One at a time!

Here in the Philippines there are hundreds and thousands of Street Children, sadly you don’t need to go looking for them because this problem is not a hidden one, it is so open and heartbreaking! 

 

Often when walking around the streets of Manila you will see families sleeping together, eating on the side of the road of washing themselves by a faucet, the problem is so great.  There are many organisations that are doing what they can and this is fantastic.  Food is provided, but on a small scale, places are made available for washing but only in limited areas.  There are no Homeless Shelters for families, no Centrelink (government) payments for people, so life is such a struggle.

 

Due to the lack of funds there are so many children who do not get the opportunity to attend school, receive an education to attempt the long struggle to make something better of their lives.  Although, there are some scholarships available if you know where to go and the right people to ask!

 

Some families are able to find a place to sleep that may protect them from the weather and to keep them safe from predators that are ready to grab children at any time.  But even these places are not the best and there are many health issues that arise with living in such circumstances. 

 

Many families and children only survive by going through rubbish, they then sell their goods (plastics, metal etc) to purchase food for that day. It is definitely a hand to mouth situation!  Hygiene issues arise, children get sick and many of these children do not have the privilege of an education.  Yet, once again it is important to note that there are many organisations that are reaching out to the help these young children, sponsorship is available and that is slowly changing the lives (and futures) of so many.

 

Here at Joyville, due to funding, we can only accept up to 30 children.  This may seem small, but then again it is like a large family and we are able to provide safe accommodation, health care, basic needs, education and life skills training (to name a few).  Over this past week I have had to read through many Case Studies to approve the entry of many new children and they have been horrendous stories of poverty, sexual abuse, loss…. children who have stood with our Social Worker begging to be accepted so they can go to school and try and get a job to help their families in the future.  Young people who have started sniffing glue (rugby) so that they can cope with the physical trauma of their current lifestyles and others who we know will arrive here with a plastic bag of old clothes and nothing more to call their own.

This appointment where I find myself can be challenging, the children come with a variety of issues, strong character as they have had to face many things that young people should never have to deal with.  Yet, what a privilege it is to ‘one at a time’ see changes, development, transformation as acceptance, love and healing is offered.

One word I often use for the children I minister with is, resilience. 

Resilience – the power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity.

 

This is so true of those I have come to know.  The ability to ‘bounce back’, although changed and often hurt, they move forward in the knowledge that their lives are about to have a positive change.

Please pray for us as we adjust to many new arrivals, for the children who will come here for those who are already here and will need to have a willingness to show patience and care to new people.