The Payatas Dump Outreach: Bringing Hope, One Life at a Time
When you visit this dump outside Manila, Philippines, it's like stepping back in time. There are truly no words that adequately describe the Payatas dump. Even the most heart-wrenching pictures can't fully illustrate the appalling conditions in which these people live. It's a sea of people, and garbage, and poverty. It broke my heart.
As I looked at my surroundings I was overwhelmed "I don't even know what to say. I feel like I'm in Dante's inferno. We're in the middle of flies, and maggots, and mud hip deep, and children with garbage in their hair. I just don't know what to say. I have never seen anything like this."
But there is light in the midst such darkness -- the light of the Gospel through the ministry of CBN and Operation Blessing.
It's a glimmer of hope for families who live in the Payatas community, and it's made possible by CBN partners -- changing lives, one family at a time.
First, medical teams identify the most malnourished children, who immediately begin a feeding program. Then they attend CBN school for a year. At this site, the children have just started the program. One little boy I met was named Allen Junior. He was six years old and, unbelievably, 26 pounds -- the size of an average two-year-old.
But then I visited the school where the children had been enrolled for almost a year. The contrast amazed me. These children were so healthy and robust. But the strategy is to address the whole problem -- not just feed the children. That means the parents go through training to learn basics like hygiene and nutrition.
Gordon Robertson, founder of the Payatas program, went back a year after my visit to check in on Allen Junior. In nine months Allen was up to 33 pounds, had grown four inches, and had more to do than hang out with Gordon.
Don't forget, parents of the kids are given a small loan to start a business, and Gordon got the chance to see how Allen's mother was doing with a basket weaving business. A woman who once scavenged the dump now had a trade and was making money for her family.
The evidence of success was all around us. The very people who had once peeled through garbage were now running businesses that CBN helped to start.
"I want to thank Operation Blessing," said one woman, "from the bottom of my heart, because if not for them, my life would not have prospered and I wouldn't have had resources to raise my kids properly."
Another young lady agreed. "Through the help of Operation Blessing, I was able to know the Lord more fully. Right now our life has improved a lot."
Our CBN camera captured a precious moment with some neighborhood children, who after peeking into the school, and seeing people who care, asked me to lead them in the prayer of salvation.
"Dear Jesus, I thank you for being my friend."
And with each prayer we're reminded of the real reason we are here; to tell those in despair that God loves them; to show those who feel worthless that they have value; and to give those that are dying a chance to live.
Look into the eyes of a child and you'll see -- CBN, with your help, is committed to doing that.
When you partner with CBN you make programs like this one a reality. You also bring medical care to those in desperate need, help feed and cloth children here at home and abroad and, most importantly, bring a message of hope and God's love. Please join today.
