Malabon

Here's a map of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila (Pateros is considered a municipality). There are almost 12 million people living here. When you include some of the urban areas just north and south of Metro Manila the population jumps to 24 million, which is why some sources consider Manila to be one of the 10 most populated cities in the world. The map makes Metro Manila seem huge but just for perspective the total area of Makati is only 8.3 square miles. We live in Taguig and Grace works in Makati. There are places in both Taguig and Makati that seem almost first world. But a majority of Metro Manila looks quite different. 

I took a trip to Malabon which is in the northern part of Manila. These three photos are not mine. But they show what this area looks like. Navotas and Malabon are slum areas where many homes are built along polluted water canals. There are countless squatters that live here. The last picture shows the results of a recent fire that blazed through many homes in Malabon.

These are some of the neighborhood children that we met who are part of a program called Food For the Hungry - one of the ministries that UCM partners with. So once you drive through these neighborhoods and see the living conditions, you can't help but feel a very heavy weight when you meet these children.

We had a chance to do some face painting and make gospel bracelets. The Generics Pharmacy (a local drug store chain) donated some backpacks, vitamins, and bibles in Tagalog that we got to give to each of the kids. Sometimes it's a bit overwhelming. Seeing poverty can be strangely intriguing. But it's almost always a reality check and a call to arms. Even behind these smiling faces you can sense that there is pain and suffering. #OneHope