Grow International was my ministry’s name in the Philippines. From the name you’d never know what I was doing and where I was working May 2017. My co- ed team of seven was split up at the end of April and I was now on a team of seven girls, and one squad leader. We hadn’t all been on teams together in the past but we were excited for a refreshing month of ministry together. We arrived at our ministry location knowing very little of what to expect. We were greeted by the Lago family, smiling and helping us upstairs with our huge bags. We looked all around us and it was amazing. The camp we were staying at was nestled in the mountains of San Mateo. We met the gap year team who had already been at this location for two months and we would be working alongside them for the remainder of their time here.
Each day looked a little different but these are a few of the jobs we had the opportunity to help with: Kids camp for the local kids. Building bunny boxes so the mommas would stop eating their babies. Gardening on the mountain side, leveling dirt, chopping bamboo and planting lots of veggies. Raking and raking more.
A few days into the month one of our team mates brought up Beauty for Ashes a retreat/program for woman that we had access to but wasn’t part of our assigned ministry. Right off the bat everyone jumped on board and starting planning down to every small detail. So outside of our assigned ministry we started getting ready to host a retreat for women. We wanted to pamper the women so we decided the first hour would be meet and greet paired with massages, manicures, pedicures, and a photo booth. All of these services were done by our very inexperienced team. We wanted to give these hard working women a day to just say thank you for being you. A day to let them share their story and remind them that their story is powerful. Long story short the day ended up being a huge success, these women were open and honest and it was an honor to be able to remind them they are loved, forgiven, worthy and redeemed.
I also want to take a moment to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped us make the Beauty For Ashes retreat possible. With the help of you all we raised $800. We were able to both treat and spoil these women as well as support Grow International School and buy chairs, tables and books for the upcoming school year.
Another memorable experience from this month was the ‘Street Kids Camp’ that we hosted. It was a camp for all girls and I remember reading their stories and seeing their pictures. Some of them had ran away from home and they were now living in false freedom. Some had no home, some had homes that they were never safe in so each of these girls lived on the streets of Manila for a different reason.
The process of them coming to camp was they arrived, we greeted them, they were given lice shampoo and while some showered others waited for their turn. We had already laid out their new outfits for each girl who would be attending camp. After their showers and lice treatment they got to put on new clean clothes. Probably the only new clothes they would get until they came to camp again. The clothes we laid out were so tiny. Surely these clothes couldn’t be for 11-15 year olds, they must be for small children but sure enough each girl put on her new outfit and each outfit fit them. We painted their nails and toes, we let them take 100’s of selfies, we let them relax and be kids, without fear for this one night they didn’t have to watch their back they didn’t have to fear for their lives.
Later in the evening we had a bon fire and heard some of the testimonies of our team, the girls listened and there was so much peace surrounding the evening. During this time of fellowship and devotion one of the girls laid her head in my lap and fell asleep, another one next to her fell asleep laying on her. I looked into my lap and saw a little girl. A little girl who was exhausted from fear and didn’t have the luxury of falling asleep anywhere anytime like she did here. Here she had peace even if only for one night, she didn’t have to be afraid of being raped again or killed. I bit my lip as I choked back tears and tried to be thankful for this brief moment of rest that this child could have.
We brought the girls back inside the camp and put a movie on for them, we left them to sleep peacefully. Each one of my team mates woke up during various hours of the night. Not one hour of the night was our entire team asleep. We unintentionally woke up hour by hour to pray for them. To pray for safety, for rest, for courage, for peace even after hey left us and went back to the street.
When we awoke we climbed a mountain to a breathtaking view to have a devotion. We told the girls the story of Queen Esther, of how she was an orphan who saved her entire family because of her incredible courage and her trust and faith in God. We reminded them that they shouldn’t give up on their dreams no matter how hopeless they feel. Ester had a dream and an opportunity, as did each of my new friends. I pray that they remember her story and remember their worth for the rest of their lives.
To my knowledge there are a few places they can go for shelter and a meal but they do have to choose to go. They have to give up their freedom of making their own choices, doing what they want, when they want and leave behind their lives, their new street families,and their friends.
These little girls could have been you, or me, they could be your daughters, your little sisters, your loved ones, if you were born in a different time and place. I say this not to compare our lives but to give us some perspective into how blessed we are to be born into a family no matter how broken. I say this because no matter how bad we think we have it I promise someone else has it worse. However they are making the best of their situation. I pray one day they choose to go to a safe house. I pray that they pursue their dreams of getting an education and a job one day. I pray that this challenging chapter of their little lives becomes an inspiring story that has power and purpose.
It’s hard to grow up, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There is pain in growth, I not only saw this in the street girls, and the women who came to our beauty for ashes retreat but in my team. We were faced with a harsh reality and dove into the depths of their lives. We had to be strong for them, we had to grow outside our comfort zone. Hold their tiny hands, their dirty hands, we had to love them right where they were, just as we are called to do to each and every individual whether it’s easy or not. Whether it hurts or feels good.
