EXPERIENCING POVERTY

“When they saw us coming they had hope.”

Saturday July 5th we went to pray for a family that had a miscarriage of a pregnancy in the 7 month. The baby was a boy. Two of our Grace Chapel youth are from this family. Just a few days before these two youth were recipients of clothes and school supplies sent from River Rock Church. Thank you RRC.

It’s rainy season here now, so we walked into the mountainous part of Dacutan. Dacutan is where our church Grace Chapel is located.  My wife Juliana, six of our Grace Chapel ladies and Pastor JoJo and I went to pray for them and give a love offering. Most of our travel was a muddy footpath, wading across a river, and walking a hanging bridge. The mud had sugarcane stocks and sticks covering it so one would not sink too deep into the mud. I see school children come from this area each day carrying their shoes to keep the mud from them.

We finally arrive at the bamboo home. You can see easily through the walls, it was leaning and in need of repair. As we stepped inside, the Mother was sitting on the floor very weak. Sitting beside her was a cardboard box with a baby wrapped inside and a small face showing. There was a single candle lit in mourning beside the box. The father was off digging the grave at the local public cemetery. The ladies were quick to make sure the mother was ok and offer words of sympathy and check to see the mother and children were safe. There is malnourishment with some of the children and no money for a doctor or hospital. We are in prayer for her health. Two of the children come to Grace Chapel on Saturdays, and we feed them. Sometimes they show up at our home, and we feed them.

The mother is 38, and this was her 10th child. The father helped deliver the already dead child. He had to push the child out. If he had not been brave maybe the mother would have died in the delivery. We are praying she will have no infection.

As we walked the path to their home many of the community members joined us. Some of the community members and the family said that when they saw us coming they had hope. Indeed the mother’s eyes were full of tears at our sight. Pastor JoJo offered a comforting prayer. The ladies continued to speak with the mother and try to help with the words from their hearts.

As I walked home, my first thought was about how blessed my family and I are. I thanked God for our health, our home, and the means He has given us to care for ourselves and others.

But also in my heart was the trying to understand the helplessness they must feel. It is their daily life. When I see the children they are smiling, clean and well mannered.

Oh Lord, help us to bring hope and love to the Filipino people were ever you establish us.

Your partner in this ministry to the Filipinos,

Steve Bragg