Month 4 was MANistry month, which meant that all nine of the men on my squad became a team for the month and did ministry together in the city of Antipolo (next to Manila) in the Philippines. We were placed at a ministry called “Children’s Garden,” which is an outreach, educational, and discipleship ministry for boys living on the streets of the greater Manila area.
These boys range in age from 12-20 and have backgrounds growing up on the streets that tell a story of just how good the Lord is to provide and love for his children, even when they find themselves in places of complete brokenness. Many grew up addicted to a variety of drugs. Others began drinking at early ages. Most of them were without any family structure, living homeless on the streets. Some were tasked with providing for their families by selling drugs. Some have been excommunicated from their home neighborhoods. ALL of them, however, are loved by the Lord. ALL of them have been called to Children’s Garden because the Lord is far from finished with them and is in the middle of making each and every one of them into a new creation. Their pasts are being redeemed and forgotten. Their futures are being written each day as they seek to go back out into the streets for the purpose of loving those in the same position that God originally found them before coming to Children’s Garden. These are teenagers and young men who are becoming men worth following because of where they are placing their heart’s desires.
It is a magnificent thing to be “called out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9b). It is an utterly beautiful picture of God’s love for restoration and redemption when we are then sent back out into that darkness for the purpose of proclaiming hope and freedom over the lost. That is precisely with what my team and I were able to join in as we partnered with these boys to head back out into poor communities to love on street boys and girls. These boys are special. They are loved. They are changing lives simply by being who the Lord has called them to be: redeemed sons of the Most High.
My team and I were also able to do prison ministry during our time in the Philippines. I actually wrote a blog about that experience here (http://joebarnes.theworldrace.org/post/these-are-not-bad-men) if you would like to check out what that was like. We also had the pleasure of celebrating Christmas with the boys at Children’s Garden. What was sure to be a tough experience being away from friends and family during the holidays was turned into an incredible time of love and fellowship with the boys and our team as we became family for each other. Check out this post about Christmas in the Philippines if you feel so inclined (http://joebarnes.theworldrace.org/post/christmas-in-the-philippines)
I could go on for days about the Philippines and the beauty of Children’s Garden, the boys living there, and the community that was created between me and my teammates, but, per usual, I prefer to show you. Check out the video below for a full recap on what it was like to do ministry in the Philippines!
