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Today we traveled to a small suburb of Manila called Anipolo where the Navigators (Navs) staff have set up a ministry to the poor at a local Catholic church. The Navs have started a ministry to help the kids with education and with feeding. This keeps the kids off the streets on the weekends and gives them some extra nourishment they might not get at home. God really touched all of us this day. The kids lightened our hearts and put smiles on our faces. They were so excited and full of energy.

We met on of the fathers whose name was Obit. Obit has 3 daughters and a son. He and his family survive on very minimal funds, I was told less than 100 dollars a month. A few of his daughters looked malnourished and I felt moved to pray for him and try to understand his life. He was a very happy warm-hearted man even in the mist of poverty. He felt like a teacher to me and while in his house praying I felt that it was a Holy moment where God was telling when we serve those in need we are serving Him. I had the Nav staff forward him a little gift from me and I am praying as to how to learn and deal with this in the future.

The poor will break your heart and I believe God can use the brokenness. Meeting the poor is a Holy encounter that I believe God uses to open us up to love more deeply, more sincerely, and learn to cherish even the small sustenance we have, because so many in this world have so little, and those of us who have so much often do not understand what we have.

D-

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