Remember your childhood? Well, I remember mine. It was full of soccer games, family vacations, sleepovers, birthday parties, being tucked in at night, Christmas mornings, Thanksgiving turkeys, and lots of love. For this third month of the race, I am in the Philippines, and I have been hit with a huge reality check these past couple of weeks. This can be summed up in three words: life’s not fair.
Our ministry this month is Streetlight Ministries. They are a part of the big organization, Kids International Ministries, which is based in Manila (the largest city in the Philippines). Streetlight aims to help kids in the city of Cagayan de Oro who are living on the streets due to extreme cases of abuse and poverty. These kids live on their own at such young ages. They find shelter and food for themselves. And on the streets, they are introduced to a life of violence and drugs. Many of the kids in the ministry are addicted to a glue that is cheap and easy to buy. They sniff this drug in order to attain a high and happiness they can’t get in their childhood. Plus, this drug takes away hunger pains. And some of these young girls have to worry about not being molested at night when they are alone. It is the most sad and frightening reality. This is the reality of the kids I am working with this month.
It is not fair! These kids deserve a real childhood full of candy, laughter, and hugs. They should be worrying about what toy they are going to be playing with next and not where they are going to sleep that night. At ministry, my team and I hang out with the kids and love on them. We give hugs and tickle fights. We play basketball and dominoes with them. We watch movies and color. All these activities in hopes of showing them that a life with Jesus is better than the life of drugs that they are leading.
Streetlight is an incredible ministry. They provide these kids showers, meals, schooling, and love. In meeting these needs, they hope to communicate that these kids are worthy of love and able to have a bright future. Many of the kids see no future for themselves. They have no hope. At night, my team and I go on the streets and feed the little kids who can’t come to the shelter due to lack of resources and space. They are as young as two years old. All we can do is feed them dinner five times a week and pray intensely for their little souls. It is not fair.
With Jesus, there is hope though. Life is not fair. This fact is so apparent in our ministry. Kids don’t deserve to face such a hard life at such a young age. But God is so good. He loves each and every one of these kids. He knows what pains and hurts they are going through. It is so easy to question God. Why does He allow these poor little kids to hurt so badly? Why isn’t He taking care of them? But Jesus has revealed a very incredible truth to me this month. He is taking care of them! He is protecting them through Streetlight and me! He sent me to Cagayan de Oro with the purpose of providing for and loving on His children there. I am the means of His love and provision! Life is not fair. This is true. The enemy seeks to kill and destroy, but God is so much greater than him. He gives life, love, and hope. And He is using me to bring those gifts to these precious children. What a blessing and what a responsibility.
So yes, life is not fair, but God is good. He is taking care of His children in the midst of a corrupt world. It may not be in the way you or I would want, but He is good. Hold on to His promise that He will never leave nor forsake His children. He loves them and provides them every need. And through God’s sacrifice in Jesus Christ on the cross, we all now have a hope of having our spiritual needs met for eternity. And praise be to Him! Heaven will be so much better than any pains or hurts we will experience in this short lifetime on earth. This life is not fair, but God is oh so good.
“but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14
P.S. I will try and add pictures as soon as I can. The wifi is weak so it is hard to attach pictures to my blog posts.
P.S.S. I am still in urgent need of financial support. I want to continue to do the Lord’s work overseas this year, but I still need another $5,000 in order to continue on the World Race. I can only be a missionary with supporters like you. In this season of Thanksgiving, please consider supporting me. You can do so by clicking the “Support Me” tab on the left menu bar. Jesus’ mission needs both you and me. Partner with me for Jesus’s love and glory around the world! And again THANK YOU SOO MUCH to my supporters. Jesus is multiplying your donations tenfold. 🙂
