After eight years, we got to me the boy that we had been sponsoring! We went with three compassion staff to his school to pick him up for the day. His mom met us at his school. They had arranged ahead of time for him to be able to leave school. At first he was very shy, just tipping his head up for yes, a typical Filipino gesture.
When asked what he'd like to do first, he wanted to take us to his house. So off we went. He lives in a squatter's settlement in a house similar to a hut in the mountains. We were probably quite a sight walking to his house. It was our family, Pio and his sister, Joanne, Katrin, a volunteer from Germany, and 3 compassion staff workers. Skip, the kids, and I were given chairs to sit on in the kitchen. I was giving out presents when the floor dropped a couple of inches. Skip thought it was a good time for him to step outside! Apparently, the floor isn't used to so much weight! We took a group picture with our family and his and then left.
We took John Mark, his mom, dad, and younger brother out for lunch at a buffet restaurant. They looked like they might need a good meal. As soon as we finished eating my kids had the Uno cards out. It was one of the gifts we had given John Mark. As we started playing, John Mark began to relax and feel more comfortable with us. We played several rounds and were having fun.
While I was playing cards, Joanne starting asking his parents some questions to get to know them. She is a formal social worker and has previously worked with World Vision. She seemed to know what questions to ask to get them to start to talk. Emma, his mom, shared how they had met. Before they were married, her husband used to stalk her. Emma's mom was afraid he would rape her so she insisted that Emma marry him. A decision I'm not quite sure I understand. Emma cried through the wedding ceremony, knowing that she was marrying an alcoholic drug addict. Their life together was very rocky. Emma is a construction worker and very strong. At times she had to literally carry her drunk husband home. She would get angry at him and beat him. One time, she almost strangled him to death but someone intervened. Two years ago he developed asthma. It forced him to get off of drugs. Emma currently works as a construction worker making 170 pesos a day. His dad is unemployed. They spend 60 pesos a day on rice. John Mark and his 11 year old brother each receive 30 pesos a day for food while at school. The remaining 50 pesos is used for food to go with the rice. Not much to live on!
John Mark was such a sweet, polite boy. He had a ready smile and seemed quite bright. He does well in school, especially in math and science. It's hard to believe that he has been growing up in such a rough home life. His parents seemed to have reconciled and were amicable to each other. John Mark and his mom know Christ but his dad does not. It is required by Compassion that the mothers of sponsored children attend a weekly mom's group. Emma is trying to get her husband to attend since she is working and he is not. Please pray that the influence of his family and that of Compassion will help bring his father to the Lord. Only Christ can really make a difference in this family.
We ended our trip with a stop at the mall to get John Mark a basketball. I had brought an air pump with me but the basketball didn't fit in our already overloaded suitcases! I saw a court nearby his house that he'll be able to play on. We also gave money to Joann for her to take Emma grocery shopping. She was able to buy enough rice for three weeks and vitamins for the kids. She was overwhelmed by the gesture.
I'm very thankful for the chance to meet the Valores'. I learned a lot about his life in a very short amount of time. His house was nicer than I had imagined but the home life was much worse than I thought. That had never come through in the letters. It was such a gift to get to meet them and I now know how to better pray for him. By the time we left, the kids and John Mark were playing together and enjoying each other. I hope this becomes an annual event.
No comments:
Post a Comment