Nothing Short of a Miracle

Dear friends and family,

Most of us go through life without witnessing any obvious signs or dramatic miracles of God. We rely on faith and the accounts of others. Skeptics understandably have a hard time believing in God without any direct, personal experience of a miracle. One of Jesus's own friends Thomas refused to believe anyone could physically come back to life after death. Three days after Jesus's public execution an ecstatic group was claiming he was actually alive. This weekend, you'll see those people again being particularly vocal about these claims. To Thomas they were all fanatics who were clearly not thinking rationally. Unless Thomas could meet Jesus personally and physically touch his wounds, there was no proof to believe such an outrageous claim. But Thomas did eventually get the chance to see Jesus again and to feel his healed wounds. "Have you believed because you have seen me?" asked Jesus. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).

For me, faith is enough. God blesses those who rely on faith in the face of a world of skepticism. I used to pray many times for a miracle because I wanted proof of God's existence. Did God want me to rely on my faith instead? Did He disapprove of the motive behind such requests? Either way, the creator of the universe has purposes much larger and wiser than I can comprehend. These days, if I ask for a miracle it's not because I want proof of God's existence. I've already seen God in the more subtle miracles of transformed lives and expressions of selfless love. If I ask God for a miracle it is because somebody needs help beyond what I or anyone could do for them through our limited human means.

Recently my girlfriend Jamielyn and I were distressed to find out that her mother Ellen had a potentially malignant tumour in her intestine. After several tests, including ultrasound and CT scans, doctors from various hospitals all told us she would need an operation to remove the large lump. Even undergoing these tests was a leap of faith as Ellen has no health coverage, and expenses in general are very tight for the family. She also needed to be hospitalized for many days. We were seeking help and finding ways to face the situation. Prayer was one of them.

Ellen & I at Christmas - before she got sick

Before going ahead with any major operation, the surgeon requested a colonoscopy and biopsy to determine where exactly to operate and just how threatening the lump was. After the colonoscopy, the surgeon approached Jamielyn and made an outrageous claim. Using the very words "this is impossible" he struggled to explain how the lump had disappeared. It was completely gone. Despite previous tests that showed a large and measurable lump, the doctors now couldn't even find the smallest cyst anywhere in her intestines. Another ultrasound was consistent with the colonoscopy showing that the lump was now gone. The surgeon used the words "baka malakas siya sa Diyos" meaning perhaps she has a special privilege with God. I couldn't be more thankful that by the grace of God alone this strong, wise, and faithful woman is healthy again.

Everyday we pray for family and friends with serious illnesses. I can't explain why so few people experience a miracle while others don't. My heart goes out to anyone who's lost someone dear to them. I too have lost friends and relatives to illnesses, and it never seems fair. One piece of wisdom that I had been holding onto while Ellen was sick was imparted to me by my friend Toph. He shared this verse, "Should we take only good things from God and not trouble?" (Job 2:1). No matter what, we always have reasons to be thankful, to have faith, and to believe that there is a purpose and a time for all things - even trouble. And we can always pray for miracles, because although we cannot predict when, there is still a time for God's incomprehensible power to confound doctors, scholars, and skeptics. I can truly say that I've witnessed it first hand. Miracles like what happened to Ellen are unbelievable. Would I even believe it if I didn't see it? "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

...

In other news, we recently held our annual Family Day for families of the clients in our street children's programs. We enjoyed bonding with one another at a beautiful resort in Los Banos, Laguna.

Excited kids, parents, and workers (including missionary Karin Jose from England) in the bus we rented. We are also thankful for an additional mini-bus that we used for free courtesy of the local government.

We gathered the mothers for a time of sharing and counseling

The fathers also had their own time to bond

I recruited some of the youth in our ALS program to help me lead games and songs with children ages 2-6 

Ate Cecile taught a lesson for kids ages 7-11

Erika holds up a picture she drew of her "Pamilya" ("Family")

Gabby takes charge of the youth

Nothing beats the heat of Manila like escaping to the province for a swim

I played lifeguard for the afternoon helping the children who don't know how to swim

J.M. is a rambunctious youngster who has come a long way through our programs. When I first came to the Philippines he was addicted to sniffing solvents on the street even at such a young age.

Pastor John gets silly with the kids from SLC - our preschool at IT Tender.

Also, Pastor John, Karin (from England), and I travelled to the Quezon Province to assist our ministry partners at Batang Matinik run a Hygiene Day. The host Ate Marlyn taught the parents about proper hygeine, and each child was given a kit with a towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo.

I'm clipping the boys nails

Teaching the proper toothbrushing techniques

We are also very proud to announce that five of the out-of-school youth we have been tutoring over the last year just passed their high school equivalency exam! Congratulations to our 5 ALS (Alternative Learning System) learners who are now high school graduates: Jan Marinie D. Abcede, Alfred O. Almendras, Manilyn A. Bornia, Jannen R. Cada, and Virgilio P. Basiwa. God bless you for your hard work and brighter future.

I was also a proud "stand-in" parent at the college graduation of Jamielyn's younger sister Janna. In a few weeks we will have a graduation ceremony at IT Tender for the children and youth in our various educational programs (particularly the passers of the high school equivalency exam!).

Besides all of this, I have been very busy for our new SMART Kids program. I visited the community and surveyed a number of families with children ages 1-3 who are fitted for our program. I will be conducting further interviews and determining which parents are most in need of a program like SMART Kids. Some of the parents I surveyed are unemployed, single mothers who are really struggling to meet the needs of their children. Others are young teens interested in our ALS program  for out-of-school youth. They could receive tutoring at our drop-in center while their children are well-looked after in SMART Kids.

I'm also now taking on some of the workload of our team leader Pastor John as I start to visit our partner churches each month. IT Tender partners with churches who are in need of leadership training and of feeding programs for their community. We provide the food for free through our partner organizations Ontario Christian Gleaners and Feed My Starving Children in Minnesota. Last Sunday I went to a church in Cavite where I taught the church workers a leadership training on accountability. Teaching in Tagalog for over an hour wasn't easy, but I think they understood the most important points. I hope!

Thanks again for taking the time to read my blog. You are a blessing. Have a great Easter weekend!

John

Kids from our programs enjoy a snack on the street to cool down

Life in Urban Poor Manila - An Inside Look

My friends and family,

I've now served in Manila for a total of two and a half years. While I've learned so much about the rich culture, languages, and lifestyles of those in urban poverty, I still have a long way to go in comprehending what life is actually like for a street child in the Philippines. It's very easy to fall for stereotypes and generalize about their experience from a few brief trips. Unfortunately it's even easier to degrade their stories by comparing them to our own privileged backgrounds. By overlooking what they have to offer and contribute to society, sometimes I've found myself pitying them and searching for ways that I could be the saviour to their struggles through my own means or gifts. I thank God for sternly rebuking me whenever I robbed someone of their dignity with my own pride. If we care enough to take a deeper look, we can see that everyone in poverty has their own unique gifts and even valuable resources that can empower them in their fight to overcome their situation.

Our programs at IT Tender are not meant to be a crutch for a debilitated community, but rather a spark that illuminates their own gifts from within and encourages them to study, grow, and provide again for their families. All of the clients in our programs live in poverty, but each of their experiences are so varied. Each of them tell unique stories - some of abuse and suffering, some of resilience and faith, and many of great dignity in the face of an inherited poverty braved for generations. Many of our clients are homeless children and youth who sleep on the street. Some collect and sell scrap metals or plastic bottles, some search through fast food garbage bins for food, and some sniff industrial solvents to escape hunger pains. Others who attend our programs are known as "informal settlers". They live with their families in shanties of wood and corrugated metal, they have loving and hard-working parents, and they sometimes sell various products in the street at night to afford to go to school.

Recently, a photographer named Charlie Beck from Seattle came to get an inside look into our community here in Manila. His purpose was to promote our programs and to capture the varied and colourful lifestyles of the urban poor - lifestyles that are often oversimplified into black and white or blurred into the greys of our limited views on poverty.

This is what he saw...

Our small but dedicated team at IT Tender
(some of our staff were actually our clients before joining the team)

The mother of one of our Simula Learning Center (preschool) students shows her home and proudly shares how all of her children are studying and even excelling in their studies.

This hardworking grandmother washes clothes for her family.

Our photographer Charlie puts down the camera to join in on the karaoke - one of the favourite pastimes of Filipinos.

This community of informal settlers is right behind our drop-in center.

A basketball net can be found just about anywhere in the Philippines.

The parking lot in front of Starmall - where I live in an apartment on the 5th floor.

Cecille de Jesus teaches our students at the Simula Learning Center. 

The jeepney is the most common form of public transportation in the Philippines.

These kids live in a unique community called Sucat - an almost rural community on the outskirts of the city. You might recall that we started reaching out to this community a few years ago through a simply feeding program. Now we are providing educational assistance for many of them to attend elementary and secondary school.

Jessibel is now attending high school through our sponsorship program.

Fernando with his boys. He can typically be found tending to his vegetable crop or fashioning simple grills for cooking which he sells to other families in the community.

"Sari-sari" stores are simple shops that sell all sorts of goods for daily life.

"Pedicabs" are another common form of transportation - a bicycle with a sidecar.

One family's colourful collection of "tsinelas" (slippers)

Our Nightlife program reaches out to runaways and abandoned street kids.

Late at night the market is wide awake and traffic is bustling.

In other news, I was encouraged by the visit of a good friend from Canada named Carly Thomas. She is currently teaching science at an international school in China, but she decided to spend one week of her vacation helping out here at IT Tender. Also, at the beginning of the month I attended the International Teams East Asia Conference in Palawan, Philippines. Missionaries serving across Asia and around the globe came to share their testimonies with one another. Recently, I was also able to take part in a discussion at the Philippine Christian University on the topic of Philippine policies and laws. My perspectives where broadened with regards to government policies here and their influence on those in poverty. My teammate Ate Gela coordinated the event.

Pastor John and I shared some stories about our programs at IT Tender at the 2013 International Teams East Asia Conference.

Giving the opening prayer before a forum at the Philippine Christian University

Thanks for reading! Take care and God bless.

John

One Love, One Blood, One Life

Dear friends and family,

Recently a song has been stuck in my head. It's lyrics echo my desire for unity and perseverance in the struggle to repair broken relationships and dignity in depressed communities. Bono from U2 wrote the song "One" during a time of conflict between his band over the direction of their music. Tensions almost prompted the band to break up until they achieved a creative breakthrough with "One". This song is not just about unity within a band. The lyrics are a cry to all of humanity, prompting us to realize the responsibility we have for one another despite our differences or distances.

Inspired, I compiled some of my photos from the last couple months and made a video using a cover of the song "One". Many of the children and families in this video are recipients of our outreach programs at IT Tender. While this video shows some disturbing images, I'm not showing them to depress you. Actually, I want to inspire you. Besides the very real and disheartening images, I'm also going to show you images that give evidence of the love and unity that CAN and DOES exist in these depressed communities. And it's exciting when we can personally be a part it.

There is plenty to be excited for in 2013. I'm currently developing our newest outreach program to be launched in June. As I've mentioned in previous blog entries, "SMART Kids" will be a program for children ages 1-3. It will be a partnership with parents to provide opportunities for early learning, stimulating play, good health care, a nutritious diet, and a hygienic environment. "SMART Kids" is an acronym in Tagalog for "Sila'y Maging Aktibo, Responsable, at Tibay ng loob". In English this means "They're becoming active, responsible, and resilient".

Besides SMART Kids, I will also be investing time under the leadership training of Pastor John Basiwa. I will be learning more about the tasks and responsibilities of a team leader, accompanying him to meetings and observing his role as the overseer of all our programs (daycare, sponsorship, ALS, nightlife, and feeding programs). Pastor John sees potential in me to one day fulfill his current role as team leader if his role ever changed. None of this is set in stone, but we're just preparing for the future. In truth I'm quite hesitant to take a leadership role as a Westerner on a Filipino team serving a Filipino community. Nevertheless, Pastor John assures me that I have the right qualities and the right heart (particularly a heart FOR Filipinos) that make me fit for the role. I would still always have a Filipino director above me and Filipino mentors to guide me in any major decisions. As I said, this is all just for future consideration and I will keep you informed of any potential changes in my role here on the team.

In other news, sometime in March or April we will be getting the results back from our students who recently took their high school equivalency exam. As a part of our program "Pagbabago" (meaning "Transformation") we have been tutoring out-of-school youth and adults for this exam. Fifteen of them took the exam at the end of 2012. This tutoring program is sponsored by the Philippine Department of Education and is known across the Philippines as ALS (Alternative Learning Systems). Even world-renowned boxer Manny Paqcuaio attained his high school level education through this very program we're using.

Here I'm teaching a lesson on English - one of the subjects on their exam

Our students tackle a practise exam just days before the real thing

Thanks again for following along with me and my adventures! Take care and God bless!

John