On a trip to Manila with Compassion International I visited the home of the lady on the left. Leading us to the home was A Compassion worker from the nearby Wesleyan Church, Judith Layosa.
The simple home was obviously clean and well-tended. Relative to the surrounding area, it was surprisingly comfortable and “homey.” The family was very sweet.
The area is a squatter’s slum called Kabute. Kabute is a Tagalog word meaning “mushroom,” because the squatter’s homes, the entire community, sprung up from nowhere and multiplied, like mushrooms.
The Metro Manila government has evicted the Kabute residents and begun the demolition of the shacks, shanties and houses they have constructed and occupied, some for more than a decade. 19 Compassion Registered children who lived in Kabute are now homeless and displaced. Some have found places to stay with relatives, some families have been offered alternative public land on which to relocate and rebuild from nothing — but the land is several hours away from their community and support system.
Pray for the displaced poor of Kabute, and for the staff of the Wesleyan Church who love them.