Authorpreneur Dashboard – Natalie Ruth Vellacott
They’re Rugby Boys, Don’t You Know?
Christian Books & Bibles
ALL AUTHOR ROYALTIES FROM THE SALE OF THIS BOOK GO DIRECTLY TO THE CHARITY “OLONGAPO CHRISTIAN HELP AND HOPE” FOR THE ONGOING WORK IN THE PHILIPPINES AMONGST THE BOYS ABUSING SOLVENTS AND OTHERS IN POVERTY… A true story detailing how a Christian Police Sergeant from England boarded the Logos Hope Missionary Ship in 2011 and was forever changed when, in the Philippines, she unexpectedly encountered and fell in love with a group of street teenage boys addicted to a solvent called "rugby." The book details the highlights and lowlights, ups and downs, trials and tribulations, successes and failures of the Logos Hope crew as they defied local attitudes to slowly and carefully befriend this side-lined and often detested minority. You will read of hospital visitations, breaches of trust, criminal activity, gang fights and numerous disappointments, but ultimately you will read of the changes in the lives of just a few of the boys who decided to leave the street and the solvents for better future lives. It goes without saying that these small changes made the heartache and struggles worthwhile. A true story of Christian hope being brought to the hopeless in the Philippines...
Book Bubbles from They’re Rugby Boys, Don’t You Know?
Animal-like Behaviour due to Solvent Addiction
This is from the chapter "My Wake Up Call" and it really was. I guess I assumed that because God had given me special compassion for these boys that I would never cross the line into the camp that didn't even see them. I asked myself the honest question "Am I becoming immune to the suffering around me due to seeing it so regularly?" The next stage was finding a strategy to make sure this would never happen again; prayer.
Solvent Boys Visit Logos Hope!
This was definitely my favourite day during our work with the street teens abusing solvents in the Philippines (rugby boys.) Their visit to the ship was total mayhem but the way the Logos Crew managed them was a true example of Christian compassion in action.
The Worst Moment
This was the point in our ministry when I really wondered what we had got into in trying to help these boys. The solvents turned them into violent, aggressive gangster types, a complete contrast to what we generally saw the rest of the time. The fact that there was a division in the group inspired us to continue as we could see that at least some of the boys really wanted to change. It was hard to remember that they were still just children and that underneath the angry exterior was a hurting boy desperately seeking hope in his otherwise hopeless life.
Most Emotional Moment
There were many of these moments during our work with the street teens, but I had definitely become closer to Paul over the period. I think this was because I sensed that underneath the aggression and bravado there was a young neglected unloved boy crying out for attention and help. I also saw qualities in him that were missing from some of the other boys; he was basically trustworthy and his loyalty once gained wasn't easily lost, even by us as strangers. But then I found out that he was seriously ill...
Most Dangerous Moment
Unitl this incident occurred I had thought we were really making progress in building relationships with the street teens. They were still using solvents everyday but seemed more receptive to us and more inclined to do what we asked of them. However, any illusions I was under were shattered within a 10 minute time block as the boys immediately reverted to their natural street instincts when faced with confrontation from a rival group. Whilst I was disappointed by their response, it was a lesson in not making assumptions about their loyaties....!
