House of Jubilee

Today we went with Jenn and Joe and some of their kids to the House of Jubilee, a local ministry that feeds children and provides some basic tutoring. I believe this was the most fun either of us have had since we arrived here in Davao. We got to play with the children, which mostly entailed them climbing on us or pulling my beard. My beard is getting rather large these days, and the locals seem to be quite puzzled by it. The kids were quite happy to play with it.

When we arrived, the children were very happy to see us. Some of them cheered and greeted us around our car before we had even gotten out. When we entered the gate of the property they cheered even louder. I was the last to duck through the gate, and when they saw me, their cheers turned into a chorus of "Whoa!" Again, I think my beard (and perhaps my size) are quite the attraction.

The children gathered together to sing some songs about Jesus. The leaders would proclaim that "God is good", and the children replied at the top of their lungs "All the time", leaving my ears ringing. After the singing they washed their hands and had lunch. We were able to help server the lunch and assist the younger children with cutting up their food. After lunch they brushed their teeth (something they are in desperate need of) with toothbrushes provided by Jubilee.

These kids are severely malnourished. For many of them, this is the only meal they would have received today. One of the girls, aged four, could barely walk when she first arrived at Jubilee. Her mother feeds her coffee and pig fat. Now, thanks to the nutrition that Jubilee provides, she is walking! These folks serve the kids four or five days a week.

Bethany and I are going to go to their church service tomorrow morning. We were very blessed to be a part of the activities today, and we know we will be spending more time with those kids.

Cheerio.
Tim