By Carlos Casas, CFCA staff member
I recently had the privilege of participating in a two-week mission awareness trip to the Philippines with 23 sponsors.
Having never been across the ocean and away from my family for so long, I was homesick within a few days.
I especially missed my 2-year-old boy, David. He has become my best friend, and I look forward to seeing him every night when I get home.
Every small child I saw during my trip reminded me of my little guy and made me miss him even more.
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Children in the Philippines welcome travelers from the CFCA mission awareness trip. |
As we visited different communities, I was glad to see that despite cultural and socioeconomic differences, the children I met shared the same energy, passion and unconditional love that made me fall in love with my boy.
During a visit to a community in Manila, we were invited to the house of a little girl sponsored by a couple in our group.
On the car ride to their house, we visited the girlís mom and 2-year-old nephew.
I didnít catch his name, but I was immediately captivated by this little boy and his fascination with Jollibee (Philippines version of McDonald’s).
Every time we drove by a Jollibee, the boy screamed, “Jollibee!” and glued himself to the window.
David does the same thing when we see McDonald’s ó mostly because he knows Daddy is a sucker for this kind of reaction and will buy him a burger when Mommy is not watching.
When we arrived at the boyís house, I was shocked by the extreme poverty I saw everywhere I looked.
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A small child outside a house in the Philippines. |
The houses were built with someone elseís discarded materials, and the streets were covered with trash ó because no one collects the garbage like they do in the U.S.
We walked into the boyís simple but clean home. I was amazed by the hospitality from our gracious hosts.
We were immediately invited to sit in the few chairs they had available and make ourselves at home.
As I sat on the couch and listened to the mom share her familyís daily struggles, I focused on the little boy playing with his toys on the floor.
I couldn’t resist the urge to drop to the floor and play with him and two little girls who lived in the same neighborhood.
I couldn’t understand what the children were saying, but the beauty about children is that you donít have to speak their language to make them laugh.
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