Have a Little Faith: Fixing Broken Childhoods in the Philippines

By Lesley Gomez

An extraordinary testimony of lives changed through kindness, courage, prayer, and grace. Lesley's heart was broken at just twenty-two, by the hopelessness she saw in the faces of little children struggling to survive extreme poverty in the Philippines. She had volunteered from England as a nurse for six months, but stayed on to care for the street people. Now, with her husband Peter (a Filipino pastor), she has devoted her life to serving the poor, venturing into dire situations to rescue child prostitutes, criminals, addicts, and the homeless. This book tells their stories, and through them the story of God's amazing ways as Lesley established Life And More Abundant Ministries, a charity for the relief of poverty, and LAMA House, a residential home for abandoned, neglected, or abused boys. The book is filled with graphic accounts: a violent gangster made tender; a suicidal addict snatched from the brink; a teenage daughter sold into prostitution; tragedy on a colossal scale in the great earthquake that hit Luzon. There are many horror stories, but again and again they are turned around for good.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Monarch Books
• Release date: Jan 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9780857215055

Lesley Gomez

Lesley Gomez left England at 22 to serve as a missionary in the Philippines. Today she and her husband Peter run LAMA, a charity and safe house for the abandoned boys of the streets.

Reviews for Have a Little Faith

[sparkleandchico · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I got hold of this book after reading a free sample online and I also contacted the author as we are in similar areas of Mission work. I found on reading the first chapters that the author's experience with the children abusing solvents in the Philippines was virtually identical to my own even down to the words she used to describe the way they behaved when under the influence of the drug. Also her emotions in connection with this and the attitudes of the local people were similar to my own experience. The author takes many of these teens into her house (she is married) and basically learns by doing, always having an open door for them to return and trying to teach them the Gospel by showing love to them. She experiences many trials, heartaches and discouragements in the process but perseveres. Later she begins an organisation LAMA ministries and spends periods of time with Jackie Pullinger in Hong Kong.

I found this book to be a compelling read but I was concerned by several things; one is the independence of a lot of this work and also at times the authors attitude towards those that were trying to teach her especially the Filipinos. I believe they wanted to protect her and ensure things were done in a wise way but the author tends to dismiss them. Also the work with JP in Hong Kong. I don't think it is wise for a single woman to be living-in with a group of 15 men addicted to heroin in any circumstances as it just doesn't look right to non-believers. I'm sure the motives were good...

I also don't subscribe to a lot of the authors doctrinal views as they are much more charismatic than my own. I think this book taught me a lot; both about what to do and what to avoid.