Real Life: Philippines

Located in the southeast region of Asia, the Philippines is a uniquely shaped group of 7,107 oddly shaped islands. Of these 7,000 some islands, only 1,000 are inhabited by people. The Philippines are one of two predominant Christian countries in Asia, with about 90% of the population claiming to believe in Christianity. But many of them are trapped in lifestyles that are very different from the truth of the gospel. An epic spiritual tug-of-war is being waged for the soul of the country. Most Filipinos who claim the Christian faith also practice ancient ancestral worship. Poverty is a significant problem, but in combination with inequality, it poses a serious threat to stability in the Philippines. Poverty is most severe and most widespread in rural areas, where almost 80 per cent of the country’s poor people live. Rapid population growth and a shortage of land and jobs in rural areas has produced a steady migration of destitute Filipino residents to the cities. Urban areas are not excluded from the grasp of poverty, often leading to lives impacted by drug abuse, child neglect, and human trafficking.

 

The temptation is great for young people in the Philippines, as many pitfalls await vulnerable children. Opportunistic predators are all too willing to recruit impressionable kids into lives of crime or even slavery. You can help guide youths toward a better path, a path that leads to hope, meaning and life. Your participation can make the difference between light and darkness, or perhaps even life or death. The primary focus of your mission while in the country, will be to partner with local churches in an effort to reach out to the youth in the community.