When you hear of a place called Payatas in the Philippines, you may picture a beautiful seaside tourist resort. On the contrary Payatas is located outside of metro Manila, to locals known as the “dump”. Payatas is not a dump as many of you would know. It is not handled in a way that protects the earth, air, water, nor the thousands of people who live on her man made mountains, “the scavengers” as their certificates read. The mountains of trash are so gigantic and treacherous that less than ten years ago a garbage slide occurred and killed over two hundred people who inhabited her banks.
(Payatas video courtesy of YouTube)
Yet, in the midst of this incomprehensible filth, toxicity and destitution, our mighty GOD Is at work, through the love, entrepreneurship and commitment of one of His most beautiful children. Her name is Marivic Goloy.
"These children are close to my heart. they are children of the lord, their parents are scavengers and often time they go to bed hungry when their parents did not collect enough garbage to buy food. How can we handle things like this, only God can help them and help us to bless them" - Maravic
Marivic is a 46 year old, 5 foot 2 inches, 115 pounds spitfire. She understands that the only way to change the desperate situation of the people is through changing the lives of the children. The only way to change the lives of these children is through education. Although the public schools are free, the supplies and uniforms are not. Without these requirements the children are unable to attend. In addition, a child cannot enter public school without having completed pre-school, which is also not a reality for the children of Payatas. Once a child has graduated from high school, college of course requires tuition dollars. If you take a moment to look at the pictures of the conditions these children live in, you realize that all of these obstacles are insurmountable without GOD working through you.
Child 1 " Hurry up we need to sell these I am hungry"
Child 2 " Can I keep it for my toy"
Child 1 "What do you want toy or food?"
On hearing this my heart melts, I can't stop the tears these children teaching me to always know my priorities, food or toy, food or dress and to be content I am learning every day" - Marivic
Do you think these children are playing? They are actually working, separating the iron and plastic from the garbage that their parents collected. After separation they will sell it and use the money to buy food, while their parents go back to the dump to collect for their next meal. Some of the parents are only educated to elementary level and do not qualify for a better job.
This mother is cleaning mineral water bottles for a better price. Unclean bottles are 5 pesos/kilo (10 US cents) clean bottles are 8 peso/kilo (13 US cents). One sack weighs 4 to 5 kilos, that will provide a one day meal for a family with 4 children.
This is where the story gets great. For twenty years Marivic Goloy has run a pre-school, only three hundred meters from the heart of the Payatas dump for the “dump children”, as they are called by the surrounding community. However, don’t let her hear you call them that, “these are not dump children, they are children of GOD”, she will tell you. There are 350 children that she teaches and cares for. She sews all of their school uniforms. She buys reams and reams of fabric by taking donations, and bartering with merchants whose businesses are on the opposite side of the island.
Once a child has completed pre-school and is able to attend public school, she meets their need for supplies as well, primarily for those who attend her bible study on Saturday morning from 8am – 10am. The payment required is to recite two Bible verses for a notebook and one Bible verse for a pen. She states “it cost money for the pens and notebooks because they need sixteen notebooks per term, but what is the cost compared to the word of GOD in their heart”.
She explains that she goes from completing her Bible study on Saturday at 10am directly to her sewing machine to begin sewing again for the required uniforms for school.
On Sunday morning she goes for her “feeding” as she calls it, meaning she goes to church to hear the word. She then leaves church and returns to Payatas where she “feeds the children”. She holds this church service for the families in Payatas every Sunday. If you take a moment digest this schedule it looks something like this. Monday – Friday: Preschool centered on the word of GOD. Saturday 8am-10am Bible study for any children in Payatas. (She shares that the ages range from 2years to 18 years and she teaches them all at the same time.) Saturday 10am – evening: sewing uniforms and attempting to gather supplies. Sunday morning: she goes to church and in the afternoon she gives the Payatas church service. If this is not enough she also runs what she calls DVBS ( Daily Vacation Bible School). Because she does not have the money to purchase a VBS program she develops her own. Beginning with the theme all the way to the decorations (all sewn by her), clear down to the lesson plans.
Danielle and Jenoselle share one bible during a Saturday bible study.
She smiles when she tells me that two weeks for her DVBS was not long enough. She needed three weeks to teach everything she wanted, “after all” she says, “the children learn fifty-three verses in three weeks.
She also supplies a Saturday breakfast program. She tries to ensure that all the children who attend her Bible study class on Saturday morning receive at least a glass of milk. “How are they going to be able to learn the word of GOD with their stomachs rumbling?” she says, “they can’t concentrate when they are hungry”.
Chrysalma helps little Angel, her neighbor.
I asked her, “with all you are trying to accomplish, what is it that you most need right now?” Without hesitation, she answered “prayer”, then she paused and said “and a new sewing machine”. Marivic lives and serves in conditions that you and I would probably find appalling and uninhabitable, and yet she sees nothing but opportunity and hope. My husband and I live in a home that has more bedrooms, space and land than two people would ever need. I asked her, “Marivic, do you think that how some of us live is sinful?” She looked at me puzzled for a moment then replied, “of course not, if all people lived poor, then who would help us? GOD is teaching you to share.”
There is a verse I have learned through Open Bibles Institute of Theology by Extension course work, it reads from Paul to the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” During Marivic’s stay with me I said to her, “you are the most Christ like person I have ever met.” She replied not by saying thank you taking any credit for herself) but instead gazed her beautiful brown eyes up to the heavens and said “thank you Lord”. In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Marivic Goloy truly lives as Christ has directed.
This ministry is funded solely upon the dollars Marivic can raise. As you can see, the community in which she lives is not capable of supplying the needs of these children of GOD. That is why we share her story. So that people like you can search your heart and give to this holy cause.
This site is updated monthly to enable you to see your gifts in action.
