Diary : 13 Jun 2011

Driving into the streetkids home after being away for almost a month is just amazing. The kids running up to the car en masse, screening at the top of their lungs, jumping in excitement.

How I missed these kids and it sure feels different from the kids back in my home-town. Their innocence & simplicity, their strength to battle through stigma on their lives, and having such "fight" in their lives.

After the mob settled down, all was back to normal. The kids started to "show off". They told me how they just formed a band, and how they are going to perform as a team.

Faa took out her guitar, Mong took out another old guitar (playing the bass) and Tim went to the back to take one plastic pail, one book and made it his own drum set.

They started playing.

I was blown off. Where did they learn to play like that ? It was definately not concert grade, but considering that just 3 weeks back, they could hardly strum and could not even clap on the same beat. Now we have a 3 piece band !

For many months, I've been wondering if its really worth it to give these kids the best of everything, care givers, accomodation, education etc etc. But as I'm seeing it now, I think the investment is paying off :)

Now for the down side.

For those who remember the local tribal church that was in distress and was snared in severe embezzlement issues within the board of directors and there was no pastor to oversee the church. The upsetting part ?

This church came under the umbrella of an organisation but yet little or no assistance was rendered to this church for almost 4 years. But the little church is still required to contribute membership fees to this organisation.

Though the church receives no support, they are directed to fall under the governance of the mother church in our village. But again, no one wanted to pastor nor govern this church that had its share of internal problems, and worse....with no assets whatsoever.

Last year, the church requested for RADION help and we did what we could. In the process we established accountability chains and eradicating corruption within the leadership. We also helped the church rebuild itself structually when it was almost at the brink of collapse. The church knows that we're only there to support them till they are strong enough to run on their own.

Now when all is starting to look alright. The mother church comes back and is now highly interested in managing this church.

Making things worse, the representative of the mother church warned the board of directors to reject our assistance from henceforth as the tribal church belongs to their umbrella.

Honestly, I'm fine with the mother church taking over, just as long as they too are sincerely concerned  with the church. But after leaving this church in the lurch for 4 years, I'm not too sure.

People asked me what am I planning to do ? Am I going to fight to take it back ?

The physical man says yes, fight it back. But after much consideration I realise that the worst thing we can do now is to start a fight and cause further division in the already small church body and cause further friction amongst brethren.

After almost a year of caring for that tribal church, we have done our best. But its now a issue of politics and organsiation structure, and that we do not want to meddle.

Despite the superficial ruffles, there is a peace. I'm not sure at this time, but the Lord may be leading us to start a church within the village.

But may His will be done. Not mine.