I feel like I am an episode of Hoarders when I visit some of these areas of Tondo. Trash is piled HIGH and there is filth everywhere and people are just living in it like it's not there. This last feeding though I came in and looked past the piles of trash and saw the souls of those living there. Some of the street kids are so tough becuase they get bullied or need to make it on their own already at the age of 9,10,11. Some are so quiet and shy and stay back observing and yet others are carefree and enjoying life! As we came into the most recent feeding I saw people rummaging through the trash and went up to one guy and started a converstation. His name is Jerome and he is next to me in the picture, the other guy is his cousin,
He goes through all this trash and receives 15 pesos per kilo. 40 pesos = $1.00 and I think 2.2 kilos is a pound. This is his life. He does it everyday. He lives there in the buildings and has a shop. He knows of Jesus but I am not sure that he has an intimate relationship with him!
We wheeled up to hand out the food and these kids are so hungry not necessarlily for the food but for our attention as well. They love to say what's your name and how young are you. They love posing for pictures and pushing and shoving each other to get their soup. I so badly want to bathe them, brush their teeth, and cuddle with them. I want to get rid of the lice in their hair, I want to put undies and flip flops on them. I want to get them vitiamins so their skin is not constantly breaking out in scabs. I want to shield them from diseases and sicknesses.
Then I remember that they come to Jesus not to me. He has them in His arms. He proivides for them, feeding after feeding. He calls out and he keeps them where they are at. In the photo is Pastor Ramil. He is a full time pastor here right in the middle of Tondo. He is involved in so much to try and change the conditions of the people here. I am so thankful we are able to parnter with him this month!
We had a little youth rally right outside the church last Friday and Saturday. We had a team come together and plan it, then we made flyers and went handing them out. We made so many copies and talked to so many teens and young adults. We also have a friend here who is part of a band that was able to come and play for it! We did a few dramas and gave testimonies. Friday night as I looked out I was first disappointed because all of those older kids we talked to did not show up like they said. The seats were filled with younger kids, but then I knew the Lord had brought who He wanted and that these kids are the future for this country! I prayed hard that they would be the light needed in Tondo! This is such a battlefield and Satan think he owns it, but God is in this place!
