We went for a walk to the market today. I continue to be amazed by the lifestyle that I have never seen before. Blocks and blocks of little booths filled with everything from NBA jerseys to freshly caught (and some not so fresh) fish, being beheaded right before my eyes. The booths are also filled with many different types of people and animals. From old women to new born naked babies as well as little puppies and kitties.
It was such an exciting, strange and desperate atmosphere. These people spend every minute of everyday in a hot booth just trying to make enough money to eat at least one meal. As interesting as this was the most amazing, humbling, and heart breaking time was after we left the market.
To get to the market you had to cross over a bridge, I have crossed over it several time while jogging with the teens from the church. During these jogs I had seen people who were living under the bridges and today I was able to meet some of them.-M
We walked down and they graciously let us see their house. We crouched down to enter underneath the bridge where their home was. It was musty and still and unbelievably hot. It was pitch black, you could not see your hand in front of your face. We thanked them for letting us in and proceeded to head back out. As we walked out we saw a little one laying listless on the floor; bare skin exposed and covered in rashes. My heart broke for the little one. We decided to go get groceries and take it back to them. -S
When we got back with the grocery's we got to see inside of their "house." They literally lived inside of the bridge in a tiny tunnel (not big enough to stand in). While Sarah and Charise (Pastor William's daughter) talked and prayed with the lady inside I was dragged away by the tiny hands of a little boy. I kept trying to tell him to wait but he insisted and I can not resist little, dirty, half naked, 2 year old boys who want to play. I was immediately surrounded by several little ones and found out very quickly that the only thing they all wanted was to be held. I would pick up one then another would grab at my shorts for their turn, and believe me it was a challenge to rotate kids from the ground to my arms as well as hold my pants up from being pulled down by the ones who I was not currently holding. I would now like to take a moment to give props to all mothers who have had a kid (or multiple kids) less then 5 years apart from their first. -M
No where to go, no husband, 9 daughters and countless grandchildren later. This woman had nothing to support her or her children. She had lived in this dark place for 20 years, she has no where to go when storms hit and her home floods. Her grandchildren have been abandoned by their parents and now live with her. She tries to support over 17 children with nothing to give. The youngest was 1 years old, she probably weighed around 10 pounds and was completely listless. She lay quietly and limp wherever she was, whether the arms of a stranger or the concrete of the floor. Her grandmother said she only cried or moved when she was hungry; yet there was nothing to feed her. They gave her the water off of the rice that they make because they have no milk or formula and her mother left. This family lives in desperate conditions, yet having Michael wrap his arms around them and hold them brought smiles to their face. She was so thankful for the groceries we brought them, and it was nothing. 4 packages of Top Ramen, 4 cans or sardines, a small bag of crackers and a serving of coffee. Little blessings, yet a HUGE blessing in return.
Pray for them. Pray for every family like them
Pray for us, that we see the opportunities to show them God's love and we take them.
Inside of their home (Trying to light a lamp)
Some of the family
