Here, the average daily wage in 2000 was around 200 pesos. That hasn’t changed much. Here, most people live on under $2 per day. Here, there are an estimated 100 million people, with 11 million in Manila Proper. Here, the estimated density is over 15,000 per square kilometer. Just outside the gate, there are some 5000 people living in squatter homes. Here, kids go hungry every day. Here, their families don’t have the money to buy anything other than food and water so they go without an education, without proper clothes and without shoes. Here, there is no guaranteed medical care so if a child gets sick and the choice is between feeding the family or medicine for the child, food is chosen and the child often dies. Here, fathers abuse their children and rape their daughters. Here, fourteen-year-olds prostitute themselves because it’s the easiest way to earn a decent wage. Here, the love of God is desperately needed. Here is the Philippines. Here is Manila. Here is Cainta.
And among these awesome, resilient, friendly Filipinos, God has blessed me with a chance to minister. These are the ministries that I’ve been involved in over the past month while here in Manila.
Construction – We began digging the first week we arrived. The mound was huge! Over the past month, my squad and I have helped transplant tons of dirt (literally) to make room for an addition onto a local school. The addition will house a hospital wing where pregnant women can come for free check-ups and medical care, and give birth in a clean environment with nurses to help with the care of the newborn.
Painting – This is a new ministry that just started for me yesterday. For the past two days, I have helped strip wallpaper, spackle, sand, and wipe walls then paint. We are currently re-painting the dining room of one of the buildings in the compound. Once that one is completed, we will begin on the dinging/lounge area in a second building.
Jeepney – Yet again, my graphic design degree has come in handy. I’m helping to write articles, edit photos, and do the layout for the Jeepney street magazine that the ministry here produces. They design and print everything then give them to vendors. Typically, these vendors are jobless moms in the community who take the magazines and sell them. They are able to keep all profits from these magazines and so make a meager living to support themselves and their kids, or supplement their husband’s low incomes.
Feedings – I don’t remember if I mentioned it or not, but there was one night here where we stayed up until midnight and spent two hours unloading approximately 38,115 pounds of boxed food. That food, shipped from the US, is now being cooked and used to feed the hungry and destitute of Manila. I’ve helped a few times, chopping garlic and ginger that are added to the massive cooking pots with the rice-and-vegetable packets. Mostly, though, I accompany the food to its final destinations. Sometimes, it’s Tent City where hundreds of homeless Filipinos, still displaced from the tsunami a few years ago, stay in pre-made homes and are cared for by relief workers. Other times, it’s in a squatter village just beyond the fences of a rich neighborhood. And sometimes, it’s a low-lying area filled with shacks built on stilts, making it look like an Asian version of Venice. Only here when it rains, it floods. And when it floods, the people have nowhere to go so they live on the roofs of their flooded homes until the water recedes. They literally live on top of a marsh and are so poor that they cannot move anywhere else.
Pregnant Women – These women range in age from 18 – 31. Some are married. Others have boyfriends or live-ins. And others have been abandoned by the unborn baby’s father. These women have no money for healthcare, and few have money to even take proper care of themselves. Many of them are losing weight instead of gaining it! They come once a week to the compound for a routine check-up. For this last one, two of my teammates and I prepared a healthy snack and served them. While the two of them did check-ups, I helped fill out the new profiles for the women and spent time getting to know them.
Girls’ Home – Can I just start by saying these girls are precious? I love them so much! There are around two dozen girls who live here. They range in age from about 6 all the way up to 16. Most have come to live here because they are victims of abuse, often sexual. Others simply are not cared for and would be on the street prostituting themselves or pregnant. The ministry here is simple – love on the girls. So groups of us go over in the mornings and evenings for a few hours and do a Bible study and have them practice reading in English to us. Occasionally, a few Racers will spend the night there. There are also two Bible studies per week that the girls attend and we help lead discussion groups and hang out with the girls.
Children’s Home – So much fun! While I haven’t been upstairs yet to work in the nursery, I have spent plenty of time pushing kids on swings, running up and down slides, swinging across monkey bars, and clambering up and down the playhouse. The kids here are adorable and so much fun! I often hand off my camera and let them take pictures while I give piggyback rides and play games and draw on the kids with body-paint crayons. I can honestly say that I have now fallen in love with kids. Still don’t think I want my own, but I’m ready to adopt seven or eight kids right now.
Street Kids/Community – This is one of my two favorite ministries. All I have to do is walk out the front gate of the compound and I’m surrounded by kids. I love it! I’ve become best friends with several of them and gotten to know a few families as well. Just hanging out with them, sitting on the curb and talking to them, taking pictures with them, playing with my jump rope, playing basketball or soccer, going to watch them play games at the church next door, sharing snacks from the bakery… some of them have come to help us dig before, too! Last night, one of the families I have gotten to know really well invited us to a party celebrating their baby’s 1st birthday (the cutest baby ever! He’s the one in my profile picture) and served us a delicious Filipino dinner and dessert. Yum!
Santa Lucia – I love this one as much as the ministry to the community. Every Thursday night, and sometimes Wednesdays, a group of us piles into the back of a pick-up truck and heads down to Santa Lucia to hang out with the street kids and prostitutes. There, we color pictures, play random games, give first-aid care (cleaning wounds and passing out band-aids; these kids sure love them!), feed them, and just hang out and love them. My favorite boy is Sam. He draws me pictures and we play games and I make sure he has enough to eat. He holds my hand and chatters away to me in Tagalog as if I understand him perfectly. Later, he usually falls asleep, lying on the sidewalk with his head in my lap. I’ve also talked to some of the prostitutes and gotten to know a few of them. Every Thursday afternoon, we hold a Bible study for them. I haven’t been able to make it to previous ones, but I’m definitely going this week.
Soooo yeah. That’s basically a summary of all the ministries that I’ve been a part of while I’ve been here!
