Hi everyone:-) ,well here we are on our last night in Manila, we have had such an amazing time and God has been so good, yesterday we took all the children from all the kanlungan projects swimming (175 of us in total) what a joy to see the children enjoying the water and having so much fun. For the last twelve days we have had our senses bombarded and experienced many emotions of which we would love to share with you when we return home.
Thank you so much for all your prayers we have felt them

much love Mary and Averil xx

psalm 121

hi everyone its Averil and Mary here:-)

Another busy day today and really hot and sticky! We visited an ancient fort today and decided to take the children with us, because we could not leave any one behind we had to take all 18 which proved to be a bit chiotic but also good fun, we finished the afternoon of with ice creams and worship songs in the back of the van, God is good, please pray for Sol and all the staff as they continue to love these precious children

Take care we are missing you all xxx

Hello :)

Been here now for six days :)
Today (Wednesday 7th), we went to the boys home and the farm. Both places have come a long way since 2007-when I last went. It was really nice to catch up with the boys in both places, and seeing the places where they sleep and how they work. We saw one of the boys climb to the very top of a tree and cut down some coconuts. We then drank the milk. They also showed us around the whole site, where we saw the stream where they get washed, the peppercorns and all the fruit trees. We had a devotion time where we sang and prayed with the boys. We alson had some time where we prayed one-on-one with each of them. After this, we held some puppies that are only one week old!! Awwww!!

All in all it has been such a fantastic time so far and we know God's work will continue to blossom in all the children of Kanlungan.

Love to all :)

Jess and Megan

xxxxx

Hi, it's Averil.
Amidst all the hardship these people face I am amazed at how strong their faith is. Everywhere we have been Sol and her team share God's love, teaching the children about our lord Jesus. This afternoon we were privileged to be invited into a community camp of about fifty homes. These people live on an old dump site. They have no ammenities what so ever, not even water -things that we take for granted. Yet the children and parents smile and greet us warmly with christian songs and prayer. We had chance to play games with the children before Sol and her team distributed hot food to the children, someting they do twice a week to this community and also do teaching. Most of us were in tears at the end when the children had prayed and then sang "Give thanks with a grateful heart".

Please keep praying for the work that is being done and for strength for Sol and her team,

All my love,

Averil

Hi all, another very hot day in Manila. A morning spent with the street ministry team certainly shows the extent of the enormity of the problems faced by many people in this city. Some are fortunate to have what they call their house (we would call it a garden shed at best. Even these people are better off than thoes living in or on cardboard boxes including some as young as five days old! It's all very heart wrenching and you feel so helpless yet they keep a smile and their faith with God. One home had a sign which read "Keep God at the center of everything and he will keep you safe".

Love to all, please keep praying for Sol and her team

Richard

Day 4 in Manila

It has been so hot today!I mean REALLY hot! But we have had a good day and seen lots. This morning we visited Tunasan and was surprised to hear the railway community which i visited last time has been relocated and completely demolished. The Government have relocated them to the prison grounds which doesn't seem much of an upgrade to me! We visited a community that Kanlungan discovered a year ago. And they are already interacting with familied there and fetching the children to go to the Tunasan Day Centre. This afternoon we visited the Laguna Centre and had an amazing welcome. One little boy (aged 7) got plucked up the courage to sing us a song. And there wasn't a dry eye in the place! The presentation here was brilliant.

Love Mary, Averil and Jess

Hi everyone, its Averil and Mary here:-) sorry its taken so long to get in touch but we don't seem to have stopped yet !! It is SO good to be here again with the team from Milton Keynes and Mansfield. Yesterday we met the children from the Malate centre (there are 18 at the moment, 6 of them young boys). It was great to meet the children and spend time with them. Sol and the staff are still working so hard to give these children much needed love and security. They do such an amazing job in often very difficult circumstances. please pray for them as they are sometimes quite unsettled (particulary the young boys)
Hi its Averil here, When I first arrived at the Malate centre I was a little nervous not knowing what to expect, but I needn't have worried as the children and the staff were so welcoming, it was a bit overwelming really. They did a presentation of singing and dancing which made it hard to believe the situations they have come from. We had to learn a song for the children (the holy washing machine!!) which we performed for them much to their amusment. Went to smoky mountain yesterday to say I was shell shocked was an understatement even though I had seen all the pictures, however I was even more overwelmed by the friendliness of this community and the smiles of the children. From smoky mountain we went straight to the largest shopping mall in Asia! quite a contrast

Been to Church this morning and played with the children this afternoon, lots of love and hugs from them

Happy Easter to you all we will keep you posted!

ps Mary,s not so happy because twice already the children have asked me if she is Mother!!

2010 Visit has begun!!!

Well ... the Streetlight Blog is back with a new team travelling to Manila.

Ian & Jess Herbert, Malcolm Gale, Deb, Megan & Olivia Ridout, Kim & Helen Wilkinson and Tim May have travelled from Bletchley. Mary & Jess Lane and Averil Wilkinson have travelled from Mansfield, while Richard Hames is from Enderby just outside Leicester.

I've just spoken to them and they've arrived safely. Hopefully we should hear from them on this site soon ... probably when they have had some sleep!

Please pray for them ... and check back here to see what they are doing.

Thanks

Mark