Over my time in the Philippines, I have told you about my friend Jodi and her dream with the minors that are being unjustly treated in this country. These boys are being sent to prison at an illegal age for crimes that they don’t know any better than to commit. There are nearly one million people on the streets in the Philippines, so it’s survival of the fittest out there. If you can’t afford dinner, then you take it. Or, the other option is to sell whatever the gangs are pushing and risk further imprisonment.
Jodi’s dream is for these boys to see new life. It’s not just about getting them off the streets or out of the cells. The dream is for these boys to learn that they’re not condemned to be bad boys for life. Many of these boys are told, “Once a bad boy, always a bad boy,” and that’s not true. In a land where redemption is bus ride away, we in the States don’t often see this modern day caste system in real life. But the fact is, many of these boys will never escape this cycle and may never leave the Malaybalay City Jail.
One huge way Jodi is trying to help is through education. Just spend one afternoon around this girl and you’ll see that she was born to teach and has a natural motherly instinct. These boys listen with Ate Jodi calls their attention. I can also say from experience, that Jodi has a dream and a vision that lasts a lifetime. She’s in this for the long haul and wants to be a good steward of what God has given her.
So how can you help? Click here to visit her website and see what this dream is all about. She’s right now in the stages of trying to raise enough money to return to the ministry that has stole her heart and her future. Unfortunately, she doesn’t know when that return ticket will come. She’s working under the umbrella of Kids International Ministries, which is also the incredible organization I spent the summer with, and they have set financial goals for her to meet before taking off. Her original plan was to leave in January, but finances have kept her in the States for now.
If you are interested in helping her out, then let me know or click on Jodi’s name to access her website. I’ve included a video at the bottom so you can hear her heart and vision. Please take a minute to listen to her story and help out is God leads you. Again, this is another ministry that greatly needs the support of the church to thrive and we can all play a part…
