A Visit to Rochelle's Mother

Good morning everyone. Just wanted to take the time to share with you where I was earlier. I don't often get a chance to document this throughly what I've been up to. And sometimes even if I had the opportunity, I'm not entirely sure if I would want to. But in any case you can read back through my blog regarding the first time that I ever came across Rochelle and then later her family.

Well it's been about six years (I think) and I and a friend of mine have recently started visiting Rochelle's home again. Although I've been feeding Rochelle a hot meal at Jilan's turo turo for several weeks, today was only the second time this year that I've visited her home. Do I know why I am there? ;well, not entirely. I just know that it's God's will to do a work inside of each of us and to lead us to into a relationship with him And I also know that there is no other way that this can happen except through his son Jesus. Does this family need a little help; sure! But I don't think that 'I' have to be the one to help them. I think that God is fully capable of providing for their needs whether I showed up or not. However if I ignore that separate voice/thought that comes to me to be the one to do something then that's a problem that I have. That's a 'big' problem that I have. To ignore what God is leading me to do. To pursue what he desires instead of pursuing what I desire.

     

These pics are in order and show us first going into the Rochelle's home in Tumana and then leaving. It might be a bit of a culture shock (for some) to see that this family of eight lives in a small cement room. It particularly struck me that when we got there they were sitting around in the room which was lit only by a small candle. It seems that they only turn on the light when they have visitors in order to conserve electricity.

   

Istraelia is the name of Rochelle's mother (pictured in first pic of the second row). Istraelia's husband (their father) sounds to be a very hard working man who is doing everything he can to provide for the needs of the family; he works as a printer repairman (I think). And as my friend Randy translated for me I was able to find out that her husband leaves and six o'clock in the morning and comes home at six in the evening. His work day last ten hours and it takes him about an hour to bicycle to work and back.

In the last pic you can see something that I wish I would have taken a picture of when we got there. But in any case you can see what a tight fit it is in order to get back to the cement walled room where Rochelle and her family live ... As I look at the size of this small passageway, and with just a little sulkiness of my spirit, I wonder what it was like during the Ondoy flood of last year. I know it was quite a challenge for me and my family whose home was also flooded. But what I've learned in my translated conversations with Istraelia is that their entire one room cement block home was submerged. I know from my own experience that all of this happened over the course of just ten or fifteen minutes. Israelia explained to me that her family had to make their way to a small catholic cathedral (I guess I would call it that) in Concepción Marikina just a few hundred meters away.