September 16 Update

Hello from Manila,

We arrived yesterday evening after a long but enjoyable travel experience. Today was very meaningful but exhausting. I've written a bit about it at http://chaplainspage.blogspot.com/2009/09/100.html. To summarize, we worked with a local friend to buy clothes and then pass them out at a slum here in the city. In addition, we also served soup. Our friend and his wife have been visiting this slum for about four months now. It is hard to believe people live the way they do here. It had rained earlier today, and so water filled the roadways. Trash floated in the big puddles as people walked in them with no shoes or sandals. Kids walked around naked, much like they do everyday. We saw people peeing in the streets and also bathing with large wash basins. Kids dug through trash heaps. People were napping in all sorts of places--on cardboard and on cement, much different than the feather bed I napped on today.

We spent about two hours walking in the market, buying the clothes, sandals and underwear we would pass out. 60 sandals, 60 underwear, 30 outfits for $100. Then we spent another two hours at the slums with the people. I shared a brief ten-minute impromptu message to the people, which our friend Roy translated, and then he preached a message. Then we handed the stuff out and spooned soup. They let us spoon the soup, which was a privilege. Asia was tired from our trip and I think it was very exhausting for her. She sort of just looked around, almost stunned, and took it all in. This was a powerful education, not just for her, but for all of us. Even though Colette brought homeschooling materials on the trip, I think she just did all the schooling she needs for the next ten days.

We return to the slum area on Sunday, where we will be guests in Pastor Roy's church and I have the honor of preaching. Heidi will join us on Sunday so it will be good to see her then. Tomorrow we are heading to the Institute for Foundational Learning, which is a children's boarding school, home and sustainable farm that houses over 100 kids. Our friend Pat Capwell, who is an amazing American woman, started IFL and leads it along with staff members. We'll be there for three days and look forward to our time there.

Then on Sunday as I said we come back to Manila, then Monday morning, drive to meet Rex. We just got word that the foster family is willing to meet with us, which is a huge gift since that will be our time to ask questions about Rex before we get him. Monday night will be our first night with him.

As we meet little Filipino children who are Rex' age, we can't help but think how his life could be like any of these children's lives. He could be on the street, scrounging for food, flies in his eyes. But instead we have the privilege of knowing him and raising him. In a sense we're so grateful to give him this chance, but in another, sad because he is only one out of thousands.