The prisons of Manila
Prisons in Manila, the Philippines, are incarcerating children (as many as 20,000) as young as 6 years old behind bars. The conditions are awful as the picture above shows - much like human chicken cages, a situation that they may have to suffer for years on end. By law they ought not to be in prison so young, but apparently the major of Manila doesn't give a damn, even though all it is that these kids may have done is sniff glue, steal something to eat due to hunger etc.
I must say, the TV report showing all the blank and hopeless faces of these precious children is haunting me and has really upset me. Please join with me in praying for change.
Have a look at Father Shay Cullen's Preda Foundation webpage for more info.
"People were bringing little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples scolded them, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, 'Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs." (Mark 10:13-14)
posted by Chris Tilling @ 9:14 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
wow, this is terrible. I will pray, along with you Chris, for these children and that the heart of the major of Manila will be changed.
Also pray that God would raise up Christians to intervene in that country to both help and pray for these children.
Yes, Amen. It truly was a heart-rending TV programme, and it has provoked some "sighs too deep for words" prayer.
P.S. I'm really enjoying your blog at the mo!
And it's not just in Manila. Things done to children in our Western nations are equally atrocious. Working with street kids I see many things in Canadian cities that people assume only take place in Asia or other "exotic" destinations (eg. child prostitution is just as booming in Vancouver and Toronto as it is in Thailand). I know a lot of kids that have gone through horrible things (beatings, rapes, etc.) at the hands of police officers, court officials and jail guards (a youth jail in Toronto was recently shut down because the guards watched a youth hang himself and didn't do anything to prevent him... that was the "straw" that broke the camels back).
Sigh.
I'm sure things aren't so different in England or Germany either. It's just not as newsworthy because then we might discover our own culpability. We might have to do something more than praying...
Anyway, I'm enjoying your blog now that I have time to read it again. I'll get off my soapbox.
Peace,
Dan
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