We are living in a district of Manila, called Tondo.
Tondo is one of the most densely populated places in the world with a land area of 5.64 square kilometers and a population of nearly 450,000 people. This area of Manila is known to be one of the poorest and most undeveloped places in the nation of The Philippines.
Tondo is known for an area named, Smokey Mountain.
Smokey Mountain is a dump, literally a mountain of trash and waste. Many residents of Tondo live up in the former dump. And as waste and trash lie below, life still blossoms out of the surface as trees and plants cover the mountain.
We are living right next to a river that carries sewage and trash and a stench that makes the stomach churn. Children from the community can be found swimming in the toxic river. And often, the waters rise and the river floods the already desperate community.
The need of this community is great,
and as Team Sweet Aroma and Team Shekinah set out to be the hands and feet of Jesus,
we are overwhelmed by the brokenness surrounding every depth of our being.
As we teach, pray, serve food and worship,
we are reminded that this is in fact what life is about.
It is about sharing in the brokenness of one another and bringing restoration in the process.
About a 20 minute walk from where we are living sits a community surrounded by a charcoal factory. Even after traveling to the earthquake devastation of Haiti — I have never seen a place as desperate for need as this place.
Smoke from the charcoal fills the air and stings the throat as a breath of air is brought to the lungs.
These people live here.
In some of the worst conditions in the world.
We first went to the factory two days ago to serve over 100 children, homemade soup.
And as the hungry children desperately lined up for a bit of nourishment for their empty stomachs,
I was wrecked.
My face did not display the emotions I was feeling inside as I served the children of this community, but inside I was writhing with brokenness and anger for the injustices that are displayed in this world,
and, in the children of God.
As I walked to the ocean after the feeding holding a sweet girls' hand,
I sang my new theme song for the month :
"Give thanks with a joyful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks, because He's given,
Jesus Christ, His Son.
And now, let the weak say I have strength,
let the poor say I am rich,
because of what the Lord has done,
for us.
Give thanks."
As the tears streamed down my face as I held my new precious friend,
I was reminded of the goodness of a God who loves His people.
I was reminded that the love of God, really is,
colliding with a broken world.
And in Him, the weak do have strength.
And the poor are rich.
I don't know what to do with all that I have seen.
But, I do know that God has sent me for His reason and purpose.
And, I know one thing for sure,
that I will never, EVER,
be the same.
*To see more pics, click HERE.
