The Lost Boys

One of my favorite stories as a kid was Peter Pan. Virtually everyone knows this story. Peter Pan wanted to be a kid forever. In Never Never Land, this wish comes true. There, we meet his so-called posse, “The Lost Boys”. There’s something charming about these kids. Although they’re not accustomed to following authority and most would disregard them as savages, you can’t help but fall in love with them. Perhaps it’s because they’re cute, carefree, and happy. Whatever it is, we just know we like them. This week, we met our own version of the Lost Boys – a bunch of kids that found their way into our hearts.

We met up with one of my friends Erin and her friend Mervie, who took us out of the city to help out with her street kids outreach. She has been helping run this program for about two years now. What started as a bunch of kids begging from her and her friend Krista, progressed into a brother-sister relationship. They began to know each kid by name, by their silly grin, and by their story. Due to certain confidentiality issues, we can’t mention names or places, but let me do my best to tell you about these kids.

This was the first guy we met. With only one roller blade on, he rolled his way to us, smiling from ear to ear. We were to meet Erin and Ate Mervie at the town center, but we had trouble finding them. This boy looked at us and waved. You couldn’t help but notice his big, bright brown eyes. In Tagalog, he said Ate Erin and Ate Mervie were looking for us and to follow him. He led us to a group of ten kids around the ages of 7 to 14. There, Erin was playing nurse, treating some cuts on the kids, while Ate Mervie was talking to some of the other boys.

There is actually no fixed time or place that Erin, Ate Mervie or Krista meets with the kids. Instead, they try and find one of the kids they know, talk to them and ask where the other kids are. That kid will then go around the streets finding the other kids, telling them that the Ates are here to see them. By word of mouth, they gather together excited to see Erin, Krista and Ate Mervie.

We were able to take over for Erin in the first aid department. I was armed with band-aids, while Rebecca had the Polysporin and Iodine. It was so cute seeing the kids gather around us, lining up for their turn and hearing all of them call out, “Band-aid! Band-aid!” with their Filipino accents. Lucky patient number one was this boy:

His smile was so contagious. He pointed at his elbow, to which we saw a small cut. Many of them had similar cuts. With limited clothes and only a pair of flip-flops, they often get hurt from different things on the streets. Most of them also had strange white flakey spots on their skin, a fungus caused from the lack of bathing.

We continued with our makeshift first-aid clinic, bandaging arms, legs and feet – hoping the bandages would stick, since they’d only sit still long enough for us to put the bandages on before they’d start running around.

Erin and Ate Mervie started their program. The kids were so attentive as Ate Mervie interacted with them.With pictures, she told them about Joseph and his coat of many colors.

After the story, the kids colored. Erin handed out their folders full of coloring they had done from outreaches before. One of the boys passed me his folder proud of the past coloring he had done. I smiled and motioned a thumb up. I truly was impressed by his coloring: perfectly in the lines and scribble-free – even that was rare for the kids I had taught back home. It stuck out to me the amount of potential I saw in these kids, if only someone would give them a chance.

After the lesson had finished, we handed out Fudgee Bars (a brownie-type snack) and the kids devoured them. One of them even started eating the paper wrapper that came with it. We tried to warn him, but he just continued to chew and smile. Paper’s biodegradable anyway, right? I heard laughing to my right and saw one of the boys dolled-up in his school uniform joking around with his friend, as bits of chocolate brownie spewed from their mouths.

On the car ride over, Erin told us about her school sponsorship program for the kids. It was always her dream to see these kids maximize the potential she knew each one of them had. She began to entertain the thought of sending the kids to school. After asking her partner Krista if sponsoring kids to go to school was feasible, they started to ask the kids if they were even interested in going back to school.

At first the kids were hesitant, and understandably so. Many of them had started in school, but had to drop out because they could not afford the tuition fees. Often, the other school kids teased them because their clothes were falling apart, or because they could not afford to buy a snack during recess. For them, school held bad memories. After talking to the kids about it again, some reconsidered. A handful of them were serious about attending school. And with that, Erin sponsored them: talking to schools, buying uniforms, school materials and setting out all sorts of logistics.

If you ask the kids, they’ll tell you they enjoy school! For them, it’s a second chance to learn and do well. Even their teachers who have had them as students in years previous have noticed an incredible change in their attitude and motivation to learn. While this is great news, unfortunately, not all the kids that want to study can.

Beside the uniformed boy was one of his best friends dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. The bandage we had put on his knee was beginning to fall off. Erin had told us that he desperately wanted to study, especially since all his best friends would be studying that year. His parents had abandoned him and moved to another province when he was younger. Only once every few months does his mom visit to check on him. Because of this, he lacks the proper documents (such as a birth certificate) to enroll in school. When he found out that he couldn’t study, he cried – a thirteen-year-old boy crying because he can’t go to school. Erin and Krista assured him that they would do what they could to help him out.

We ended the outreach taking pictures of the whole group. They were so amused by our cameras saying, “Ate! Picture!” and posing accordingly. I tried to get a picture of the whole group with Erin and Ate Mervie, but of course they’re kids and moved too much before I could get the shot.

I showed them the picture and they laughed at one another because of how silly they looked. We said our good-byes, but two of them followed us as we walked to our car. Although we waved bye, one of them got behind the car to hold on to the bumper. I don’t think we would have noticed if not for his mischievous giggle. After we asked him to let go and said bye one more time, we drove off with him running and waving beside us. I thought of how much these kids absolutely love and look up to these ladies.

A few hours later, we drove to a nearby city to do another outreach. Some of these kids move back and forth from the two places to beg for money. They usually gather at an overpass right beside a mall. We walked towards them and noticed that they were much older than the kids from the other city. Some of them were as old as 19. What was endearing though was that the older ones watched out and tried to take care of the younger kids.

We watched them laugh, joke, hug, and just love on another. This is a real community.

Although they seemed nervous at first, their apprehension quickly disappeared once we took out our video camera. These kids just wanted someone to pay attention and listen to them. As we recorded, they smiled at us and even busted out in rap. As the older kids beat-boxed, one of the younger ones rapped, a little girl danced and the rest clapped along.

Erin had told us that once in a while, they would notice that something was off with the kids. They found out that they had been sniffing a household glue called “Rugby”. I learned last year during my internship here that this was a common problem within the street kids community. Many of them sniff glue as a vice because they’d rather have an escape from the many problems that plague them everyday.

But this time around, they were in a sober state laughing and enjoying life. Take away their dirt-stained clothes, unwashed bodies, and scabbed skin. Take away the disapproving looks those passing by gave them… and they’re just like any kid, carefree and full of life.

At that moment, I wished that their lives were that joyful everyday. I prayed that life wouldn’t be so complicated, their homes would be safe enough to come home to, they wouldn’t need to use sniffing glue as a vice, they’d be surrounded by people that love them and that they would never lose hope, but instead find it in Christ.There’s something special about each of the kids we met that day. Like the Lost Boys of Peter Pan, they’re charming, cunning, and carefree. But I truly hope these kids can have a happy ending being found in the God that loves them.

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,’” - Matthew 19:14

White House!

We're back! Here's one of the adventures we were privileged to go on...

It’s not everyday that you say this, but… we just went to Malacanang Palace – the “White House” of the Philippines.

It was like an interactive history lesson that most people don’t get the chance to have. My aunt, cousin, Rebecca and I took a tour of the museum at the Malacanang property. We didn’t actually get to see any representatives like President Arroyo, newly elected President Aquino, or new congressman Pacquio (that’s right… THE boxer Manny Pacquio), but we did get to see… well, let my pictures tell this blog:

Oh, you know… another regular day for us. Press conferences galore!

This was pretty cool. Part of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting - Look close! You can spot Jean Chretien’s signature!


If you didn’t know, Spain had colonized the Philippines years and years ago. During this time Jose Rizal had started writing literature that encouraged the Filipinos to fight for independence. Here is the national hero’s original writing:


Former President Marcos’ old desk


The place had tons of fancy rooms like this one, where meetings were held. Fun fact: that table was made out of one single tree!


During the second world war, Japan had gained control of the Philippine Islands. The Americans had come to liberate the Filipinos.


I can’t quite remember the straight facts of this one, but this is all about freedom. These soldiers had won a battle with only a helmet in tow.


This room had a collection of presents given to the presidents. This one was our favorite. This is President Arroyo behind the wheel of a naval ship with Jesus watching and guiding behind her. Other presents included some of President Bush’s favorite CD’s (like the Beach Boys!)


Photos of past presidents:


Staring contest between my cousin and one of the old presidents.


Winner of a Pinoy (Filipino) Pride photography contest.


View from the outside


My cousin and us outside the palace!


Hope you enjoyed this visual tour! :) Until next time!

"help, i'm alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer!"

Rebecca and I have been getting messages asking us, "ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!"

The answer, my friends, is yes. (& thanks bunches for your concern)

Currently, our access to internet is limited. We are out of Metro Manila, and in the province of Quezon in a town called Lucban. We've been getting to know some pretty cool college kids and sharing the Word. I promise that as we head back to Manila, I'll keep some updates going.

For now, I'll leave you with a teaser of what's to come...
1. Our visit to Malacanan Palace. (The White House of the Philippines)
2. Our street kids outreach!
3. Getting to know these college kids and hearing some incredible stories.

Thanks for reading! Much loves.

Paradoxical

The nature of this trip frequently fascinates me. From the very beginning of us sitting in our apartment in BC and deciding that we would go in all or nothing on this, we knew we had to really allow God to be the author of this trip – to let him fill in the blanks as we follow in faith. Essentially, this meant having no plan, or at least barely having one. Although we distinctly felt that for this kind of trip no other way would work, there was still an aroma of cynicism, perhaps from our own hearts or what caught on from the hearts of others (because we get it, two young girls and no plan – it just doesn’t sound like the recipe for success!)

But don’t get me wrong; we were so excited constantly fantasizing on things big and small – of all the mangoes we would eat, the people we would meet, and the way God would work. But we could not grasp in our mind, no matter how hard we tried, what it would look like to virtually have no plan and let God do his thing.

Now that we’re here and we’re seeing it firsthand, we are constantly in awe. What a paradox it is to feel something so strong from a presence so physically invisible. The attitude we’ve come to adopt is to be open to anything despite the plans or the lack of plans for the day. And wow, how God moves during those moments.

This past week, we were able to go sight seeing. From where we were staying in Ayala Alabang, we were able to get a ride to Ortigas from my ever so lovely uncle. His act of kindness saved us from having to take a jeepney or trike, a bus, and half a train ride. Three trains later, and we arrived in the general vicinity of where we wanted to be. Intramuros, "the walled city of Manila", is the oldest part of Manila, with many of its buildings dating back to the when the Spanish had control of the country. We took a pedicab (a bicycle and sidecar) to tour around Intramuros. For lack of better words, it was so cool! It was like time warping to Spain decades past because of the architecture and feel of the area. We got dropped off at Starbucks, which is no ordinary Starbucks, mind you! If memory serves me correctly, it used to be a Spanish war barrack. Think of an underground concrete tunnel except

replace the dingyness and weapons with a giant Starbucks sign, friendly baristas and coffee makers. Neat, huh?



We decided to do some exploring - archaic abandoned staircases, castles, courtyards, Spanish government buildings… eventually, our walk led us to crossing a river in search of an infamous street that hosts specialty camera stores. Little did we know, this little walk would lead us to one of the places many other Filipinos and family members had warned us to stay away from. Snapping away pictures of the view, cars passing by honked at us, and one man yelled in Tagalog, “Hey! Make sure you hold on tight to your things!”

Confused, we continued to walk. We went down a busy street, passing Chinatown. Heeding the man’s warning we hid our cameras in our purses. Finally, it hit me. We were approaching the Divasoria. This is one of the biggest and busiest markets in Metro Manila. Again and again, I had heard people warn us… don’t go to the Divasoria alone. And if you do go, make sure you don’t bring any expensive belongings, because the area was infamous of theft. What were the chances that we would end up where people had warned us not to go? A small feeling of fear hit me as people stared at us making it seem as if we were obviously out of place. Taxis honked at us, pedicab drivers yelled at us, and horse drawn carriage drivers also tried to get our attention. It was as if a neon sign flashing the words “VULNERABLE FOREIGNERS!” were attached on our foreheads.

Although a little taken aback from this sudden realization, we felt drawn to start praying. We walked and prayed and the fear suddenly disappeared. We walked by a school and prayed for the teachers and the students, that they would be a new generation that seeks the proper needed change for their people. We prayed for the kids we saw on the streets that their parents would take care and love them. And if their parents were unable to, that God would step in to show them what a loving father looks like.

A man in his 40’s with his gut hanging out interrupted our prayers. He asked if we wanted a ride in his horse drawn carriage. We waved our hand to motion no. As we walked past them, I looked behind us at his horse. You could see its ribs almost protruding from its tiny frame, obviously underfed and overworked. I wondered how it would have been remotely possibly for it to carry us.
Then I noticed the children behind the horse playing on the carriage who were around the ages of 1 and 3. They smiled as they played together. They remain un-phased as the man threw garbage at them, yelling at them, and blaming them for losing our business. It was as if this was a normal occurrence, something they dealt with everyday, as they continued to play.

That absolutely stung my heart because it wasn’t their fault. They are just innocent, blameless children trying to be... children. We prayed for them too. We prayed for the man’s heart to change and be softened by God, and that those children would be safe, cared for and loved. In that short walk, we felt God revealing a series of needs left and right. Looking around us, things are more complex than they seem. There are people with hardships behind what we would have normally walked past.

Before we knew it, we arrived at the train station astonished to how we were led there. This may not seem like something big, but for us, it was. We saw God lead us. We saw incredible need. And hopefully through prayer, we were able to shake the ground we walked on, because we truly believe God works from prayer and petition.

I’ll admit that even now as we continue with this trip, there are still days we struggle with faithfully following and leaving the blanks unfilled. Because when you're following someone you cannot physically see, it often feels like you're just blindly following in naivety. It's hard at times to discern what opportunities to pursue. But I guess that's the beauty of this trip. We never know what walks will lead where. We’ll just have to take it all as it comes, because God is bigger than what we can see.

"luv is a verb"

If there’s at least one thing to know about the Philippines, it’s that it’s an incredibly social culture. People run on “Filipino time”, perpetually late. Perhaps it’s because times and schedules aren’t priority. Forming relationships and talking to one another is. Cell phones are all the rage here, more so than back home. Hang outs, dating, even church announcements, are all part of what is commonly referred to as “text-text”. (Though be careful who to say “text-text” to, as it can mean let’s hook up via text messages – i.e. sexting) You can see this phenomenon everywhere – friends meeting each other after school at the mall, church mates in fellowship with one another, street kids playing together, jeepney drivers high fiveing each other along the way…

There’s something undeniably intriguing about this that has greatly blessed Rebecca and I. The people we’ve met in only the first week we have been here have really amazed us. From meeting Rosalyn and getting to know some of her family, (BTW, I just got a text from her saying her grandson Vince is doing okay!!) to the people we’ve just recently met.

This past weekend, we were able to spend time at my old home church Greenhills Christian Fellowship in Ortigas. This is the church I attended until we moved to Canada when I was six. The youth program at this church has always impressed me. The youth is comprised of anyone from high school (for Canada, that would include middle school as well) to the college-aged. In a group with such a gigantic age gap, cliques barely exist. College kids hang out with 13-year-olds kids without even thinking twice about it. And we definitely felt the love as we made it out to the youth worship night this past Saturday and the service on Sunday. As I got to meet up with old friends from years past, we really had so much fun just hanging out with each other. I’m sure Rebecca can attest to how welcomed she felt as well. They have adopted us, inviting us out to hangouts, and even connecting us with other organizations. It was so cool being able to relate to other youth here about missions – it was like an instant connection. How neat it is that something as simple as loving others can be common ground for people from two very different places.

We continued to feel the love when we visited Grace Christian Community School –
a non-profit private school located in Pasay City. If you watched our latest video, you saw that we were able to hang out with some of the kids there on their first week of school, and to buy them some supplies for their playroom and reading books for a few classes. As cool as all of that was, what really stuck out to me was the community of teachers and staff. I had learned about this school on a different trip and had spent only a few short days with them, but coming back to this school was like coming back to anw.
I was greeted with “LOOK WHO’S BACK?!” and hugs galore. Likewise, they welcomed Rebecca with open arms.

Because it’s the first week of school, school days are only until noon. So for the first day, we spent most of our time hanging out with teachers. If I could explain to you the love that I sensed within this group of teachers, I’m not sure I could even come close. But just know that it is a community who laughs with one another and supports each other. This love is so huge that it spills over to the students. It was just so neat how evident this was. Even as we interviewed them for the video, you could just feel it. The way they spoke of their students and the deep-rooted commitment they have to give them everything they need with what they have.

Speaking of the love we’ve been feeling here, may I take this time to tell you (yes, you!) that although we may be far away, we also feel the love you have been sending us too! I know we’ve said this before, but every message, note, comment, view, or hit we get is an incredible amount of encouragement. I think love gives us hope despite the disparity, poverty, and hardship we’ve seen thus far. We believe, “God is love” and if that is the ultimate truth, then what can hinder us if we’re armed with God, armed with true love.

And we take all that to heart. We’ll continue to take that with us as God leads us into another week here. We are so excited about the opportunities in front of us – possibly counseling at a street kids camp, speaking at a college campus (of about 10,000 ahhhh), visiting the white house of the Philippines, working with World Vision, and whatever else God decides to throw at us.

Until then, spread the love! It makes a world of difference, I promise.

Her Eyes Watered As She Spoke

Remember Rosalyn? Well, her story is like an onion – full of layers, and brings you to tears. The day after we met Rosalyn, Rebecca and I intended on taking a break. We had been so exhausted from the previous day that we wanted to take it easy. But hey, God likes to stir things up. That morning, I got a text from Rosalyn asking me if we could meet her at a different hospital on the other side of Metro Manila. I couldn’t quite understand what was going on – something about a pediatrician, breathing problems, and no money. We agreed to meet her there. As we got to the Emergency wing, I saw her from a distance. She was wearing a baggy shirt soaked in sweat, her eyes were full of bags and her expression was nothing short of exhaustion. It was obvious she had not slept. We hugged and she frantically began telling me what was going on.

Her grandson, Vince, is 5 months old and began having breathing problems the previous night, accompanied by seizures and a high fever. In a state of panic, Rosalyn and her daughter rushed him to one of the “public” hospitals. At the hospital, they waited before they could see a doctor as other patients were in line before them. A few hours later, the doctor had diagnosed him with some kind of bronchio-pneumonia. Unfortunately, Rosalyn and her daughter could not afford the medication or medical fees, so they felt they had no other choice but to call us.

Even just two steps in to the hospital, I realized how different it was compared to the hospitals I had seen at home. This one was dingy and dark. People were constantly being wheeled past me with blood gushing from their faces. Numerous nurses were unfriendly. Left and right, people mourned over the loss of a loved one, many because of the inability to afford medical costs. We entered the room where Vince was. I shook hands with his mother Jhen, 18, and her friend Angie, 20. I looked into the crib and saw the cutest little boy. Despite the pain he was in, he would smile and laugh between his bouts of tears and discomfort. His big brown eyes stared at me as I touched his hand. I wanted so desperately to stop the pain he was going through.

Rosalyn, Rebecca and I left to go find prescription drugs for the little guy. None of the nearby drug stands carried the proper medication, so we searched for about an hour trying to find the right stuff. We eventually had to take a jeepney (one of the modes of transportations in the Philippines) to Mercury Drug to find it. Along this journey, she told me more of her story and her life of hardship. Her eyes watered as she spoke. On top of her daughter and grandson in the hospital, she also has another child who has been missing since early May. She handed me a “missing” poster with a picture of her son. As she expressed her many worries to me – of her son being shot, being abducted into gang life, or perhaps dead – I couldn’t help but be reminded of my own mom. My heart sank, as I pictured my mom crying over losing her son, not knowing if he will ever come back. At that moment, it hit me harder than ever, that Rosalyn’s story is probably not much different from many in the Philippines. How many other mothers were struggling to make ends meet, with children sick in the hospital, with a missing child…

We returned to the hospital. As Rebecca and Rosalyn entered the hospital to pay off medical fees, I stayed outside to talk with Angie and Jhen. We became quick friends and exchanged emails so we could keep in touch. When Rebecca and Rosalyn came back, we prayed for them. It was an incredibly neat moment praying outside this hospital, with dozens of onlookers watching and listening. We thanked God for this family, and prayed for his protection and healing hand over them. As amazing as it has been to be able to provide the support to Rosalyn and her family (which, btw, THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS because we couldn’t have done this without you guys!!), I wish there was a long-lasting way we could support this family. I just keep praying that God will provide an opportunity for us to invest more into them.

Since then, I’ve actually gotten in contact with Vince’s uncle via facebook. He sent me a message thanking us. It really stuck out to me God’s perfect timing and placement. Through meeting Rosalyn, we were able to really show God’s love to more than just her. We were able to affect an entire family. So if you believe in prayer, please pray for this family that God will protect and heal them, that they will see this as an act of God because He is the ultimate sustainer, and that Rosalyn’s son would come back home.

This is just one story, and we are so pumped to what else God places in front of us. Again, thanks for you – for reading this, for affirming us, for caring, and for letting God’s love leak.

screaming something genuine

Forgive me if my w o r d s become j u m b l e d, but today was an exhausting day in the best way possible.

I’ll admit it… even though I know that God is moving and will do great things with this trip, at times I can’t help but doubt that. What could God possibly do with someone like me? With this attitude at hand, my feelings of the day were summed up by the word skeptical. It’s officially our first day – what could happen? I mean, we have a whole three months left… God can take his time if he wants to. Today will be our throw away day, a day to get our feet soaked.

And so, we prayed: “May Your will be done”. Moments before prayer, I strangely felt led to Luke 14. In my own writing, the margins read “Jesus’ challenge: ALL or NOTHING”. We read on. The passage was titled “The Cost of Being a Disciple”. Reading this made me feel the heavy significance of what it means to fully follow God, to either completely commit yourself, or to not do it at all. The more I read, the more it felt fitting...

Then the day began. We took a taxi to a local mall called Trinoma. It’s refreshing being with Rebecca because she has such an unmarked perspective of Manila. She re-iterates the things I’ve grown up seeing and have gotten a bit accustomed to. She pointed out an area of slum – corrugated tin roofs, walls collapsing in on itself, children running around. Merely two minutes later and we’re at the mall. The disparity is so real. Entering the air-conditioned mall is like entering a portal where only the wealthy exist. Out of sight, out of mind. After eating, we left the mall in search for the slum we had driven by. No matter how hard we looked, we couldn’t seem to find it.

We decided to ride the MRT (Manila’s version of a skytrain or c-train). We felt prompted to get off at Guadalupe station. It’s funny how things happen when you’re not looking for it. Right in front of us was one of the many slums found in Manila. Again, the disparity rings true as skyscrapers and shiny buildings serve as background to such an impoverished area. We began to walk and pray. As we filmed children bathing in the street, a mother breastfeeding her child, shirtless men walking the streets, we were stopped by a bunch of children skateboarding down a hill chasing one another. The joy that emanated from these kids was enough to stop us in our tracks. We filmed these kids being… kids. Despite the economic situations they’re in, none of that mattered. The video camera became our icebreaker as these kids surrounded us.

We wanted to buy them timbits from a local donut stand. It was utter chaos. As hard as I tried to say ‘wait your turn’ and ‘form a line’ in my broken Filipino, hand after hand grabbed at me, at each other - kids stealing donuts from one another and lying that they had more than one. It strangely hit me hard that a lot of these kids will do anything it takes to grab food, and that structure and discipline is far from their upbringing. An image of how these kids grew up flashed in my head – a lack of direction perhaps due to a disinterest of parents, or lack of attention as their caretakers struggled to make ends meet.

We left that area with a lesson learned – of how to approach the next similar situation, how to compose ourselves and what things we need to equip ourselves with. We took rest at a nearby mall sipping on green mango fruit shakes when a lady, who appeared to be in her 40's, came up to us with papers in hand. In Filipino, she described to me her situation: her 3-year-old daughter is in the hospital with a hole in her heart. She needs an examination and some drugs to improve her situation. She cannot afford the medication and is going around to different people asking for money. Usually, I can’t help but take the skeptic’s position, but there was something about her that screamed something genuine. Perhaps it was her kind eyes or God’s distinct call, or maybe even both. We asked her if we could visit her daughter at the hospital and she agreed. As we walked to the local drug store, she told me more about herself. She sells toys at a market place, but can barely make a decent living. Her husband also works selling toys, but even that is not enough.

Two of her children are in need – one with a hole in her heart and the other with medical problems as well. Because the Philippines’ health care system is privatized, it becomes incredibly expensive for people like Rosalyn to afford medical fees. Compared to North America, these fees are considerably inexpensive. The hundred dollars it costs for us is no big deal, but for her – it’s life or death. While the doctor in charge of her daughter's case is free, it is still far too expensive to afford the medication and examination fees. Often, many people die at the hospital due to their inability to pay these fees.

At the moment, we are waiting for her daughter to get this examination done. Hopefully the medication will work so that she will not need more medication they cannot afford, and moreover, that she won’t need surgery. We plan on visiting her and her child as soon as possible. Rosalyn kept saying how lucky she was to meet us, when in fact, we felt so blessed to meet her. I truly hope that she sees this as an act of God, not an act by Rebecca and I.

That was a huge mouthful, but it’s been so overwhelming how much God has been moving in only one day. We’ve been filming a lot so watch out for the new video! And we’ll keep the updates coming too.

Thanks for reading, supporting and loving us.