Most of my days start out with waking up at six to walk the kids to school by seven and then this happens again at eleven thirty. On the way back from the walks my teammates and I get greeted by some children from surrounding villages which is completely normal during any walk anywhere here in the Philippines. We exchange names, high fives, hugs and something about us must just scream jungle gym to the children as they pull on our hands and hang from our arms. Most of the time they follow us to the children's home and once we are there they give us hugs and wonder back on to the street. It breaks my heart to see some many kids just wondering around the streets all the time here.

 

Kids who just want something as simple as a high five or a "hey",

Kids who want a hug,

Kids who just want you to hold them, or....

Kids who just want to be noticed.

 

A common question I ask is "how can I help these kids?" 

 

The answers that flood my mind are these....I want to take away all the pain in their dark brown eyes, I want to wipe the dirt from there faces, I want to replace their worn out clothing, I want to fill there bellies with food. Then reality hits me, the reality that I can't take away all their pain, dirt comes back, it doesn't take long for holes to form in an outfit when its the only one you have, one meal only satisfies you until you are hungry again.

 

"So why am I faced with this daily?"

 

"Why do I go to bed with there faces ingrained into my mind.?"

 

As I lay awake heavy hearted for these kids, I realize that my roll in their lives isn't to solve all their problems, but it is simply to let them know their worth, hug them, let them hold my hand, let them play with my hair, let them know that they are valued and to love them.

 

Love them in a way they have never been loved before.

Love them without expecting anything in return.

Love them the way God loves me. 

 

Alongside of seeing kids everywhere on the streets I'm surrounded by kids at the children's home too. 

All of the kids come with their own stories of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. I've living here for over a month, and starting to hear some of their stories my heart breaks for the kids at the children's home as well.  

 

Please take time to pray for all the kids here in The Philippines. 

 

In Christ,

Cayla