December 11 we had 60 kids and 29 workers at Street Impact Team's (SITeam) reunion for our '12 campers. We had a great time playing games, getting re-acquainted, enjoyed a nice lunch together and several kids gave an update on their lives since the camp they attended. I was blown away with joy when I was introduced to Micheal who is a church youth worker working with kids like he was and married with three kids. Back in the late '80s early '90s a few of us did outreach to street kids in a large commercial district of Manila and ministered to several kids of various ages. I learned Micheal was a little boy then hustling on the streets and was part of our outreach! Sometimes we wonder if all the sweat, tears, expense and effort consumed tramping up and down streets is worth it when we see very few immediate results. However meeting Micheal and his youngest child at the reunion proved it a no-brainer!!
Typhoon Pablo (Bopha international name) slammed into Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces in Mindanao December 4. Her fury left 906 dead and still counting, 934 still missing and nearly 80,000 staying in evacuation centers as of the 15th. Millions and millions of dollars worth of infrastructure and agricultural damage and still counting was sustained. The SITeam has been in contact with pastors there since right after the typhoon and we're planning to help them, their churches and neighbors but we're not able to now because of our evangelistic Christmas party schedule in Manila. We're planning to go to Compostela Valley, by God's grace and provision, January 9-14 along with members of Christian Growth Ministries and E-Care Ministry to conduct a conference for 150 pastors, church leaders, workers and community leaders, teach trauma debriefing followed by doing debriefing in evacuation centers and give relief goods to 1000 families. Pray for God's provision so we can assist our afflicted brethren and their neighbors.
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