Evangelism Projects

Southwest Bible Church Philippines Ministry Team, February, 2011

Notes from Chris Fouts; pictures by Chris and Jan Fouts and Matt Miranda

Colleges within a ¾ mile radius of Sampaloc Bible Christian Community @ ,
842 Arsenio H. Lacson Avenue, Manila, the Philippines

 

There are one million college student on this map, all within a ¾ mile radius of SBCC. There are also the worse human conditions I have every personally seen; so bad I could not bring myself to raise my head to look and take a picture, all of it within a short walk of the church.

 

Jan and Matt Mirada did have what it takes to take pictures, and here are some of them with what I remember.

 

Before we entered this building…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

….through an entry like the one with the blue buckets in it, we apparently got permission. Before we entered…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makayla looks sad because a naked little girl is standing next to us men, one hand raised to beg. None of us, out of respect for this naked child or just plan shock, take pictures of her. When I say little, I mean when she raises her arm above her head to beg, her hand is waist high. She is silent as she does this. All our heart are broken before we enter.

 

This is what it looks like as we exit and enter, so it gives you some idea. Really, none of this comes close to the feeling….the desire for your own personal safety, as the steps up the “stairs” are very uneven, stretching a long way for some steps, not wanting to fall down and having to touch the wall to steady yourself, wondering what is on that wall you can barely see in the dark (the picture on the right is from a flash on the camera; no way can we see that good)….and the feeling of compassion as you enter the dwelling of multiple people who know no privacy at all, and actually live here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the while I am amazed at the strength of the women we are with, our wives. They just forge ahead while I am apprehensive, big time! We had just been on a college campus that made Portland State look like a postage stamp……there were huge numbers of students everywhere, and this is just one campus near the Church, SBCC. Just the day before (Sunday), as we met with the elders of SBCC, Gary Dozier asked what we could do to help them. As they answered, Gary got the picture……college students make leaders…..leaders lead…..and just how many student are there in walking distance from the church? So we went out on one of the campuses the next day, Monday morning, and witness to students. Edmir Miranda and I talked with six students, and the last one, Pamala, prayed to receive Christ! Gary and E J (from Sampaloc) had a productive conversation with the same man for 1½ hours.

 

Then in the afternoon, I though we were going back on campus, and since our wives were with us, I was looking forward to witnessing with them. Instead, this contrast, from neat students, many in uniforms, to what you see above and below…..

 

This is what we had seen by before we got to the building we are entering above.

 

Inside the building, it can only be described as burned out or bombed out. Every possible place is occupied…..these are all squatters….they are there as there is no other place they can be. Who knows who owns the property. We are in the land of the very rich and the very poor. Good construction wages would be 400 pesos a day, less than $10. Things are inexpensive here, but with tri-cycle fair at 15 pesos and jeepney fair at 7, now up to 8, and chicken at about the same price we pay, as in $5 for a chicken, how do you live on 400 pesos a day? Anyway, this is what it looks like after going up two flights of “stairs.” Everywhere you look there are “rooms” with whole families in them. Again, how can I just stick my camera in the room and take a picture?

Imagine your living room/bedroom/kitchen without a door and someone sticks in a camera and takes a shot! And that someone looks so different! I could not do it, so these pictures do not really tell the story.

In the previous picture, you see a door at the far end. Below are Matt’s pictures of the same place. Look down at the “floor.” Walking to the door, you are stepping on what you are sure will give way, testing each step as you go, not wanting to suddenly end up below. Later, I look up and see Matt taking pictures of a little boy. Matt has an eye for good pictures.

 

 

Can you tell where the little boy is standing? He is up against that door, and Matt is looking out the opening. Imaging raising your children here. Yes, those are sharp screws hanging from a hinge (center, bottom). Here in the Philippines, you watch your step, always. There are none of the “safety” issues we deal with every day….. no water filled barrels in front of the concrete traffic lane dividers, no squeeze the handle together on the hot water from the hot/cold water dispenser….push down on the handle, get hot water….. hit the divider, stop fast … as we ride around everywhere without seat belts.

Like I said, Matt has an eye for taking pictures. I watched as he took these. Yes, that is a live chick. At the time, I thought it was a colorful toy and found out later that it is a live chick, which dies after a few days, so it really is a colorful toy. This little boy lives here…..does he look sad? What brings real joy? Must not be where you live.

My friend Dick Kunze said he watched as a little girl bounded down the stairs that I could barely step slowly on. I do not live in this world, but I am blessed to be here and “pray without ceasing” is just a matter of fact here.

 

 

 

 

 

There is one bright, colorful, pleasant room in this building. Needless to say, Sampaloc Bible Christian Community is just that….a Christian community reaching out to those in need.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took a jeepney back to the church…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

….and at the church, it was a typical school day afternoon, with the church full of young people. Needless to say, Pastor Gary was quite popular.

 

 

Check out this movie below…..

 

 

Missions and Evangelism