Hurt....

In the Philippines today there are 400,000 women trapped in the hurting and painful world of prostitution. If that was not painful enough, there are 70,000 children forced into prostitution in this country.

Listen, praying that "Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" is not a token phrase that one mindlessly recites at a church service....but it is passionate cry for "such as these". Let's allow the marginalized, hurting and the poor inform more and more our life of prayer and action.

Monkeys and Blessings....

Well, it's been over a week now in the Philippines. The experience thus far has been fantastic. I am sure as you read over the blogs of those with me you can keep up with things better than I can relay them. I will throw in that yesterday at the beach, our food was heisted by a bunch of beach dwelling monkeys. :O Seriously, the little beach we were at had monkeys running around on the cabanas and buildings. The whole ordeal was funny....like in a bad comedy.

I wanted to put to type here one of the many things I am learning. That is the whole issue of blessing. We have all kinds of phrases for blessing in English. We bless someone when they sneeze, we announce God Bless You during the fun-handshaking time during church or we announce God bless America. In the short time of reflecting on "blessing" I realize we mean it as a way of imparting goodwill and encouragement or protection.

In the Philippines the idea of blessing is so much deeper. It is not a perfunctory phrase, it is a way of living. Never have I been among a people that are themselves more a blessing than Philipinos. Isn't that a phrase we use, "being a blessing"? To be a blessing means to care deeply for a person, to give of yourself to a person, to want and think the best of that person and to see that that person is well and safe. Sounds so much like Jesus doesn't it?

This idea of blessing as I am reflecting on it has been true thematically of Philippinos. They are a beautiful people, one whom I am hoping to emulate as I live among them.