Theresa P is a -year-old orphan and wants to go to college to study social
work to help others. She is very kind, considerate, gentle, and brave. God has been moving in her heart and life. She is very
active in the local church youth group, and she is highly recommended for college sponsorship by the youth leaders.
Her mother, Jecel, passed away when Theresa was 9. Jecel died from thyroid storm at 34; she had a goiter. Jecel
had married a kind man when Theresa was little and they had three boys together. Theresa is the oldest of her siblings.
But because her step-father was not biologically related, the extended family of Jecel took Theresa in after her mother's death.
She moved around to different family members.
It was expected for her to work many chores to earn her keep. She was treated poorly and endured
difficulties. She was treated poorly and endured difficulties.
Now that she is an adult, she has moved into the church to assist Nedy in her work as youth and music minister at the church.
Here is a note from Theresa:
"I'm going to study social work at the Christ the King University here in Gingoog City. I like music and admiring God's creation, watching the beautiful sky, mountains, and sea. It is satisfying to the soul, the beauty is so good, it is imperfect, but yet WOW! My life is not as easy, yet God never lets me down. He loves me and cares for me despite my behavior. I have learned I should not worry about anything, but pray for it and trust God, for the Lord will bless me with His love and my future is in His hands and I know It will be good."
"I didn't have friends when I was a kid. I kept avoiding anyone who approached me because I was insecure. I remember the day Kuya Marko and Ate Patty arrived here in the Philippines, I met a lot of kids that I could play with. And that's when I met everyone who cares about me.
Jeremiah 29:11 says 'For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.' So I'll just believe."
She recently graduated from Liceo University with a Bachelor's of Science in Medical Technology. In the Philippines, this is the most common course for undergraduates to prepare for Medical School. Her competition has been pre-med students, so it's been pretty intense. She loves what she is learning and has wanted to work in a laboratory since high school.
Since the Pandemic, a year and a half of her college education has been online, without hands-on laboratory. She took the initiative during that time to volunteer at a nearby laboratory so she could put into practice what she has been learning. Many of the other students asked her for help, as she learned so much through her volunteer hands-on practice hours.
She is currently in Manila taking a very extensive board review course for 6 months before she can sit for her board exam in March 2025.
She is a light for Jesus wherever she goes. Medical Technicians are in demand in the Philippines and abroad, so she will have great opportunities for employment following her passing the boards. The laboratory she volunteered at loved her and would like to hire her along with many other opportunities that have presented to her this last year. She will in turn help her younger sibling complete school. Her love for Jesus is contagious wherever she goes.
For employment to provide food, shelter, medical, housing, school needs and transportation for his
family would be $180 a month. So 6 sponsors at $30/mo could help this precious family of 5.
Maki () was born and raised in Pandan Village, a squatter village outside of Gingoog City. His father a fisherman for a small local fish called Tamban. When we had met Maki he had dropped out of school and was one of the local youth hanging out and up to no good. Through the years he slowly became involved in the music ministry and the basketball team. Marko had the privilege to lead him to the Lord. He has been faithfully serving and working at Subangan since it started in 2012 until today.
Since growing up he decided to return to high school and complete his education through a local GED type program.
In the recent flood his house was completely destroyed.
We helped him rebuild two small houses for the 22 extended family members that live there (including his wife and
2 children.) His work consists of building and repairing the play equipment at Subangan Cares, and marketing and cooking for the daily feeding program,
and serving and supervising the children that come to play there.
To help his family and the kids at Subangan, we need your support.
Roger has a very similar story to Maki.
Roger was born and raised in Pandan Village, a squatter village outside of
Gingoog City. His father is a fisherman for a small local fish called Tamban
(sardines). When we had met Roger he had dropped out of school and was
one of the local youth hanging out and up to no good. Through the years he
slowly became involved in the music ministry. Marko had the privilege to
lead him to the Lord.
He is naturally a quiet person. He has been faithfully
serving and working at Subangan since it started in 2012, except a short
time where he went to Manila for work to help support his family.
Since growing up he decided to return to high school and complete his
education through a local GED type program. He supports his family
members that live in a small bamboo house.
Their house was completely destroyed in the recent flood. The shoreline where his house was is gone,
moved inland about 15-20 feet. One of the only spaces in the village that
remained to build on, is over a slough. So recently his house got rebuilt
there. He doesn’t have a girlfriend nor is he married. His mom is a frail
asthmatic. His consistent salary helps his family to eat regularly and helps his mom when she needs medical attention.
Roger’s work is building and repairing the play equipment at Subangan
Cares, and marketing and cooking for the daily feeding program, and
serving and supervising the children that come to play and learn at Subangan Cares.
To help him help his family and the kids at Subangan Cares, we need your support.
Annamae is years old, and was one of our Nehemiah girls. Her
daughter Alexa is . Annamae was removed from her home at 15yo because of
abuse and lived at a residential safe house for girls in the Philippines until
she graduated high school. She went on to college through sponsorship.
She finished her degree in Social Work, because she wanted to help others
as she has been helped. She now works at a hospital as a social worker
and is the head of her department. She understands how to navigate and
help others get the medical assistance they need for a hospitalization or a
surgery. She has helped us with the on-boarding of new students. And has
helped advise us in some of necessities in college in the Philippines for our
students. She has helped house students and is helping her younger sister
attend college. She has helped some of our students in Cagayan de Oro be
plugged in and encouraged in church life while they are attending school
away from home. Though she is professional, her salary is not large
enough to support herself, pay rent and childcare, and finance her mentally
ill older sister’s psychiatric medications. If she can’t afford childcare she
would move back home for free childcare from her family and thus expose
her daughter to the potential same abuses she suffered growing up, not to
mention expose herself to the chaos and dysfunction of her childhood home. Please consider helping her continue her journey to rise out of
poverty and abuse.
Some of you may remember Judith. She has been a regular attendee at
Bible studies for years. We helped her get her goiter removed in 2013. Judith's
husband died from electrocution in 2022. She is now widowed and didn’t
know how she would support her family of 5 children. We have helped with
monthly rice, and we have hired her so she can provide for her family. Judith
has been helping clean the church and its surroundings daily. Those that
live at the church have been so grateful for her help as Pastor Ben and
Pastor Edith have become elderly. Judith is self-motivated, a great worker, and
super grateful for having a job that provides for her needs and her
family. The church leadership could not help but give wonderful feedback
and compliments on Judith's work. They are so grateful for her consistent and joyful help.
Judith's kids are doing well and are active at church. Steven says “they never miss.”
It will
cost $171/mo to help her.
We invested in the Roy’s family after their father had a stroke at 45 years old. We employed him with his disability for 4 years until his passing in 2018. Now his surviving wife Marilyn continues to raise their youngest children. She has a couple of adult children that are helping her financialy to the best of their abilities. She needs assistance with consistent food. Marylin helps out at Subangan Cares a couple hours every day during the feeding time, and we provide her a 50kg bag of rice monthly in exchange.