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Global Urban Trek 2008
Puzzle Piece FacesJuly 26, 2008
There is much to share that has transpired over the past weeks.
Prior to leaving for the Global Urban trek, I spent plenty of time back in the States questioning God about the lack of justice and the inequality that was and still is very vivid in our world. But upon arrival to Manila, this attitude of questioning seemed to have departed. I was unable to raise the difficult questions as I lived in Pajo.
The troubling question of Jesus, Justice, and Poverty which were my initial driving force for coming on the trip were no longer with me and I was troubled by this realization. Little did I know that God was at work in me.
As the fourth week rolled around, I was not excited about leaving my family for three long days on a mid-project retreat. But in retrospection the time at Puerto Galera was good.
On the first night, as Sophia shared of her experience as a trekker in 2003 and her wrestling with many of the social issues in Manila, God began to stir up my heart by reminding me of the many similar questions I had challenged Him with. The thoughts of corruption, child and women abuse, economic inequality, cultural forces that factor into injustice all began to swarm in my head again.
On our second night, God laid all the pieces of the puzzle before me. Not only did He lay them down, but He also completed the puzzle for me in the beautiful image of Pajo.
I was initially deceived to think that I was being untrue to myself in not pursuing the harsh questions. But God showed me that the people I had met over the past three weeks in Pajo – Ate Minda, Pastor Wenchie, Kuya Danny, the youth of the church, the children of the church and my family (just to name a few) – were the living answers to my questions. God heard my prayers, took my challenge and went beyond what I could have imagined.
He fed my hunger and quenched my thirst for seeing His Spirit alive among the poor of this world. He set a banquet before me and He filled my cup ‘til it overflowed. He has satisfied me.
I have not witnessed the eradication of poverty and I was not expecting to see it happen on this trip. Instead, more importantly, I have seen Jesus walking amongst the poor and living alongside them. God is at work in redeeming our broken world. God is at work in social transformation. Thanks to Pajo, I can attest to such greatness and power.
-Camilo
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