My Heart

I really don't know where to start on the this and the next bunch of pictures. The Lord brought us to the Philippines to live and be a part of the people. We are on an island that is 50% poverty, 80 % child and teen incest, sodomy and rape and 90% dedicated to idols at birth. We have been here 15 months now and I am just able to start posting about the children and teens and people here. We love them all and we are happy to be here. But our heart has hurt more than we ever imagined was possible. It is not the safest place to be because we are "white" and they tell me I am the only white woman they have seen. Would we trade living here for anything. No, we are right where we belong. I look at these pictures and I cry all over again. These children are so beautiful and so hurt. We hold them as they sob and cry because of what they have been through and we know we have to send them back to the same situation. We tell them about the Lord but it is hard because we speak a different language but we are learning their language. The Lord gave us a wonderful interpreter and a wonderful Maestra (language teacher). Both the interpreter and Maestra have stolen our hearts. They call us Mama and Daddy and we feel honored. Many have become so precious to us.

We have many people to thank, Patty & Loretta and others who send us clothes & soaps and necessities to take to the village people. The wonderful Intercessor's at LifeWay Church. The need here is so great that it gets overwhelming sometimes. We could not do this without the help So Thank you all.
This is an ongoing story so please follow with us as we walk through each day not knowing what the day will bring.

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Update on the blind mother and daughter

Well this is a hard one for me.  If you have been following our adventure you know that we met this blind Mama and her daughter last year and have been trying to make sure they have food. At that time they lived by the road and were being raped and abused almost every night and so we asked a friend to build them a shelter. He did and we thought that would help. But when we take them food her family and others steal it all from them and the side of the hut has been kicked in and our friend built them a hole in the ground to go to the bathroom and put plywood around it but someone stole the plywood. The Lord told me one day that we needed to go see them.  We had given a man we trusted 50 kg of rice and plastic gallon bags to take rice to them once a week because he lived near them.  Well, it just didn't happen that way. The rice should have lasted up to 3 months for them. And every time we asked the man and his wife how the mother and her daughter were doing he would say they are good.  When the Lord told me we had to go see them we went the next day. It is quite a long ways and when we got there they had been eating leaves to stay alive and the mother was so weak she couldn't stand so we brought them back with us for a couple of days (we would have loved it to be permanent but they have trouble being around men and so it is a gradual process. ) We go get them every week for a couple of days and make sure they are fed and cleaned up and to give them a couple nights of sleep because the men are always trying to break into that hut at night.  I could go on but I thought they were born blind but it seems someone threw hot ashes in the Mama's eyes and she is bent over from abuse and we thought she was about 45-50 years old. She is only 35 and her life has been horrible , the little girl is blind because some one beat her so bad that it damaged her eyes.  We have let them to the Lord and broke off the idol dedication but we need to bring them to live with us.  The Mama wants a hut of her own and that is another reason we need some land.  She would have a place of their own but still we could care for them and watch over them.  We want to have them with us so we can put the girl in a school for the blind.   I am sorry I went on so long,  the Lord knew what He was doing when He sent us here.  These people are so beautiful and when they look at you with their big brown eyes  you just can't help but fall in love with them.  We have a lot of people to reach yet and I know that the Lord will make a way.  I better not write anymore or I will wear you out. But pray for our people here.  They tease us because they say we are not American because we have the same kising kising -heart they do LOL  We are Mama and Papa to so many here and giving up our home and everything to come here was so worth it and we would do it all again.

2 comments:

  1. How heartbreaking - I can see your vision is huge - may God bring it to pass! Praying
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  2. Absolutely heart wrenching the conditions and abuse they are suffering. Bless you for being willing and going where the Lord is leading. My brother-in-law met and married a gal from the Philippines a few years ago, and her sister also married another guy from the states and are living here too. Such a shocking transition for them, but a better life in comparison. I pray your efforts continue to be fruitful Cathy. God Bless!

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