In the space of 2 days

Have you ever gone through a day and not really thought about what has went on until afterwards? The other night I was sitting thinking about that day and the day before and realised what had become "normal" for us.

Within the space of 2 days......

I met a lovely lady who sold her hair for P250 so she could buy food for her baby. Priorities eh? Hair or food? The young mum was shyly giggling as she told me how she thought she looked "ugly like a boy" with her new short hair. I actually had no idea that there were people who now come around the comunity offering the women a little money for their hair. The women told me they take it and make wigs and hair extensions. I wonder how much they get sold for? I'll bets it's a lot more than P250! (3 pounds 60 pence)

We were helping some of the youth apply for college. It's been amazing to see God at work in their lives and watch Him carving out a hope and future. We never planned to send youth to college but the Lord clearly put people across out path who wanted to partner with us in this- amazing! Anyway during one of the days that Ron was taking them to their college interviews we found out about experiences they had went through that we had no idea about.
When you see the young people who have been changed by Jesus its hard to imagine the brokenness they have faced. Each one has a story of hurt in their past.It often shocks us to hear of the torture they have endured.
Can you imagine your parents keeping your sibling but abandoning you on a dump site?
How would you function if you had memories of your father measuring a rope to hang you, your sister and your mother on?
Could you even raise your head off the pillow in the mornings if you had endured rape, pregnancy and miscarriage at the age of 13?
These are real stories. They are the stories of amazing young people who somehow still love,still smile and still serve others.  

There are lots of horror stories about Tondo.Some true. Some not. We always feel pretty safe there though we do know its definitely not always a safe place to be. The other day we were reminded of that when Ron met a "security guard" at one of the potential building we were looking at to move our ministry base to. Ron said he was a nice friendly guy. Ron got the feeling he knew us and the work even though we have never met him.
So it turns out he is an assassin. A real assassin. He carries a gun and he uses it.
We found out later that he is well known in the Tondo community. Though Ron did not know it at the time, he was standing face to face with the man who murdered the father of one of the children we work with regularly. This man shot the child's father in the head in front of her and the whole family. Little Aira stopped talking for months and the whole situation was so tragic. We have watched God heal her. Ron meeting this man was a reminder of the violence the children see all the time and a reminder of how there is still much change needed in this community

One particular plot of land we were considering turned out not to be so promising! We found out that it was actually being used as a cover for something very sinister.A member of the local government (who shall remain nameless) allegedly has a right hand man who does "clean up jobs". This basically involves getting rid of anything or anyone in the way! Underneath the building we were thinking about renting is a grave yard. It turns our all of the community know that bodies that need getting rid of are buried here. It seems to be very well knows in Tondo, but no one says anything out of fear of the guy who is responsible in putting them there. So needless to say we are no longer considering this building as we would not know how the rent money would be used by this "right hand man". Another reminder of the corruption and injustice that has grips of strongholds in the community- and the country. It would all seem so hopeless without Christ. He loves justice and will keep his promises to never forsake his people.


There is much healing needed in the squatters communities. Sometimes it seems the poor get poorer and the sick get sicker. Its so hard to watch lovely people become so ill. Its so hard to be restricted by funds as to whether we can help in a case or not. Many times we can because of the kindess of people, but it's frustrating not to have a health service where money doesn't matter. I know when i was living in Scotland I just took for granted that I could do to the doctors for free whenever I needed. If that happened here so many lives would be saved.
We are trying to help one girl at the moment named Mary who is just so frail and weak. To watch someone dying before your eyes is an awful thing.Her skeletal frame seems to be fading daily and we know that without a miracle and provision she will not make it. God is the healer. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We have witnessed miracles time and time again and know with one touch Marys body could be whole. Sickness is not Gods will. Just another hurt that the enemy uses with the poor to try and crush all hope.

I thank God that there is no situation outwith his reach. He is in control at all times. He knows what tomorrow will bring for each person in these communities. He can heal the sick. He can provide for a desperate mother. He can give hope and a future to a teenager with a broken past. He can even save an assassin and bring justice to corruption. He can.