by Jenna Graham, Midland Alliance Church
Today we prepared ourselves for the dump. We had debrief with Sam. She talked to us about what we were going to see and what to expect. Then we took the bus to the market to buy fruit for the people in the dump and the people living outside the dump. Then we made our way to the dump, nothing could prepare us for what we saw.
There’s no way to describe the smell these people are living in. we started handing out the fruit, and as we were walking I happened to see a middle-age girl sitting in the trash sorting out garbage. So I went over to her to give her a fruit and tried to talk to her. And as I got closer I realized she was pregnant. This girl who lives in the dump all by herself, with no family, is going to have a baby. I don’t know why, but this was the most shocking thing that I saw. I was expecting people, I was expecting sadness, but I was not expecting that.
As we got on the bus to leave the dump and started to drive, Sam pointed out that there was a jail on the left. The people in that jail we better off than the people in the dump. It is heartbreaking to think that I only have five more days here and that we will be leaving these people.
That night we had debrief. Were Sam asked us to choose one word to describe your experience at the dump. I said hope. I said this because even though they are digging through trash for the means to feed their family, when I said “Hola” and gave them a piece of fruit, you can see the hope in their eyes. And I know God has a plan for everyone of those people.
They are in the worst circumstances possible and for them to even have a smile on their face is indescribable.
I just want to leave you with a quote “the simplest of life allows people to live.”
Jenna, what an awesome testimony as to what God is doing in and through you on this trip. We're praying for all of you daily. Give Mad, Tay, and Brad a great big hug from each of us. Love you all!!