Down in the Dumps and Up from the Ashes

Have you ever heard the phrases, "Down in the dumps," and "up from the ashes?"  This weekend, these phrases took on new meaning as I saw where my sponsored child lives.

I arrived at a really nice hotel on Friday, excited about a real shower, hot water, and air conditioning.  I couldn't help but ponder the contrast I'd be walking into in the next few moments.

Friday afternoon our team (Ras, Bev, Kathy, Susan, and Lucia from Fullness In Christ Ministries) went to the dumpsite where Anabel lives.  I found out that she is a first year high school student and is 15 years old.  That's the equivalent of  a 15 year old in America's 7th grade.

We walked around on a mountain of 8 feet of trash, visiting "homes" and people.  It had been raining, so the trash was wet and muddy.  400 pound toxic pigs scavenged and lolled around the piles of refuse.

We came up to a house where a young mother was watching her baby sleep in a make-shift bassinet (a hammock of sorts).  When I introduced myself, she shied away from shaking my hand, motioning that she was too dirty to touch.  I looked her in the eyes and said, "I don't care.  It's nice to meet you."  Shortly thereafter, a trash truck arrived.  The mother left her baby in the care of a 4 year old and ran to dig through the freshly dumped garbage.  Her goal, along with the others there, was to find recyclable material to sell for food money.

I don't know if this image will ever get out my head.  I so wanted to show these people that even though necessity has them in this position, they are still human.  They are dignified human beings.

After the trash truck arrived, Anabel got home from school and I met her for the first time.  She is a sweet, reserved young lady.  If our team had not been there that day, she would have been scavenging with the others.  That is her way of life, too.

The following are other pictures from the dump site.

The picture below is one woman's finds from the latest trash truck.

The picture below is of the place where Anabel used to stay sometimes.  She now stays at the church with 5 other girls in a room with one wooden bed and a sheet.

After walking around the dump for a while, we went to the dump-side church.  This is where the phrase, "Up from the ashes" took on a new meaning.  We were welcomed by signs and kids waving flags for us.  We felt so honored! The people showed up from the dump wearing clean clothes and freshly bathed.  The traces of the dump were seen only as a thing of the past.

They had a wonderful child- led worship service with dancing and testimonies in English.

Annabel was one who shared her testimony. For her security, I will not repeat it here.  But, her story makes one realize the hope an education can give.  She has no parents and no siblings to watch out for her.  But because she can go to school, she has hope of a different life and knowledge that someone really does care for her.  She often goes to school with breakfast or lunch because she has no money.

The kids in line for vitameal- a vitamin packed oatmeal-type thing:

Learning to eat FunDip candy:

Good times:

Eating vitameal with a lick a stick?  Yep:

The children grew these plants.  Ras and Bev were asked to judge which plants were the greenest. :-)  Pastor Rudy explained that when the fathers eat the fruit from these plants, their hearts will be turned back to their children.  Malachi 4:5-6.

Shortly after this, we went home to our hotel.  This was only my first day in Mindanao.  I will post about the rest of my trip at another time.  This is enough for one day.

One may be "down in the dumps," but that never keeps God from raising you "up from the ashes."

"The Spirit of Yahweh is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to... provide for those who grieve in [the Philippines]- to bestow upon them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of despair...  They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places ... devastated for generations." 

Isaiah 61:1, 3, 4

If you feel led to sponsor a child who lives in this dump or in a similar situation, or to provide food for the children, visit www.fullnessonline.org and follow the links to make a tax-deductible donation.