Weekly Prayer Gathering: The Philippines

Recently, I was listening to an audiobook about World War II. The narrator was talking about the Philippine Islands before the War when he mentioned the thriving sex trade involving young girls. I was taken aback. I stopped to recognize that the injustices that we are fighting today did not just begin yesterday. We are fighting not only against the powers running the streets but also against a grave injustice that has become a part of the culture. Children have been enslaved and forced into prostitution for generations, yet they are still fighting. On IJM's website, they estimate that as many as 100,000 children are victims of the commercial sex industry. For a problem that already seems so big, it only seems even more insurmountable.

Yet know that we have a God who hears the cries of the oppressed:

Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
"He won't call me to account"?
But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you consider it to take in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;
call him to account for his wickedness
that would not be found out.
The Lord is king for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
in order that man, who is of the earth,
may terrify no more. (Psalm 10: 13-18 NSRV)

The battle rages on, and in the Phillipines, the wicked people do revile God. In fact, in March of this year, allegations were made against IJM Cebu in an attempt to discredit the organization in its attempt to answer the call to encourage the afflicted and defend the orphans and the oppressed. It is my prayer that you will join the fight to destroy the stronghold established by Satan in the Philippines. Stop right now and pray. Also, join us on Monday, June 29, 10:30 a.m. in the Baylor Law Lawyer's Lounge.

As you go, I want you to shout with the Black Eyed Peas, from the song "Bebot", the following words, which I know God sings to his children in the Philippines everyday:

"Pinoy ka - sigaw na - sige
Kung maganda ka - sigaw na - sige
Kung buhay mo’y mahalaga - sige
Salamat sa ‘yong suporta - sige"

(If you're a Filipino - Shout!
If you're beautiful - c'mon - Shout!
If you're life is beautiful - Shout!
Thanks for your support - c'mon)