As of today, I have 16 days before I return to America. It feels weird being only two weeks away from the end of this journey and I am very excited to be returning, BUT this blog post is not about me. So, please lend an ear (or perhaps an eye) to the story I am about to tell you.
This is the story of a boy named Ian. I had the privilege of meeting Ian two weeks ago. He is a child with special needs and is currently living in a government facility which aids in getting children off of the streets of Manila. The establishment is not a great place to live, but it’s better than the streets. When I first met Ian he ran up to the team and me and welcomed us into his “home” with a smiling face. We spent the afternoon fellowshipping with the children (maybe 40 of them) and put on a sort of vacation Bible school then provided dinner for them. I spent some time with Ian and a few of the other children with special needs. (There are about 5 living there)
And as I spent more time with Ian, I noticed a few things about him that seemed rather unusual. He never talked, which I assumed was because of the language barrier and he had scares all over his legs, arms and back. And one massive scare on his throat. He also had a small tattoo on the back of his neck that was just the number “57”. I talked with the house mother for a bit and she told me all about Ian.
When Ian used to live on the streets he was “owned”. It is not clear exactly who “owned” him but it could have been a gang, a group of people or just one person. But he was living in a very, very bad situation. You see, someone or some people used Ian to make money. They would send him to the streets to beg for money then take the money for themselves. They tattooed the number 57 on his back to show their “ownership”. He was enslaved and trapped and brutally treated. These people also intentionally damaged/burned Ian’s throat to disable his ability to speak, thus preventing him telling other people what was being done to him. They also had him addicted to several drugs, including meth.
This was Ian’s life at only 12 years old. Enslaved, beaten, and unable to speak of the horrors being done to him. I cannot begin to express the heart break Ian’s story brings me. But it brings me so much joy to know Ian is off of the streets now.
Ian is just one of thousands of children being abused around the world.
Brokenness is all around us. There is so much to be done. I’ve traveled through just three countries and I have seen so many people in need of help. The work is out there and help is needed. I urge you to get out and help.
Let God’s words stir up your heart and spur you to action.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”
Matthew 9:37
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” Matthew 25:35-40 ESV
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord ‘s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.”
Isaiah 61:1-3
