They're Rugby Boys, Don't You Know? by Natalie Vellacott

ALL AUTHOR ROYALTIES ARE DONATED 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 sidelined 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. . .

"As I approached the bridge leading back to the Logos Hope ship, I saw a lone figure standing in the shadows watching the people walking past. He was unsteady on his feet and rocking backwards and forwards holding a plastic bag in his hand. As I moved nearer, I saw it was Mark. He ran away when he saw me and tried to hide but didn’t get very far and so he sat on the ground, behind a large pillar, in the shadows, breathing heavily. I sat beside him on the ground, which was dirty and really stank, and when I put my arm around his shoulders I smelt the intoxicatingly strong smell of the solvent.

The boys had recently stopped taking “rugby” and had moved on to a door sealant called “Vuca Seal” which was stronger. It was all over him and he reeked of it. I covered my nose. I remember this was the only time where the thought ran through my mind that I could see how addiction to this smell was created because it was really intoxicating. I knew I needed to be careful not to breathe much of it in, but Mark was really very high. He was vacant and staring ahead, and then he began crying again as I tried to talk to him. I asked him why he was doing this to himself and what was it that had made him so unhappy, but he didn’t answer.

Mark got up and stumbled away as I watched him go. I followed and tried to talk to him again, sharing a bit of my life before I became a Christian and how miserable I had been. His hopelessness reminded me of my old life when I was immersed in drink, gambling and meaningless relationships. I knew Mark was listening as I shared the hope that I had found in Jesus with him, but he didn’t respond. Eventually, I had to leave him, alone and staring vacantly ahead of himself hanging over a railing. I was really worried that he wouldn’t make it through the night if he took any more solvents...."