I was trying to think about a title that might cover some of what's been going on the last couple of months and much of it seems to revolve around GANGS and GRACE.
Our center in Tondo is situated in the heart of a community where there are many hard working Fathers and Mothers who strive and push their bodies and minds to the limit just to provide their children something to eat each day. There are compassionate, self sacrificing, loving and motivated people here.
They are collecting and selling trash instead of begging. They are WORKING trying to make an honest living. They are recyclers.
However the depth of poverty can drive a person to do very desperate things at times. Within the community are syndicates. Those who make money from drugs, crime and killing. Gang affiliations are normal and gang fights nothing new
From what we have observed there are 2 types of gangs, the younger men who join to belong and often end up as the fall back guy, they get labeled as "rugby boys"- boys that are addicted to sniffing solvents. They get caught up in petty crimes that often escalate to bigger ones.
Then there are the senior gang members. Their common place gang wars and gun riots strike fear in the younger children. Shootings and slashing a signature trademark.
" There's a riot. There's a riot" we hear the youngsters call to each other. The next movement after the small voices are usually that of the mothers moving speedily outside to bring their children to a safer place.
When I see young children running around in an imaginary world with toy guns I get a deep heavy bolder like feeling in the pit of my stomach because
this world is real to them.
They see violence. They know it.
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| taken by Misha Somerville while spending day with us |
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| taken by Misha Somerville while spending day with us |
Ron has witnessed quite a lot of gang fights whilst being there. I have only ever been around one. We were teaching kids choir on a Tuesday evening and then shots came from the roof. There was heavy footed thumping as the men ran across the corrugated iron above us. The children screamed and then the guard shouted across the hall that one of the gun men had come in the back entrance to our building.
Ron and I huddled the group of children together and we went out the front gate and crouched together in the farthest corner. It was soon over and everything went back to "normal".
Gang riots have always been there, but since January we have been aware of increase activity in the community. We know about 6 murders all within walking distance from our base. They have all been gang/drug related , apart from one which was the rape and murder of a 12 year old girl.
2 were of policemen that died through gangs throwing grenades into their barangay out post. There is definite increased tension between the local gangs and community police within the last month.
One shooting was across from our center in broad daylight.
It's a crazy mixture of calm, joy, busyness, violence and crime.
We have been hesitant writing about the killings because
1. there are already so many negative stereotypes about the area (many untrue)
2. we didn't want to terrify teams that had already booked their tickets to come!
At the same time we feel we should give an honest and balanced account about what has been going on. When sharing with friends it sometimes feels like we are describing a movie, but the facts are these are the issues the families living there are dealing with and living through.
But I can say that in the midst of all this strife there has been much Grace. God moving in lives in the way that only He can.
We have been working with a boy, lets call him "Ally" We were supporting him through school and he was doing so great. He began getting involved with the wrong group of friends. At 12 years old he sold everything he had, down to his very school shoes and notebooks to get money to buy glue to sniff. He became very reliant on solvents. He slept wherever around the dump site. I don't need to go into everything he got involved in. At home horrendous things were taking place. His 14 year old sister was being pimped out by her boyfriend. Sold for sex to older men in the community- at 14 years old.
The first time she was brave enough to make that initial step into our place I will never as long as I live forget how quickly she ate a plate of food. As her eyes rolled from whatever she was taking at the time, her hands grabbed the rice and shoveled it into he mouth.
"Ally" had been hiding from us for a few months but Ron had been looking for him. A few weeks ago after church he ran into the hall crying saying "big brother Ron. I heard you were looking for me. I have so many vices now"
He's 12 years old.
Long story short, with the consent of his parents we had him stay with us for a "vacation" and other member of our team have been taking care of him since then also. In such a short time, he is doing much better. No longer using. Trying to stay away from the wrong people and aiming to get back in school after the summer holidays. He's just a lovely, funny and sweet boy. We are seeing him laugh and joke again just like he used to. He comes in and out of the house of prayer and just lifts his hands and his voice to talk to God. My heart was just overwhelmed hearing his husky voice so sincerely talk to God to help him stay on track.
Pray for Him. Our team love this kid. He has a world of potential still to be unlocked. I don't want to go into his story or post his name and picture because I believe that one day he will tell his
whole story for himself.
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| KCM Community Basket ball court opened as part of the mens outreach |
Last year Ron , Ptr Dodong and Rons dad started a mens group. This year we have seen God move in the hearts of some of the Fathers in a special way. The men that are involved in the mens group are some of the key leaders in the community. Amongst them drug dealers, gang members and an assassin. Yes, an actual assassin who used to be hired to kill people for a living.
I say "used to" because he asked Jesus into his heart and there have been big changes. His story should be a whole blog of its own!
Men who used to scorn their children for coming to kids church are now serving as volunteers in the church! Their wives and children testifying to the changed in their lives. We long to see many many more Father and husbands come to know Jesus.
Ministries are important. Community programs needed. But we believe and have seen many many times that it's only JESUS that can change a heart , do a deep work from the inside and transform a life.
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| gospel outreach last Friday |
Last weekend the team done a gospel outreach in an area where gangs trouble in prevalent and near where the little 12 year old was raped and left for dead. The youth prepared drama/music presentation, a film was shown and the good news shared. In all honesty the team had expected a hard atmosphere. Ron came home and said
"that place was so ready for that!"
After the outreach was done 41 men, women and children walked back to our center to know more about giving their lives to Christ! We rejoice with the angels for those who began a new journey and we pray that lasting fruit will come from their lives.
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| taken by Thomas Tham while leading a photography work shop with KCM youth Navotas |
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| Navotas Team Leaders Ptr Dodong (second from left) and Ate Virgie (flower shirt) |
Lots of prayer needed for our church members and all the children and youth we serve through our program's in Navotas Cemetery.
The National Housing Association has confirmed that the demolishing of their homes will begin this June. Some have been given an eviction notice to leave by May.
The government authorities will relocate the families between 2 resettlement areas, Bulacan and Tanza. Those who do not pass a drug test or have over 5 children they will be relocated to the further away and larger area.
The residents are going through so much uncertainty right now and worried about having to take their children out of school, finding work and starting over.
Would you pray for them and our team as we walk through these changes with them. In particular remember our Navotas staff and volunteers and team leaders there Ptr Dodong and Ate Virgie. I have learned so much from the beautiful couple about real joy. I love worshipping in this church. There is a real, raw spirit or worship and happiness in Jesus. Outside are tombs, death and bags of bones and inside a tangible freedom for the Spirit of God to move.
The building we use where the church meet will also be knocked down, but that is only the building. It's the people who are the church and God use them to reach out to others wherever they are relocated.
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| Baptisms at the dump site yesterday |
Today was a lovely time as people were baptized in our new little pool. Obviously where a person is immersed doesn't matter a bit, but we are just thankful for this because of what we usually baptize in-
A paddling pool which gets more holes every time and usually while Ptr Dodong is baptizing , Ron is going around the outside trying to patch it up with scotch tape! (It's an amusing sight!)
When thinking about a kind of update blog, it's always really difficult to know what to include! But please do pray for;
1. Comfort for the families in Navotas who are facing so many changes and unknown future and wisdom for us to know the most effective ways to help
2 For the safety of the children in Tondo during gang wars. The issues that come with the parents with gang affiliations are no quick fix, but our team continues to build good relationship and we are seeing little cracks in the strongholds of territorialism (through our mothers and father groups)
3 For our whole teams at Kalayaan Community Ministries. We all constantly having to priorities as there are always so many needs at one time.
4. For the extra activities that will be run over April and May summer holidays- children's field trips, music projects, kids clubs, vacation bible school and additional feeding sessions
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5. For more sponsors for the teenagers on our waiting list ready to go to college.
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| above 3 pictures taken by Andra Whyte overseas volunteer |
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10.10
