MANILA, PHILIPPINES: CHURCH OF THE BLACK NAZARENE

January 9th every year this statue is paraded through the city in a religious celebration. The rest of the year it lies in the church where long lines of devotees file by.

Some crawl all the way from the street outside. They stroke its extended foot, poke prayer requests in scraps of paper through the openings and emote deeply.

I have wept with them over the needs they bring.

It always strengthens my resolve to tell them all that the living Jesus really does care and He answers prayer.