Today we went almost nonstop, but it was like a crash course in trash dump communities, Filipino culture and new foods. We started our day out by going to the trash dump community in San Mateo. I have spent a lot of some in poor neighborhoods in Mexico where there are not a lot of plants or trees, it is just full of dirt and feels like you are in an oven. But the Philippines is a beautiful tropical country that is filled with tress and greenery. I find my mind playing tricks on me, making me think that these trash dump community people are doing fine just because they live among beautiful trees.

In some ways, that seems to be some of the Filipino government’s strategy as well. They recently covered San Mateo (which has been closed for several years) with grass and trees. Now it fit in perfectly with the beautiful tree covered hills and valleys that surround it. But there are still toxic gases and tons of trash hidden beneath the beauty. The trash community in Smoky Mountain was also closed, but the government moved those living in that community to other housing in a location where it was easier to find jobs. San Mateo has just been covered up and ignored. It is much farther away from the city than other trash dumps, so it is difficult for people who cannot find trash to get other jobs.

I have such a hard time reconciling the difference in which these two communities have been treated. One was helped and the other has been left to figure it out for themselves. In the middle of all of this are people who care deeply for their communities. Today we meet with the local pastor in San Mateo who drove a taxi 12-14 hours a day for 6 days a week, so that he could support his family and be a pastor on Sundays. When Trash Mountain Project entered the picture, they were able to support him financially and allow him to pastor his community. Talk about a guy who is making a huge difference with the time he has been given. We also meet with a guy who has been assisting the San Mateo pastor. He was a street kid who was in and out of jail and since finding Jesus, he oversees many different ministries for street kids as well as overseeing youth ministries for 8 churches in the area. These guys are giving everything they’ve got to change this community!

In our free time, Jacob, myself, Joe who pastors in Kansas headed out to explore a little bit with the help of one our Filipino guides, Michael. Going anywhere on the roads is like taking your life in your hands. I’ve never been so excited to make it across the street without getting hit by a car! We took a couple of tricycle rides, which are small motorbikes with carts. They say you can fit 6 people in them, which we did and it had to be the most uncomfortable ride I’ve ever taken. We also got to ride in the famous Filipino Jeepneys which are open air buses that look like they are ready for a demolition derby. We used the time to wander around the streets near Manila that tourists don’t often go too (which was evidenced by a lot of staring and giggling as we walked by). One of the main differences we noticed was that everyone hangs outside of their houses and shops and everyone will smile and say hi.

It was an eye-opening day and I am excited to see what tomorrow holds! We have photos that will do a better job of showing you today, we’ll hopefully post those soon on Facebook!

Pastor Alissa