Romans 16:P.S. and a little update on NZ.

So I arrived here Monday evening. I bumped in Russel Evans at the airport before meeting Bret in the car park for a 2 and a bit hour trip to our (his) home in Matamata. The ride in was filled with general conversation – what’s been happening – what’s going to happen – why aren’t I married yet… love, love, loved it .

We arrived in Matamata just in time for dinner and I was met at the door by Bret’s wife Heidi and my good friend Katie Waa… I was shown to my room where I found a bed full of goodies and surprises to make the trip ‘special’ – and I can tell you A LOT of thought went into the little things those 2 ladies made me… .

I haven’t ‘done’ a whole lot yet – there is 400 kids playing just outside my window on a sports camp – so I have gotten involved a little with chores around the campsite to make things easier… I shared at staff study last night but don’t have any more ministry untill the leadership weekend starts on Friday…

Tonight though *big grins* I am heading into Hamilton… Catching up with my good friend Ben for coffee and then dinner with 2 young people who moved over here from my youth group in Melbourne… love. it. I need to mention Courtney in here as well because if I don’t I’m likely risky severe punishment maybe even certain death… *waves at Courtney*

I have to also add that I am honestly impressed with myself having posted through Romans EVERY DAY… I didn’t think I’d be disciplined enough to do it… Not sure yet what book I will read next (leaning towards Second Peter) and I’m also not sure if I will continue posting my thoughts as a journey through the bible chapter by chapter – thoughts and suggestions appreciated .

Romans 16 is what I call a ‘P.S.’ chapter… Paul, it would seem, officially signed off on his letter at the end of the last chapter when he finishes with the word – Amen. And while this chapter is no less important than any other Paul does what to make it clear that the main content of his letter is finished and these are some after thoughts… some house keeping even…

Paul wants to remind them (it seems to me) of the wider community of the church world-wide… At that time churches met in smaller groups in houses around the cities – not in large congregations like we see today… and in that setting it can be easy to see the church as small and insular… But by signing off with the mentions of people from all over the world the church gets a reminder of just how big the whole movement is… and I can imagine those moments being exciting for a church forced to meet underground…

I think it’s important for us to remember our brothers and sister’s in Christ also… in the church next door and even the churches over seas… God is doing a mighty work – and if we consider our church as the length and breadth of his Kingdom we are selling both Him and us short… when was the last time you spent time with Christians outside of your regular community??

Think about that this week .

See you soon… Ak.

At the airport…

Here is something I wrote last year whilst sitting in the exact same seat I’m in now… hope it makes sense .

2 in one day. I know for some of you the decision has already been made not to read any more of these (elliot, trish). haha. others, perhaps the thoughts I share and the journey we go through these emails will encourage you or challenge you – I hope so.

The setting I find myself in has become all too familiar… I have a system now with check in and departure lounge – I know where all the power points are too – it means I can plug-in my laptop one last time before flying out.

This time – the same as every other – I have a HOT Hudson’s coffee on the chair next to me – I stop typing only to take another sip. My iPod is on shuffle (xavier rudd atm), my phone is already turned off and I’ve made all the last-minute purchases I need for the trip.

Maybe it’s sad – the fact that this has become natural – were we ever supposed to have a routine for this kind of thing? There is definitely something not right about this experience… but it has little to do with the regularity with which I find myself here…

Whats sad, for me, is that I feel like im always here on my own… and please before you switch off assuming this is a plea for friends or for fellowship – read on – you may be surprised… It’s not about needing friends, or about having a companion – in fact I would do this trip 100 times over and not regret it… (song change: between the trees)

It’s about balance – here I share a lounge with 100 other people – honeymoons, holidays, business trips… I often wonder where are our missionaries – why don’t we have people leaving abroad to serve God and serve people more often? I wonder how many other christians will feel this same way in this same lounge next week as they embark on a journey of their own…

Me (song change: death cab), I long for a world where we line up for trips like this one – even if we all go on our own – just to know that we are all doing this – that we are all fighting to share hope and truth with a broken and often forgotten world. There are 2,000,000 church goers in Australia – but how many of us are mission goers?

I am – and i always will be – bring on the familiar check ins and the routine departure lounge, bring it on indeed. Perhaps i will see some of you here with me one day . (song change: colbie calait)

adam

Vegemite – Philippine’s says NO.

Let me introduce you to a young girl who can literally only be described as a hero… I wont spoil the interview by telling you her story in the intro – but I do want to encourage you to read the whole thing… it’s long but it’s worth it… I also want you to keep in mind that this wasn’t written as a piece to win any awards for graamr or articulation… Maryanne’s native language isn’t english and I wanted to keep her answer’s unedited… as she spoke them… I think it’s important in keeping the integrity of the journey she has been on…. Obviously, wanting to protect her Identity I have blocked out her last name… And the photo is the view from where we sat during the interview… It’s a tough life sometimes ……… I hope you enjoy meeting her as much as Ryan and I did :)…

 

Adam Kelly: How are you?

Maryanne S***: I’m good.

AK: yeah?

MS: Yeah. Hahahaha.

AK: Yeah… I didn’t need to ask that again did I?!… awkward… This is our first time in the Philippine’s and we keep hearing about Balut.  Have you ever eaten Balut?

MS: Yeah but not the chick. But the egg part yes.

AK: Do you want to tell people what it is?

MS: *chuckles* wellll, it is an egg. I think 2 weeks old. Which has been boiled. And after that people eat it.

AK: But it’s still got the baby chicken inside the egg?

MA: Yeah, it is still inside… sometimes we eat it with salt or some vinegar and spices.

Ryan Mclerie: Is it true that there is feathers on the bird?

MA: yeah. Hahaha.

RM & AK: *horrified faces*

I think it’s important to interject the interview at this point and mention that after meeting with Maryanne I had the unfortunate displeasure of trying Balut… A fertilized egg that has been allowed to incubate for 21 days before being boiled and served… The contents resemble an egg… kind of… But it is gray, even black in parts, has veins and feathers and of course contains the fetus of a 21 day old chicken or duck for your culinary pleasures… Not. Nice. Ever.

 

RM: And it gets eaten??

MA: Its yum.

AK: But you’ve never tried the chicken?

MA: I try once. But I have to close my eyes when I try it. Because if I see the chicken I cannot eat.

AK: What is the worst thing you’ve ever  eaten?

MA: Eaten? Vegemite. Hahahahahaha.

AK: Hahahaha. Hi – 5. I hate Vegemite. So you think Vegemite is worse than an egg with a baby chicken inside it with feathers?

MA: *giggles* yeah.

AK: It’s funny you say Vegemite because your actually half Australian?

MA: Yeah

AK: Your dad was Australian?

MA: Yeah.

AK: We think Australians are the best people in the world

MA: Ahhhh. No. hahahahaha.

AK: Hahaha. Fair. You get a lot of nationalities coming to volunteer with P.R.E.D.A. which country is the craziest?

MA: Ahh. From. Irish. Haha. Joke joke. Hahahahaha.

AK: Hahahaha, no that’s great… I here your studying to be a social worker?

MA: Psychology. Yeah. I used to study social work but I changed to psychology.

AK: Tell us about your studies

MA: We are studying about human behavior… one of the most exciting subjects I have encountered was the study on, psychology on exceptional children which applies here in my work at PREDA with the girls.

AK: So are you trying to find out which girls are naturally really smart?

MA: No, not really. But about the attitude that they are having. That they are portraying in the centre. Because every one of them has different backgrounds, different pasts. So sometime their pasts reflects what they do today… now…

AK: So studying human behavior – are you analyzing me right now?

MA: No. hahaha……………………………………………… I COULD do that.

MA: You’re an Australian. (all laugh). You HATE vegemite.

AK and RM: hahahaha spot on!

AK: I have noticed that over here stray dogs wander around everywhere. In Australia we keep dog’s as pets. What do people in the Philippine’s keep as pets?

MA: Snakes. Joke. Hahahaha. Joke. Just kidding. Some have fish I think. I used to have a fish before. His name is Ruby. He is a fighting fish. But Sheila killed it.

AK: Sheila?

MA: Yeah

AK: From PREDA?

MA: Yeah. Tell her.

AK: But she seems so nice?

MA: hahahaha. No. She drowned my fish in the lavatory.

AK: She flushed YOUR fish down the toilet?

MA: Yeah.

AK: Hmm.

MA: She was changing the water and accidentally the fish dropped.

AK: I will get revenge for you.

MA: Yeah. Okay. Good. Hahahaha.

AK: Before I get into the real questions – how old you think I am?

MA: 17. Haha. No joke. Hahahahahaha. 40?

AK: 40? Remember that time I said I was going to get revenge for you? Not anymore.

MA: Hahahahahaha. How old are you? 30?

AK: I’m 27.

(everyone laughs)

I wish I could have captured the look on Maryanne’s face when she heard me say that. Honestly stunned. She actually did not believe me. Truth be told men in south-east Asia find it hard to grow facial hair. So much so that anyone who has some is automatically considered old… well. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. For what it’s worth she thought Ryan was old too… late twenties to be precise .

AK: Tell me how will your study help you here at PREDA?

MA: My study helps me at PREDA because it helps me understand the children, the way they act. And it gives me to have more patience. It teaches me to give much more patience with these children, because, sometimes, ahhh, I get mad at them also because of their attitude, because of what they are acting. But then when I study psychology I now understand that they are like this because of what happened. They are like this because of the problems that they had. And it also helps me understand myself.

AK: tell us more about what you do here at PREDA?

MA: I am a facilitator and I’m working with the girls. Girls who have been sexually abused, physically and verbally abused.  I also work with the CSEC with the commercial sexual exploited children. So I conduct different activities, life skills programs, life skills training. I am like a teacher here because I also do teaching. Some basic math. Some basic English.

AK: Yeah your english is better than mine… which isn’t hard.

MA: (very shyly) really?

AK: how many days a week do you study?

MA: 6

AK: How many days a week do you work with PREDA?

MA: 5

AK: and how long have you done that for?

MA: 3 years

AK: Tell us how you first heard about PREDA?

MA: Actually I was rescued by PREDA. That’s why I was here. It was when I was 13 years old.  The MBI together with another non-government organization rescued me from a bar in Angeles city and brought me here at PREDA when I was 13 years old.

AK: Do you mind telling me how you ended up in the bar?

MA: I was working there for 2 weeks I think before I was rescued. I was working as a dancer. I would wear a 2 piece bikini and then I would dance in front of the customers. I was being tabled by customers. I was being brought out by customers.

AK: How did you end up at the bar? Did you decide or were you forced?

MA: Actually I had a very big problem with my family because my dad already died. Actually he killed himself. And then my mum had a different guy and was living him. Actually my family was not okay after my dad died. Because our step father always beat us. So I decided to run away from home to stay at my auntie’s place. But my step dad and my mum always came to get me back. I was afraid already because of what was happening in the house. My step dad is a drug addict, yeah, he’s a very bad man.

Then 1 time my uncle who lives in Angele’s came to my auntie’s house to visit some of the relatives. That was the time I decided it was better I went with him than to stay in the place that my mum knows. At first he doesn’t want to bring me but then he says okay. Then I was in Angele’s and I decided to work because I was worried about my brother’s situation.  I have 2 younger brothers, I am the oldest, and I was worried about their situation. And I wanted to go to school too because I was stopped from school when my step father came into my family. That was when I decided to work. But then my auntie (the wife of my uncle) brought me to the field office. She knew one of the mamasan’s (a female pimp or madam) in the bar and she brought me in.

AK: So your auntie was the one who brought you into the bar?

MA: actually it was my decision to get a job. But she found me a job that was… yeah…

AK: How did you feel first when your auntie said you can work here?

MA: Actually at first it was okay for me because I thought I would be working as a waitress. But then I was shocked when the mamasan gave me a bikini and she told me to wear that and go on the stage. But I said I was already in that situation. I needed the money, I needed to help my brothers. So yeah… I stayed… But I was not happy of course.

AK: The customers that came in were most of them Filipino?

MA: No, they were foreigners. From Australia, America, Germany, Ireland, Japan yeah all over the world.

AK: And they would come into the bars looking for young girls?

MA: Yeah.

AK: Do you know much about how the industry started here in the Philippine’s?

MA: I think, I’m not sure, but in the history of Olangapo itself when the US naval base was here that was the time when many prostitutes were all over the city. And also in Angele’s because of the Clark Air base – yeah – and then bars are all over the city. Because maybe when ships are coming, American ships are coming they will just go out and have fun. That was the beginning of prostitution and sex industry.

AK: Tell me how you first felt when you heard about PREDA?

MA: Umm, when I first arrived at PREDA at first I didn’t want to stay here. Because I felt I was just in this place I can’t go out, I can’t do my vices like I used to do before like smoking and drinking. But after how many months they let me go to school and I realized that this place safer than the place I was before and I was able to study which I really wanted to do.  I told them also the problem with my brother and the rescued my brother from my auntie’s place and they brought him here and we stayed together. yeah, I realized what PREDA is doing is for my safety. They are saving me.

AK: have the things that you have learnt and the things that you experienced back when you were 13 helped you in your work with the girls here?

MA: Yes, because through my experience I can share with them that the things, the bad things, that have happened to them are not their fault. They were just victims we are just victims.

AK: Do they appreciate your story? Do they like knowing that you were there too?

MA: Yeah, I’m also happy when children says ‘Mum, you’re my idol’. Some of them are saying that because I’m also part of the theatre group. We toured 2008 to Australia.

AK: Was that your first time there?

MA: Yeah, that was my first time. And also my first time to try Vegemite. Hahahaha.

AK: Sorry about that…

MA: Hahaha… and then, yeah, I feel very happy. At least this child see’s me… and also sometimes my actions are becoming their inspiration.

AK: And now you’re studying psychology so you can help more?

MA: Because of PREDA I became aware of what was really happening. Because I didn’t even know that children had rights. When I was with PREDA they let me join some seminars and some workshops then I was saying ‘oh, we have rights.’ Because I didn’t even know I had rights. Yeah, I learnt many things, many situations that are happening in my country.

AK: You thought men were allowed to treat you like that?

MA: I thought that it was okay… the feeling was not okay… but in my mind ‘maybe it’s okay because it’s happening…’

AK: Have you ever been back to Angele’s since you were rescued?

MA: Yeah, I used to join some of the undercover jobs.

AK: Wow, how was that?

MA: It is okay for me now… because I have already accepted what happened.

AK: Is there anything that you would want to tell the people in Australia?

MA: *chuckles nervously* umm, Be good.

AK: hahahahahahaha…

MA: Because Adam says that you are the best people on earth… so be that… treat all children as a child… and help us in our work here at PREDA.

 AK: Thanks Maryanne – we appreciate your story… and I know the people at home will appreciate it also

MA: Your Welcome

Just for the record – we are hoping to bring Maryanne out here to share her story through schools and churches around Australia… If you are interested in sponsoring her for this trip please feel free to sned me an email adam[at]bridgebuilders.com.au…

love ya guts,

Adam

Mangoes :)

Mangoes… Fruit amongst fruits … Honestly, I never liked mangoes until recently – actually I never really tried them – but since trying them I have been an out-and-out mango convert… I wouldn’t say that it was my favourite fruit – in fact I’ll be outright honest and admit that it isn’t…………

Aaaaaaaaaaaaanyway.

It was a few days into our experience that was the Philippine’s and some of us were craving some fresh tropical fruit… Ryan and I were heading into town that afternoon so we agreed to hit up the markets and bring a few things back. The markets were CRAZY… people everywhere, fish so fresh that they flopped around alive on the stainless steel benches, fruit and vegetables were in absolute abundance and everyone was busy rushing around trying to buy or sell fresh produce for the best possible prices… It was a lot of fun – I made sure to go to the market a few times while I was there – buying and eating seafood that fresh (and that cheap – fresh giant prawns were about $5 a kg… ) is always something I am interested in…

This particular day we found ourselves standing in front of a dingy old stall just outside the main market… the mangoes were, well, wrong… small and wrinkled – they looked like they had been sitting there for quite some time… and yet standing behind these mangoes was the bubbliest, most talkative little girl we had met thus far… She was gorgeous with a MASSIVE smile – and was just as interested in talking our heads off as she was in us buying some of her terrible mangoes… Naturally we were never going to eat them… but just as naturally we are a suckers so we bought ourselves a bag of mangoes and moved on…  We were, however, pretty intrigued by this girl and her circumstances – so we decided the next day to go back and visit our new friend – I feel it important to note that at this stage we had no idea of her name… so we refered to her simply as ‘mangoes’.

When we got there she recognized our money… errr… I mean us… Instantly – and the same smile that we had seen the day before spread wide across her face… we got to talking – about mangoes, about school, about the market… She didn’t want to be there – infact like most kids her age in the Philippine’s she wanted more than anything to be at school… Life, however, had made that an impossibility.  At 16 she was the main breadwinner for her entire family – a requirement that saw her forced out of school and into the mango stall by the market in town.  She worked long long hours – 12 everyday… for a massive THREE DOLLARS A DAY… what hope is there for someone to pay school fees on a salary like that? nope, Mangoes (or Angelica as we found out) had resigned herself to the fact the she would probably be doing that for the rest of her life…

This didn’t seem right… So, we changed it for her… Now, thanks to a few dollars a month and the help of our friends at P.R.E.D.A. Mangoes has a full scholarship to university – this comes complete with tuition, books, uniform and a social worker to keep track of her movements on a week by week basis… We will probably never see her again – but my bet is she will never forget to two crazy Australian’s that came to buy mangoes and left having bought a future…

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If you want to know more about how you can support a girl like Mangoes please, please, please send an email to: adam [at] bridgebuilders.com.au

Love ya guts,

Adam

Akira, the full story…

There are a number of things I want to write about concerning this trip.  I have an interview from an incredibly brave woman who not only survived time in the bars as a 13 year old but has come out determined to help the next generation of young women find freedom. I want you to know her story also… But, I need to finish Akira’s story first… I want to encourage you that it isn’t all bad – there was so much hope that I experienced through the work being done there and I WILL share those moments with you also … I promise … But until then:

It was Friday night, we had just had dinner at a Mexican restaurant in town… The mood was somber considering… the reality being that we knew we were about to hit the bars again… and it always scared us… This particular club was dingier than most of the others we had been to.  The lights were dim, almost nonexistent.  There was a smoky haze that filled the room – not from fancy pyrotechnics but from the cigarette smoke of all the other people in the room… girls mainly… dancers, all of them… the night was still early and the western men hadn’t yet ventured from their expensive hotels to the streets for their evening rituals…

As we walked into the bar the girls were quickly ushered onto the stage to begin dancing… all of them forced to wear seductive clothes and reveal parts of themselves that I believe should be reserved for only the most intimate of moments…  Akira was the youngest looking girl in the group.  She danced centre of stage and immediately my heart broke… It broke because here was yet another innocent young girl performing in a sex bar but also because I knew I had to sit with this girl and pretend I was there to have sex with her in the hopes of finding out as much as I could about her and the bar in which she worked.  This was an incredibly draining part of the work – and it only ever seemed to get harder and harder to do… finding a young girl in a bar always came with a sense of nervousness knowing what it was I had to do to secure information…

I smiled politely as the Mamasan came and sat next to me – my shaky finger pointed towards Akira as she danced semi clothed in front of me… The Mamasan nodded in understanding – immediately she barked a command and all the other girls were forced off the stage. Akira was to perform solo for my pleasures.  It was incredibly difficult to watch – But with guards at the door watching our every move and the life of this precious young girl at stake I smiled… and managed to nod along to the music in the background… My throat was dry – maybe from the smoke… maybe from the emotion – but the Mamasan seemed to intuitively know and she sent a young waitress over to get my order…

Akira finished her routine and came over to the Mamasan – She ushered her in my direction – nervously she smiled and sat next to me…  I ordered her a drink and we began to talk… Basically, to avoid suspicion only 1 out 4 questions should be about ‘her life’ the rest needed to allow her to believe that I was a client just like everyone else.  We held hands at the back of the dark room – our chairs unnaturally close – she smiled as her friends got up to perform a number for a group of older men who had just walked in… This, you see, is their chance for the big bucks… Dancing makes a couple of dollars a night, having someone buy you a drink makes a few extra peso’s each time… a trip into the VIP room at the back is worth an extra dollar or two – but to go home with a western man was worth a massive $10… All of the girls i spoke to hated it – but the promise of fast cash in the midst of their already desperate lives made it worth while…

Akira was such a beautiful person. She was softly spoken and extremely shy.  She struggled to make eye contact with me – and would just giggle nervously when she did.  I likened her to the teenagers I work with at home… unfortunately, this just made it more difficult… she edged her chair closer and sat with her leg up over mine – it was unfortunately normal – but as difficult as it was I kept myself going… so long as she was with me she was safe… Another one of her songs came on – quickly she got up and made her way to the stage – this performance was made to be even more seductive than the others.  The Mamasan watched on closely from the side – Akira began to take off her clothes – and the practice she’d had on the countless nights previous made the decision to do so an easy one… My heart broke – I couldn’t believe that we lived in a world that would allow one so young to get used to doing things that were so unhealthy for her… At the end she asked me did I enjoy it… She told me that the dance was for me… I swallowed my pride and told her that I thought she was beautiful… I felt myself begin to get sick at the thought of what other men would have said…

We sat for nearly an hour – I kept her hands clasped tightly within my own… partly because I wanted to keep her safe and partly because I wanted to make sure her hands didn’t wander they way they had been trained to… She invited me into the VIP room… I, obviously, declined… I told her that she was far to beautiful in the eyes of God to go into a room like that with any man… I’m not sure she understood me – but her head nestled softly back onto my shoulder… regardless, it seemed, of whether she knew what I’d said or not it appeared she appreciated the differing attitude I had toward her compared to the other men…

The timing seemed right now to ask hr more about life outside the bar… and, of course, conditions inside… She told me about what it was like living there – She stayed in a boarding house with the other girls… She wasn’t allowed a mobile phone, she wasn’t allowed an email address, she wasn’t allowed outside the building without prior permission from her ‘minder’… It was more like a prison than a house… The club controlled her every move… She admitted to being young… eventually… and at first it was by mistake… Like all the girls she promised me she was 18… The slip up came when she told me she should be starting 3rd year high school… which makes her 14… Maybe… I asked her why she was there, and, again like most, she told me that she couldn’t afford to study… that this was the easiest way to make enough to support her mum and save for college – I wanted to do both those things for her immediately… I wanted to filter money into her bank account every week so that she wouldn’t ever have to be there again… I wanted to pay to take her out of that club bring her back here into a life where she didn’t need to fear men ever again………… But I knew none of it was realistic… and I knew with the information I had it was time to leave… I didn’t want to leave her there… and she didn’t want to let me go… partly because she was hoping she might see more of my money and partly because she admitted that no man had ever spoken to her like I had… She leant in and told me her real name and asked me to promise I’d never forget her… I promised.

We were allowed to take a few photos out the front with the girls (I told the guard it was my birthday – haha) and I said goodbye to Akira… I told her once more of the love our Savior has for her… I spoke of the fact she is worth more than all the money in the world… I told her that she was my friend – A sister in the kingdom of God… and that I would not forget her… I wasn’t sure if it was safe for me to share those last thoughts… but I needed to say it anyway… I wanted her to see herself the way I saw her… or even better – the way God saw her…

Mark, a local social worker for the group we were working for, told me it was time to go to the next bar… But I couldn’t do it… not after meeting her… The thought of her watching me going into another bar just didn’t seem right… She’d had enough rejection – I’d had enough exposure – It was time to go home…

That was my last trip into the bars and a few days later I left back to manila by bus for my flight home… I cried a bunch of times on the way home… honestly, the immense feelings of shame from being in those places was overwhelming.. combine that with the anger for what we saw, the compassion for the girls, the confusion about the whole situation and the fear for what might happen to them in the future… But most upsetting was the feeling I’d abandoned her… I couldn’t shake it… I can’t shake it… Even though it was the right thing to do I left her there – and that hurts me more than anything else I’ve ever seen or done in my lifetime………

Please don’t feel bad for me… or sorry for me… I was privileged to meet her… lucky to be the one that God sent to speak truth to her… I don’t wish for those memories to be taken away… and I certainly don’t wish that i never went there… Instead I wish to have you guys join me next time… to see 5 people, 10 people, 100 people spread themselves over the city and fight for the freedoms that those children deserve… all the underage girls, if they want it, are offered safety by the organization… Shelter, food, clothing, a full education scholarship including the chance to go to college… There is always hope – because we serve a God who is always watching – and my friends he has once again heard the cries of his people… now we get to be part of his miracles of freedom…

Thanks

Adam

Dear Akira, An Apology…

This certainly isn’t an easy blog to write… I have seen and felt things that I hoped never to experience… My trip to the Philippines has scarred me more than any trip I’ve been on previously… It has helped me identify things about the world we live in that need to change… and it has surfaced things in me that I need to commit to working on also…

I’m not sure I can share everything… I’m certainly sure I can’t share it all now – honestly, I haven’t got what it takes to think about it all again so soon after leaving… What I saw has left me broken – my views on humanity fractured into 1000 tiny pieces… and at the same time it has left me with a renewed commitment to pursue for the children things like truth and justice…

I want to apologize firstly for my lack of updates… I have been away for 4 weeks and a lot of that was in the most remote parts of Indonesia… But the title of this blog isn’t for the readers… It’s for the children we rescued.

Children who should be free to play and laugh. Children who’s toughest decision should be what to wear or what tree to climb. Children who should be given the chance to go to school and eventually work in a job that offers both dignity and satisfaction… Instead these children find themselves thrust into a life of depravity – forced to dance naked for the pleasures of men… Children who feel they have no choice but to give their bodies as a sacrifice to the dollars and cents of men who wish nothing but selfish things for them… I sat with these Children… Night after night… I wept for the children… I watched the lifeless, hopeless shells of once enthusiastic children dancing on stage for a few dollars night – tirelessly dancing… endlessly dancing…

But the saddest part was watching our men respond to these girls like lions over a rotting carcass… fighting each other to find the youngest girl, cheering as they pulled their clothes off to bare a chest already touched by 100 different men who’d been there on nights previous… I feel ashamed to be Australian… I feel ashamed to say I belong to a ‘developed’ nation… We are funding and fuelling the environment that is killing the innocence of childhood – and it’s crushed me.

We find it easy to remind the settlers of their atrocities against the aboriginals… we find no problem in holding the Germans accountable for their treatment of jews during WW2… we have identified that people like Mugabe, Bin Laden and Joseph Koni are men that are most vile in nature… But I can honestly and truly tell you that we can no longer call ourselves better than them…

My apology is to the children of the Philippine’s… To their families… I wish I knew how to make everything disappear, how to rescue and provide for every single one of you – I wish I never saw the way the men of my country treated you – but now that I have I promise to never forget the way that you have been treated…  Akira is the name of the girl I met in the last club… It is her stage name… I wish I could show you how beautiful she is… I wish I could show her…

Unfortunately this blog has no happy ending – because for every girl we saved from those clubs 10,000 more are dancing for seedy, desperate, disgusting western men… And I know that tonight the innocence of more children will be robbed by the depravity of our nation… knowing that in 5 hours Akira is forced to work again is something I am struggling to cope with…

Please pray for her… please pray for her family… please pray for every girl working in every club to try and earn a few dollars to survive… but just as importnantly please pray that as a nation we begin to stand up against the things that our men have found acceptable… I will share more of Akira’s story this week… But I need time to process it all before I can…

Adam

Closure…

Well, after a MASSIVE week – full of ridiculous amounts of personal humiliation I AM FINISHED

I can honestly say that the most awkward moments were the everyday moments… In public, dressed as I was, I could play into a character – without even talking to people they could assume that I was indeed a normal person dressing like an idiot for a specific thing – bucks night, lost a bet, got dared – whatever… BUT nobody normal dresses like I was when filling up with petrol, buying groceries or walking from the office to the cafe - it just doesn’t happen…

Needless to say I am thankful… thankful it is over, thankful for the money raised and thankful for the many conversation I had with people about this issue… who knows I might even try it again next year

Ak

I’m shaping up for my next trip…

And I thought I would tell you about it …

In 4 weeks I’m heading to Indonesia… I meet a team in Bali and continue straight onto a little island known as Halmahera… I have friends there – which is awesome – westerners that have committed themselves to a life serving a million miles away from anywhere the rest of us would call home… They run a hospital there… and short of the shop that opens up a few times a week by the landing strip there isn’t really anything else on the island…

I’m spending 2 weeks there with the team – generally helping out, some training etc – but honestly I think the best thing I can do while im there is just encourage the people who have made that their life.  Entertain them… bless them… hang out and do life with them… I intend to eat whatever they eat, go wherever they go, play wherever they play – and I can’t wait …

I’m there for 2 weeks – after which im flying on to Olongapo City in the Philippines.  I’m there to work with a Catholic group known as PREDA. My role is to assist them in freeing children who have been forced into working the street as prostitutes.  This is a difficult pill for me to swallow – In my naive western mind I just can’t begin to comprehend the magnitude to which these kids are made to suffer… Many of them, as young as 5, will be forced to have sex with 20 people a day… for a couple of dollars each time… and honestly I think not responding to a crisis like that says ‘we don’t care what you do with those children…’

I have already been lucky enough to travel to many different third world countries and serve – both with a spoken message and a practical one – but even a month out I struggle to imagine how anything else could compare to a trip like this… honestly, I hope to make this part of the journey an annual one…………..

Do yourselves a favour this week – look up Zach Hunter – I mentioned him briefly in a post a week or so back… He is a powerful young man of God… He may not have all his T’s crossed and all his I’s dotted… But he is a living breathing example of how much influence a young man carries when he walks in tune with the heartbeat of a just and merciful God…

more on this trip to come soon

Adam

p.s. If you feel you want to give a few dollars towards the work of freeing these kids I am doing a fundraiser – let me know if your keen to know more

So it’s Good Friday…

And I suppose I should write something profound and spiritual… But all I can think about is those kids that we loved on this week at Southern Cross Kids Camp. On Tuesday night we threw a birthday party for all the kids at Ace Space indoor play centre – it came complete with a bag of wrapped presents for each kid, cards, photo’s and of course cake – and for a lot of these kids it was difficult night to absorb, for a lot of these kids it’s the only ‘real’ birthday they get… I often wonder whether or not Jesus and all the new testament disciples feel ripped off by the sacrifices they made for the church weve built – but in moments like that I know they see it as all worth while… This weekend needs to be a chance for us to refocus on Jesus… All of him… And remember that he said that whatever we do unto the least of these we do unto him…

Happy Easter,

Adam

camp is rad…

And my camper is a star… we made candles today – hahahaha. More to come soon. Promise.

peace.

ak.