Jeffrey had a few things at the office he needed to finish so I tagged along to use the internet - besides why would I want to be alone on Christmas Eve - even for a few minutes?
We were discussing how last year at Christmas time we had no idea we would be a world away on a mission. We talked about all the marvellous things that have happened this year and so many blessings we have to be grateful for.
We turned on the usual street and the beggars were there as never before. Beggars are a fact of Philippine life and usually I have little packages of things to eat and spare change to give out. Today I was unprepared for the quantity of beggars. Probably because tomorrow is Christmas and we were just down from a Catholic church that would be letting mass out - or maybe people are going in. The compassion and yes pity I felt were in sharp contrast to the thankfulness Jeffrey and I were just expressing. We were handing out coins on one side of the car and on the other. They would group up when they noted we were giving out coins. When we got through the light I just cried.
I have been told many things about begging but whatever that is a hellish way to make a living.
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