blessed this month to be working
with International Care Ministries (ICM) in the city of GenSan. ICM targets
families who live below the Philippine subsistence standard of 27 pesos (USD
0.54 cents) per day. They run 3 different programs that help people caught in
extreme poverty to help them find a way of life and form a sustainable
community. In both the “Uplift”, and the “Transform” programs ,15-20 families
considered the most vulnerable are educated in 3 teachings; Values, Health, and
Livelihood. Through these teachings, families learn to grow an organic vermi
(African worm) farm for soil and farming, learn good hygiene, and preventative
measures to avoid disease. Families also get about 2kg of rice each week from
these programs and packets of nutrients also mixed with rice.
Open Air Clinic (OAC). During the clinic, I helped read dosages and distribute
antibiotics and medicines for the village. The clinic was held in a bamboo hut,
where people of the village came in and lined up for the doctors and nurses
from ICM. It was a huge blessing for me to see how joyful the people were even
though they don’t have much in this world. They greeted us very warmly and were dancing
and singing as they waited for the doctor.
This week I was also
able to help install bio-sand filters for the third program ICM runs, called “Pre-school”.
These filters enable the children attending the pre-school to have clean and
safe drinking water; as well as the community in which they live. While working with the ministry, my eyes have
been opened to the work God is doing through the staff and recipients. It’s so
amazing to see people with so little give us so much. They treat us way above
what we deserve and it’s been humbling. It makes me contemplate the way I live
in comparison and how I can be greedy with my things. Filipinos give from their
heart and expect nothing in return. They have shown me what it looks like to
genuinely put others before oneself. And I have experienced pure joy just by
seeing the work God is doing in each of the staff at ICM. I can’t wait to see
what is yet to come…
