This month we are working with a church in San Mateo, Philippines that ministers to boys who are living on the streets. Our ministry hosts, Ryan and Mike, go out to the streets and build relationships with the boys. Then, every month or so, he organizes a weekend long camp for the boys. He invites them, picks them up, and brings them to the church. There they get showers, clean clothes, 3 meals a day, worship time, and play time. Since it is the Christmas season, the boys get a Christmas party where there are games, treats, and presents at the end!
Our first group of boys arrived at the camp last weekend. I really did not know what to expect. We all walked outside onto the front porch and were greeted by a group of about 25 boys, the oldest was 19 and the youngest was 8. Most of the boys were covered in dirt from their head to toe. There was an odor of sweat and trash coming from them. Some of them had giant tattoos covering their arms, red hair, and piercings in their ears. Most of their teeth were brown or missing. However I noticed something so beautiful in all of the boys. They all had so much joy that was flowing out of their smiles and beaming eyes. They were so happy and grateful to be at the camp.
For the rest of the afternoon we talked and played with the boys. They reminded me of the lost boys from Peter Pan, playing in trees, living with no parents, taking care of each other, and sleeping in a cluster on the floor together. The boys loved to play basket ball, which I am not very good at. However, the boys always wanted me to play with them and always passed the ball to me, even though I missed almost every shot. We attempted to communicate with each other which ended up in lots of laughs and giggles because neither party understood what the other was saying.
That night we sat around a camp fire and sang songs and ate smores. While I was sitting and listening to our ministry host, Ryan, give a brief talk, I felt a head rest on my shoulder. One of the boys, who maybe 14 years old, was sleepy and decided to rest on my shoulder. He didnt know me, he just wanted some love, attention, and a place to rest his head. I looked around the fire and noticed a lot of the other boys were resting their heads on my teammates shoulders. It was hard to imagine these sweet and loving boys to be hardened criminals and gang members on the streets.
Our host told us that a lot of these boys run away from home. Sometimes their home lives are unhealthy and filled with abuse or neglect. Sometimes the boys run away because they are bored with rules and regulations and want to be free to do whatever they want on the streets. Some are orphans who have no where else to live but on the street. Most of the time what happens is that these boys are adopted into a new family, a gang, where they find their identity and belonging. Most of the time these gangs engage in violence, stealing, and substance abuse. Most of these children on the streets have seen and experienced more than any of us will experience in a lifetime.
However, I didn’t see these children as criminals. I couldn’t see them as gang members. All they were to me were funny, rambunctious, loving children. The boys were funny and loved to joke and play around. They were creative in the dances they came up with for the talent show. They were joyful and always had giant smiles on their faces. They were caring, about each other and with us. They shared with each other their food, clothes, and space. They also cared about us, they wanted to include us in their games and they wanted to spend time with a bunch of Americans. When all the boys had to leave the camp, it was one of the hardest goodbyes ever. Each kid hugged every one of us, and said “I will miss you” and “I will always remember you”. Those little guys really got a hold of our hearts, and it was hard saying goodbye knowing that they were returning to the dangerous and rough street life.
I think God sees us the same way we saw these boys. He doesn’t view us for the dirty sins we have done or the wrong paths we have chosen, He loves us for who we are. We are His precious children. He wants to be with us and play with us and laugh with us. His heart breaks when we turn away from Him and return to the rough and harmful ways of the world. But, He is hopeful and longing of the day that we return to Him.
