At the Philippines Embassy

After church this last Friday I went with one of the cell groups to the Philippines Embassy on their weekly trip there. They go there because there are about 60 women who live there that have no where else to go. They are women that have been abused; be it physically, emotionally or sexually. Because of this they have run from their employers and the only place they could go to is the embassy. Some of them cannot even leave the compound for the fear that if their sponsors see them they will get the police to take them away. Those that can leave the compound usually get what ever part time jobs that they can. Some of them cannot leave the country to go back home because they are waiting on people back in the Philippines to get together enough money for a plane ticket, others cannot leave because their sponsors have their passports (an illegal but common place practice). Those that are stuck on the premises are waiting on... well they really don't know what they are waiting for, a miracle really. Their sponsors won't let them go, some want to be paid for reparations, others want replacements to work for them, others... well others are just tools. So they are crammed into this building on the grounds and live in dormitory style bunks... apparently at one point in time there was over 90 of them living in that building. Fights were common place. Things have gotten a bit better there though, due to the work of this cell group (called TGIF - thank God for fellowship). They have taught some skills to the women - cross-stitch seems to be fairly popular - gives them something to do. They also have about 20 or 30 women out to the bible studies that they have once a week and they have taught them about having a Godly attitude - which has helped much in the whole aggression and selfishness side of things. During these times when TGIF goes to the embassy they also teach other skills, such as how to use a computer - so that when they are able to leave the embassy they will have something that they can use to get a better job (most are house cleaners and things like that). And this upcoming Saturday, along with the NEC and the AMH they are bringing a health clinic and checkup to the embassy, so that will be good, I'll be there serving breakfast.

It was quite the thing to see when I was there. You had some mattresses on the landing of the stairwell - perhaps overflow sleeping, or a place for those who have come in late to sleep so that they do not disturb the others, or just a comfortable place to sit thats not around everyone else. The walls were pretty stark - just whitewash. I didn't see in the rooms but I cannot think that they would be overly spacious. And considering the size of the compound - they must get cabin fever something awful in there. I would go stir-crazy. Living conditions aside, its hard to picture myself in the shoes of these women. Some of them had a beaten, resigned look on their face, others just had a dead look on their face. What is in the mind of their sponsors to treat another human this way is something that is hard to take in. And its not just the initial treatment, its the ongoing cruelty of not letting them return to their home country and families. Though I guess this is more of the Arab arragence. I wonder what it is like in Saudi where no official church can exist, because then there would not be these groups out there that would mitigate the suffering that is out there.