This week I joined the Metro World Child ministry in the Philppines as they take their Sidewalk Sunday School program to the slums and compounds across downtown Manila.
I wanted to learn how they did it, learn from them so I could go back to Thailand and do the same.
Here’s how it went:
Day 1
Whilst in Manila I’m so grateful to be able to spend time with Metro World Child; a phenomenal ministry who run 2-3 Sidewalk Sunday Schools PER DAY for hundreds of Filipino children.
For the next few days I’m looking forward to working and learning alongside the outreach teams as they take their big yellow stage truck to the local slums and compounds in and around Metro Manila.
For the first day we walked miles, visited every home, spoke to every child we could about the kids activity were running tomorrow – then we jumped back on the truck to head to another compound where we had a hundred or so kids dancing and singing praise songs, reciting memory verses (Trust in the Lord with all your heart) and of course having A LOT of fun!
Day 2
Hundreds more kids praying the prayer of salvation today – real heart and God moments!
Two more Sidewalk Sunday Schools today at Seacom and another slum/compound area right near the airport – planes flew really low overhead!
These kids live in difficult situations – dirty shacks and corrugated iron huts but today they forgot it all and sang out loud: “God is here! God is here! God is here and He is faithful!” Yes right here He is, He’s with you everywhere, all of the time!
So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”
– Matthew 9:35-38 (MSG)
Day 3
Sleeping on tombstones in a graveyard and under bridges next to busy main roads – these are the kids that came to our Sidewalk Sunday Schools today.
So-called “forgotten ones”, we came to tell them they’re NOT forgotten by God.
When you hold a baby missing the tip of one of his now swollen and infected fingers because a rat chewed it off, it motivates you to be the best and funniest ‘Professor Jellybean’ you can possibly be…
Day 4
Today was the toughest and yet the most incredible day so far! Such a mixture of emotions!
Seeing where they lived just made us determined to put on the best Sidewalk Sunday Schools we could! The kids loved my Professor Jellybean rendition (think Willy Wonka + Mr Bean!)
Man the scale of this thing is enormous – today wasn’t hundreds but THOUSANDS OF KIDS – all singing about the amazing love of God and learning about what Jesus did for them!!
We started at 6am and took the Sidewalk Sunday School truck and makeshift stage to three different sites.
It’s easy for me just to come and visit and bugger back off to Thailand but the real heroes are the Metro World Child workers who come here week in and week out – my hat goes off to you!
These past few days have had a life-long impact on me and I will never forget these kids.
My eyes have been opened and my vision enlargened. Now I’m thinking back all those kids in Sriracha, Thailand who have never heard that God loves them and has a plan for their life.
If we don’t do it, who will? If we don’t go, how will they hear? Right?
Simon, it’s just awesome how you are doing the Lord’s work. I have saved your website and will be following your progress in bringing the Sidewalk Sunday School concept to Thailand. The photos and videos are awesome and I can see how it would touch your life as well just to see the conditions of how these children live. But you are giving these children hope and scripture tells us that “we have this hope as an anchor to our souls.”
Refreshing to see the Lord at work within you my friend. I will be praying for the Lord to provide for your needs in bringing the ministry to Thailand. Blessings,
Jim M
Hey Jim, yes it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you look at the conditions some of these kids are living in and the poverty they’re facing.
But thank God we do have the Good News to share with them. Metro World Child do Sidewalk Sunday school at each of the sites every single week, and follow up during the week. They have amazinf hearts and a willingness to be the hands and feet of God in Manila. I have nothing but respect for these guys.
This is what I believe is true ministry; getting out-and-about to where the people are and sharing and not staying just inside church walls.
What a great work, thanks for being willing to go where others won’t and for reaching those who haven’t heard the Good News yet! Awesome pictures too!
Every blessing,
Roy
I couldn’t agree more and getting out there is what really gets me going! But really, it’s the outreach workers and the Sidewalk Sunday school staff who are there week in and week out. I just visited for a week! But I learned a lot and saw exactly how they run the program, do follow up visits and connect with the families.
Come on mr “i’m perfect missionary” ? time for an update!