Within a few hours of arriving in Cagayan De Oro, a city on the southernmost island of the Philippines called Mindenao, our ministry hosts took us to the downtown plaza to feed the children that call the streets of this city their home. Almost every month for me on the World Race has been children’s ministry. I’ve lived alongside sweet kiddos in children’s homes, i’ve taught in classrooms of all age groups, led Sunday school, visited villages and sang songs, played games, taught sports and shared devotionals…you get to a point where you think you’re prepared, where things start to fall into a routine, where you assume you can just pull from your pocket of tricks — but nothing could have prepared me for this month. A month of learning to be fully dependent on God, a month that in a few short weeks have wrecked my hearts in ways I couldn’t have ever imagined.
I didn’t realize it would be love at first sight – with the whole gang.
Yes, they’re considered a gang and turf wars are a real thing.
They spend 3/4 of their day on the streets,
pleading for money from strangers who barely acknowledge them,
taking odd jobs like parking cars, cleaning tires and picking up trash,
then spend what little money they make on a drug called Rugby or Volcaseal —
a highly addictive glue-based mixture used as an inhalant
to numb hunger pains because it’s cheaper than food.
They sleep in odd places,
avoiding police, drunks and rival gangs,
hoping what few possessions they have don’t get taken in the middle of the night.
However, for a few hours every day they get to come to Streetlight.
They get to find refuge in ministry that has made it their mission to receive them with love.
In women and men who don’t just teach about the fathers love, they live it out.
They provide these kids with 2 meals a day and an education,
keep them clean with showers and fresh clothes,
even teaching some of them how to brush their teeth for the first time.
They keep them focused, redirect their anger into passion for music and art
They encourage them to dream, to pray, to build a relationship with Jesus.
These kids live a rough life, but they’re still just kids
and for a few hours every day we get to remind them of that.
It’s a beautiful thing when they walk through the door and their facade fades away.
They have more piercings than I can count, in places that make me cringe.
Their rough housing usually falls on the side of chaos
But they’re a family of kids – looking for love.
They’re kids who have had to grow up waaaaay too soon
because of circumstances far out of their own control
and who are experiencing realities of this world I couldn’t even imagine…
but realities that are true, because i’ve seen it.
I’ve held the hungry, crying boy who’s been wearing the same pee-soaked clothes for days.
I’ve walked the streets early in the morning and passed some of our ‘kids’ sleeping on a cardboard box.
I’ve wrapped my arms in love around a young girl, dressed up for the night, ready to sell herself.
I’ve tracked down my boy to a local park when he went missing for a week, only to find him high, eyes glossed over, trying to run and hide from me because he was so ashamed.
I’ve held back a boy whose normally known for his huge radiating smile as he tried to throw a rock at another boys head during a fight because even when they’re not currently on drugs, the lingering effects leave their emotions at extremes.
I’ve felt the ferocity of their love.
I’ve experienced the power of their worship.
I’ve watched as the protect each other, and the ways they look out for us.
I’ve witnessed transformations as they’re learning to disciple one another.
I hear them pray for intimacy with the father, for hope, for joy, for peace and for love.
& I get to pray for them.
That they would be protected. That they would understand how much they’re loved, that we’re only capable of showing them a small amount of love in comparison to the fathers. For a dependence on the Lord to heal wounds, restore broken hearts and redeem memories.
At times they’re a little crazy, but they’re also genuine hearted.
witty.
brave.
intelligent.
creative.
passionate.
spontaneous.
driven.
and even in the hardest of moments they exude love in a way i’ve never experienced.
