The Road Least Taken…

I recently came from my regular Elim missions work over at Rosario, Cavite…

For those who don’t know… I am part of a team that goes to that particular province every week to serve and participate in praise and worship service for Elim dwellers in that area.  I have met a lot of good friends over there… young and old… people who are simply just happy to serve the Lord and serve others as well.

I have posted a good number of pictures here in my blog of my recent visits to Rosario and for those who have probably seen those images, you’d notice that there is a significant amount of kids which come over during our services… mostly from “Dreamland” (a neighborhood built entirely on top of mountains and piles of garbage).  These folks exist in the worst and dire of circumstances.  Flimsy shanties erected on stench-filled waste and plastic and no electricity.

Last Wednesday’s service was particularly different from all the other Wednesday services we’ve held.  There were no kids to be found anywhere near the hall (and church) where our events are staged.  At first, we thought it was just coincidence… little did we know that as soon as we inquired as to why there were no children present, we would learn of tragic and very disturbing news that have been circulating in the entire city.

There is a syndicate that has been making the rounds within the Southern Tagalog region since the past week abducting kids between the ages of 5 to 20.  It wasn’t so much the abduction part that surprised us but what these people have been doing to those helpless kids once they’ve been nabbed…

These kids are then found a few days later in the same location where they were last seen… their bodies inserted in a sack… lifeless… their eyes and internal organs missing.  Sometimes, these bodies are discovered with money ranging between Php 7,000.00 - Php 10,000.00 plugged into their slashed tummies… the syndicate’s wicked and twisted way of justifying their heinous acts and compensating the grieving parents of these children.

These stolen organs are sold to the black market.  Sometimes, the child is found with a note on him that says things like, “Pagpasensyahan niyo na po… napagutusan lang” (in English, “Our apologies, we are just following orders.”).

What kind of person can do such a thing…?!  To a child no less!  How can they look into the innocent eyes of these helpless kids and commit the crimes that they do?!

Have we reached an all-time low?  Has poverty pushed society over the edge?

Just because these young ones aren’t cared for and are regarded to have no bright future ahead of them, doesn’t give these individuals the right to take their lives… nor does it rationalize their evil deeds.

As we started our worship service yesterday… a regular dweller of ours was in tears learning that her classmate met the same fate.  Her classmate was about 14 years old.

Some of the kids who were abducted were not alone walking the streets… some were nabbed right under their mother’s noses… and should the parent/guardian fight back or hold on to their children, they were either killed on the spot or their hands were immediately cut-off to release the kids.  Some of the abductors were even reported to wear nun outfits (yes, some of the perpetrators are female).

It’s equally painful to read something like this and realize that some people who actually CAN help simply brush away the issue and regard it as urban legend, nonsense and hearsay.

As we did our opening song entitled, “Purihin Ang Ngalan Ni Yahweh” (in English, “Praise the Name of Yahweh”), a song we’ve performed countless times in Rosario, the lyrics of the refrain had more meaning, strength and resolve as people who attended the gathering sang in unity with the words as follows:

“Sa kabila ng paghihirap,  (in spite of hardships)
Sa kabila ng kadiliman,  (in spite of darkness)
Di magsisisi kahit minsan,  (never shall I regret)
Papuri pa rin sa Iyong ngalan…”  (Your name I shall always praise)

May the Lord comfort the grieving families and friends of those whose lives have been so mercilessly taken… may He bring swift justice to those who have been behind these wicked acts… and may we all find the shelter and protection we so desperately need that only God can provide.

I urge everyone to please say a prayer for these children.  May God bless us all.