One of my teammates just sent me a link to an article that was recently published in Compassion Magazine. I had just shut off my computer but when I read the text telling me there was an article I could read online I couldn’t help but turn my laptop back on. Even while in the Philippines, God was placing Lorega on my heart over and over again.
I read the article, and I will post the link at the end of this blog update. The font is kind of small and hard to read, but if nothing else look at the pictures. The one that caught my attention the most was the one looking out at all the tombstones at Lorega with the little girls running. You want to know what I immediately thought? That picture could have very well come off of my camera…
I was there. I saw that.
The article talks about a number of different issues in the community and the amazing story of a woman who has come to know God. Loving My Neighbor was mentioned and it immediately made me think of my night in the Philippines with my two little buddies Jasper and CJ. Our team had the opportunity to volunteer with the program “Loving My Neighbor.” And what a blessing it was to me.
There was one night I remember especially well.
Margo and I walked into the classroom we were going to be volunteering in and there was a teacher and two tables…divided up into boys and girls, as we all know kids of any culture tend to do at the age of 10 and 11! =-) Anyway, Margo sat down at the girls table, and I at the boys. I was placed in between two boys who a few minutes later I learned were Jasper and CJ. I played a couple of games of Connect 4 and asked some general questions that I tossed around the table in my attempt to get to know this new group of children. I especially hit it off with the two boys sitting next to me. Margo and I got up to teach a couple of Bible songs, and after that we sat back down to play for a few more minutes before moving on.
At this point in my mind I was fighting the question. But God was pushing me to ask it. I turned to Jasper and asked him where he lived. He said, “Lorega.” Of course after this my mind was again screaming, “Don’t turn and ask CJ, just don’t do it. You already know what the answer is going to be. Save yourself the pain of knowing for sure.”
But as always, God won. I turned and asked CJ where he was from.
“Lorega.”
Now, at this point we had already been to Lorega and I had already had Zandra wrap her arms around my heart. And I was struggling. Part of me couldn’t wait to go back to Lorega, and part of me wanted to run as far away as I could from anything and anyone who had a connection to Lorega.
But here I was sitting at a table with at least two boys who I knew lived in this place I feared. Who, in about an hours time would be heading to the place they called home. The cemetery.
A few minutes after I had asked them where they lived there was another “brown out” and we decided to head outside for a game while there was still some light left to the day. The game required chairs outside so we all started to pick up our chairs. When I made a move to pick up mine, Jasper immediately took it and stacked it with his own chair. My first instinct was to wonder what on earth this little boy could possibly be doing. As soon as he had successfully put the two chairs together he looked up at me and started to carry them towards the hallway that led outside. I had to admit, I was flabbergasted. Just from the few minutes before, I could tell Jasper was a good kid, but I never expected him to act with so much……power, authority, and respect. I don’t know his upbringing and I certainly don’t know his parents or if he even has parents, but I do know one thing. Loving My Neighbor was was certainly making a difference.
When we got outside he placed my chair in between his and CJ’s. The rest of the night was pretty much a blur, and in all the chaos and darkness due to the brown out, I didn’t even really have a chance to say goodbye to Jasper and CJ. I left that night thinking I would never see them again.
The following Sunday, after our church service we were walking into our other church service in Lorega and I hear,
“Ate Cora, Ate Cora, Ate Cora!!!!!!!” (Ate in Cebuano means big sister and is a term of respect all the children use)
I was caught off guard and was left almost speechless by the sight before my eyes. It was CJ. And he had remembered who I was…he had even remembered my name.
And it hit me. This was the point of Loving My Neighbor. It was awesome to get to know all the kids in a church setting, but this was his home. This was his “neighborhood”. The whole point of our work was for them to be able to come back to the place they lived and make a difference. To know there was a greater purpose in life then what they were being fed by the gangs. I could turn my eyes away and be ignorant and run from all the fears that Lorega held for me. Or I could acknowledge this sweet little boy in front of me who was so comfortable in the place I wanted to get away from.
But it all changed in that moment. I didn’t want to run anymore from this place. I didn’t want to get away. I wanted to stay.
It was a combination of Zandra and CJ that made it so hard to leave. Not jumping out while driving away from Lorega for the last time in the jeepney was one of the hardest internal battles I have ever had to fight.
I’m glad the world is going to have a chance to read about the incredible work God is doing in Lorega. But for me, I hope people realize when they read this article that' it’s real. Prostitution, drugs, gangs, broken tombs, animals, hunger, feces, glass…….church services, amazing little children, strong men and women, and God are all present in this place. I know a little boy named CJ who if I were to go back there right now I could walk up to and he would say “Hi Ate Cora.” and I sat with a group of women describing to me how blessed they were to be living for God in this place.These aren’t just random stories on a page, these are real people with a real story to share. Everyday I thank God He allowed me to be a part of His story in Lorega.
I was there. I saw that.
Here’s the link if you would like to go read the article I’m writing about. When you get there you just have to click over to page 8.
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