Being in the Philippines has been incredible! We arrived last Monday and have been living in the mountains about 2 hours outside of Manila. We are serving this month with Grow International Ministry (www.growourworld.com). Every Wednesday there is a women’s pregnancy clinic for women and children in the community. Another ministry that Grow provides is a camp for boys from the streets of Manila . Every other weekend (Thursday-Saturday) about 15 boys come to the camp.
Last Thursday we went into Manila and picked up the boys and it was such a surreal experience. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little freaked out. We had been traveling and walking around all day and had been told to wear our backpacks on our front side and to watch our stuff. When we walked down the alley-like side street where the boys were waiting the sun had just began setting. All of a sudden 17 boys were surrounding us and speaking to us in a mixture of English and Tagalog (the native language here). They were running around and laughing. For the first minute I became very reserved and overwhelmed. However, once we began walking towards the Jeepneys (the local bus transportation) the boys grabbed our hands and guided us in the right direction. I immediately felt bad and questioned if I was really qualified for this whole World Race thing. We got on the Jeepney and the boys were shaking our hands, giving us high fives, and asking our names. My heart was so overwhelmed with love for these boys. I couldn’t imagine the things they had experienced. Under the dirt on their faces many had bruises and scars. About 5 minutes into the ride many of them had fallen asleep leaning on one another for support. After the first Jeepney ride we all gathered together and began to walk to the next jeepney stop to finish the trip back to camp. The streets in the Philippines are crazy. There are cars everywhere and traffic signals and rules are optional. The boys took our hands and said just follow us. They carefully protected and guided us across the 6 lane road. Rhayan (our host, pronounced Ryan) had purchased a giant pastry while we were in Manila. When we boarded the Jeepney he pulled it out and broke it up into pieces. After he had passed out all of the pastry some boys split theirs up to make sure everyone had some. A boy name Ralney who was 12 was sitting next to me. He had been eating his piece slow. He looked at it and then look over the Rhayan and offered him a piece. Rhayan thanked him and told him to eat it. He looked at it again and then looked up at me and asked if I wanted any. I smiled and told him no thank you and that he should eat it. He smiled and shoved the rest of it into his mouth. He leaned his head against me the rest of the trip. The boys leaned against one another and laid on the ground to sleep for the last 30 minutes of the trip. I looked over at Rhayan, who had 3 boys sleeping on his shoulder, knee and chest, and I told him that the boys all loved him so much and trusted him. I said he is their protector. He looked back at me and said they protect me out there.
When we arrived back at camp the boys were fed, showered, and given mats to sleep on. We put a movie on and the boys drifted to sleep. The rest of the weekend we played soccer, football, and board games. We gave the boys attention they didn’t normally receive and love they so desperately longed for. We spent time talking about Jesus. We held their hands and pushed them on the rope swing we built.
One boy I got really close with was Jim Jim. The moment I saw him I loved him. He looked to be about 5 or 6 years old but I found out later was actually 9 years old. It was his first time at the camp (all but 4 boys the first weekend had come to the camp before) and he wouldn’t make eye contact the first night. The first full day we spent with the boys we had a huge soccer game. Because Jim Jim is so small he kept getting knocked over and none of the other boys would pass to him. I saw him kicking an extra soccer ball around so I went over to him. For 2 hours I passed a soccer ball back and forth with Jim Jim. After about an hour he started giggling every so often. And by the end he would say the words: no, wait, 1, 2, 3 and go. We continued playing off and on the rest of the day. The next morning there was a game of soccer between ‘the Americans’ and the ‘Filipinos.’ Our whole team cheered him on when he got the ball. At one point in the game he either got hurt or was upset about leaving that afternoon (we weren’t really sure). He went over and sat on the steps. One of the boys who works here went and tried to cheer him up but when he kept crying I went over and sat with him. He sat on my lap and continued crying for a little while. It was really hard saying goodbye to these boys we had just met.
In just 10 days here in the Philippines I have learned so much about love and what it looks like to love relentlessly. Obviously I have not perfected it but I have seen it all around me. Our host and his family have showed us so much love. The boys on the street showed each other love by protecting one another and sharing what little they had. We are learning to love each other well as a team. God’s love is so visibly displayed all around us in the mountains, in the rain, and in His promises.
Hope you all are well.
With Love,
Shelby
