“If judgment looms under every steeple

If lofty glances from lofty people

Can't see past her scarlet letter

And we never even met her” –Does Anybody Hear Her, Casting Crowns

I’m finally sitting here, taking the time to write this blog. It’s one that I’ve wanted to write for over a week now. But even as I sit here, I don’t know what to write. This is something that the Spirit has been stirring in my heart for a while now, since shortly after arriving in the Philippines actually. I keep trying to ignore how much it bothers me or that it doesn’t matter what other people think. But the more I have let this build up inside my heart, the more I just get angry. So I want to tell you how I’ve been feeling…

In a matter of a week, I spend time with prostitutes, drug addicts, prison inmates, street kids, and the homeless. And, being a white person in a place, where seeing skin as white as mine is not common…people are easily attracted, especially to a group of tall white teenage American girls. So when you add that, to the fact that we are spending our time with the people we definitely get some looks to say the least.

People see us, and stare. They don’t understand, and cannot comprehend…why. Why are we sitting in a fast food restaurant with 20 street children and ordering them spaghetti and sundaes? Why are we praying for their mothers in that same restaurant? Why are we sitting on the curb next to our friends who are simultaneously selling their bodies to strange men? I see the looks on their faces as if what we’re doing is wrong in some way. It hurts me so much.

It hurts me because these are their people. The people of their country. They’re friends, neighbors, family, my people, that they daily pass by and do nothing about. They don’t even bother to get to know. They pass judgments of these people, who they do not even know. If they bothered to just stop and have a 5-minute conversation with any of these people, they would understand. They would see the deep wounds, the old scars that never healed, the painful pasts they’re trying to runaway from, the situations that are so desperately hard to get away from…but they would also see many hearts actively pursuing righteousness as best as they can. They would see pure joy despite a lot of their circumstances. They would see wisdom and beauty.

Even though, sometimes I get frustrated and upset that people stare and make passing judgments, in the end I’m happy for it. I’m happy because these are the things that Jesus did, these are the people he loved most and chose to spend his time with while here on this earth, (Matthew 25:37-40). They are seeing something different, something that makes them stop and question at the very least, “What are they doing?”

I pray that in the hearts of the people who don’t understand or comprehend why, that the Spirit would be heavily laid on their hearts. That they would ask or want the change that comes from knowing Christ.

Romans 12:2

            “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” 

Our friends from Thursday night outreach at Jollibee, after we bought them some sundaes! :) love these kids!