Capital Life in the Philippines

Potential

As our plane arrived late Easter Saturday in Manila and we headed to our hotel (by then being early Easter morning), our van came to a stoplight where I was struck by potential–potential peering in our van windows in the eyes of a young boy not too much older than Samuel. Filipino children often times are involved in child labor, and this boy had tried to wash our window hoping to gain some Filipino pesos (42.7 per US dollar) to keep him going another day. Whenever these children get waived off as our driver did, they will often just move to the window and stare inside at the passengers with the saddest look they can muster hoping for a handout of any sort. It is difficult because Manila lights are about as long as some of the ones in DC, so the gazes are protracted and penetrating. Of course, we’re told to save our pesos and instead direct them to ministries that help kids like him–which is probably wise but does nothing to quench the desire to help every window washing child staring at you.
I kept thinking of what this boy could become and all the potential he has. I mean at a minimum he has some motivation, initiative and perseverance (and hunger) that drives him to try again no matter how many stoplights change without him getting one peso.
Why can’t he be one of the kids at the camps we will minister at? I know our team can’t touch every hurting and impoverished Filipino child. Frankly, it’s physically impossible. All we can hope to do is to give our best to those children at the camps He will put in our path over the next 11 days……..and pray those whose path it is to minister to this window washer do their best too.

Who has He put on your path to reach?

2 Comments so far
Leave a comment