Today has been quite the interesting day filled with extremes. Last night two women came into the gate yelling for Allison explaining how this woman, that Allison had met in previous visits to the Philippines, had died of cancer. They wanted her to come pray for her, but it was dark and we were starting our evening session soon. So, Allison said that she had 80 friends that would come and pray for her in the morning. We did, for two hours. We prayed for her to come back from the dead. This woman was only 28 and has three young children (which was heartbreaking to see them). Nothing happened; perhaps God wants to keep her, but I feel like we did touch the people in the neighborhood. After we left, people thanked us for praying. We walked back down the streets lined with shacks, dirt, skinny dogs, children and adults. They all said good morning with a smile on their faces, and although they live with hardly anything they were joyful. These are the people I am fortunate to spend the next three weeks with. We are staying here at Kids International Ministry (KIM), and will be working in a local orphanage, schools, spending time in peoples’ homes, etc. There are twelve of us staying here (two teams). We have been here a week so far; we live in a nice house where our food is prepared for us daily, there is a gate around the place, and friendly people abound. I think it is a good way to start this year, although this will not be like what the rest of the race will be like-we are surely being spoiled here with our showers, internet, food and comforts. I am enjoying it though.
This afternoon we took a trike and a jeepney to get to a local mall to exchange some money and enjoy a few minutes of air conditioning. We got ripped off on the trike ride (a motorcycle with a side cart, which can fit 6 people in amazingly enough), and other than that nothing went wrong. It was a fun adventure. When we got off the Jeepney the first thing I saw in front of the mall was an armed policeman-and when I say armed, I mean a huge gun that looked like it could do a lot of damage. It made me slightly nervous, but I was glad that there would be some protection if the need arrived. When we walked into the grocery store we were met by guards, and were patted down. We proceeded to walk around the mall looking at all the shops and food stores. It is Americanized and everything is in English. Minus the colour of the skin, I would assume we were back in the states (except, the people working at the stores were very helpful and attentive). It amazed me that 15 minutes away people were in poverty, living in tiny shacks, yet here they looked well off and had no cares in the world. How can it vary so much? I do not know, and I do realize that the poverty I am seeing could be a lot worse. I have seen worse. Who of these people are happier I wonder. The people in the squatter village or the more well off people? I suspect the former-although they do not have much, they have a happier note about them.
P.S. Be sure to check out the movie my team made (Team Liberators: Things I never knew).
Love you all, and thanks again for all your prayers and support. Continue to keep my health, energy, team mates and spiritual safety/preparedness in your prayers.
