Day 1: The jeepney isfull. 14 – The driver, Team Libre (6)
and Team Judah (7). Two up front with
the driver. The other 11 sitting facing
each other on the two benches in the back. Book bags on every lap for lack of any other place to put them. Feet crossed over one another, sweaty arms
and legs sticking to each other from the humidity – the weather already hot and
muggy at 8 am. Everyone in the clothes
they plan on ruining. The slightest
breeze that comes in from the horizontally sliding windows on each side of the
big jeep is a welcome relief the backs of our necks. We already smell, but it is nothing compared to
the stench we are about to encounter. About
to enter the battle. We are heading to
the dumps. And we begin to sing:
Every blessing you pour out
I’ll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say…
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Our voices heard in Heaven and in Hell. Angels rejoice and demons shake in fear. Our full armor is on and ready to get dirty.
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.
From the highway we turn left – into a “road” of muddy
sludge. It is deep and our pace slows to
a crawl. The breeze we once enjoyed with
speed dies and the air thickens. Shacks
of tin and cardboard hide amidst the piles of trash. Men walk barefoot through the shin-deep
water. Others, scrappers, pick their way
through the trash piles looking for something, anything that can be used. Smaller children run naked. The sting in our nostrils reaches the pits of
our stomachs. This is the dumps. And we rejoice that we are here.
sludge. It is deep and our pace slows to
a crawl. The breeze we once enjoyed with
speed dies and the air thickens. Shacks
of tin and cardboard hide amidst the piles of trash. Men walk barefoot through the shin-deep
water. Others, scrappers, pick their way
through the trash piles looking for something, anything that can be used. Smaller children run naked. The sting in our nostrils reaches the pits of
our stomachs. This is the dumps. And we rejoice that we are here.
This is just a little starter. I’ll try to give more details of what we’ve
been doing and encountering tomorrow after church. LOVE to you all.
