YOU ARE HERE!
| Our ministry
to children |
We minister regularly to poor children near Tagbilaran City, which is on the main Bohol Island. We now have several programs for children:
Dump Outreach — Kids' Club Outreaches
Student Education Sponsorship — Graduation Party
Overview: we feed children daily at Charlie's Lunch; we feed children weekly at several poor areas; we sponsor education for needy children; we provide short-term housing for street kids, and long-term housing for kids who are ready for the transition.
ARMS OF LOVE CHILDREN’S HOME
There are many children who live on the
When the other half of the children's home is constructed, the site in Lourdes will have a total capacity of
The Arms of Love Children's Home was built in partnership with our good friends at Arms of Love. More information about the children's home is here.
 For the children, we try to maintain many facets of the way of life in the Philippines; for example, the children wash their clothes by hand, help with the animals, and work in the garden. |
 |
 Our kids are learning how to give to others; here, one of our boys is giving a Christmas gift (a stuffed animal) to a child from another local orphanage. |
CHARLIE’S LUNCH PROGRAM
(Daily Feeding Program)
So what is "Charlie's Lunch"? Dale Walker (the Director of the Vineyard Philippines Ministry Team) has a sister in South America whose son Charlie was always giving away his lunch to poor kids, even when he was in kindergarten. Charlie Stewart died of a heart condition at age 13, but shortly after he died, a few children came to their door asking for food, so his parents gave them a meal in Charlie's old lunch-box. The next day, several more children came to their door. That's how "Charlie's Lunch" started, and we hope this program grows to feed poor children all over the world.
We kicked-off this program in Bohol on February 29, 2000 with "Charlie's Dinner" for poor children and street kids. Right now, we feed about 60-85 malnourished kids each weekday; a typical meal is rice, fish, and vegetables, with plain water to drink. These kids live by a small landing strip known here as the "airport;" many of the children's families are squatters on the adjacent property. For many of these children, this is their only large and nutritious meal of the day; some of them walk a mile each way to eat lunch here. The kids make the place ring as they sing "He Knows My Name" (a Tommy Walker song), or "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine;" after worship, they have a brief Bible lesson.
Gepsie Yucyuc
 The kids will have a time of worship while their food is being put on plates by volunteers. |
|
 Some boys enjoying the food at Charlie's Lunch. |
CHARLIE’S HOUSE DROP-IN CENTER
Charlie's House is for abused and abandoned children who need a place to stay. The kids will be at Charlie's House anywhere from one night to a few months; some of the kids will eventually transition to the children's home. In Bohol, street kids may end up in jail because there is no other place for them, besides street gangs where young children hang out with older kids just to get food.
 Phoebe Paña and her husband José are the houseparents at the Charlie's House drop-in center. |
|
These children were starving for love, and it's so heart-warming to see them respond to love and care. For the first time in their lives, they're experiencing safety and security. They are rapidly learning about the love of Jesus as well, and they sing worship songs joyfully.
Charlie's House is currently located in a two-story, five-bedroom house a few doors down from the Tagbilaran City church.
SPONSORING A CHILD’S EDUCATION
The Tagbilaran City church started a program of sponsoring the educational expenses for neighborhood children. We began in September 1999 with 10 children and now (winter 2003), thanks to caring donors in the U.S. and Canada, we now sponsor over
|
In April 2003, one of our sponsored kids was chosen by his school to speak at their graduation ceremony. Just think: without our sponsorship program, he might not have even been in school! |
| |
In Bohol, education isn't expensive by Western standards, but it isn't free. The children's parents are faced with a tough decision — feed their children's minds or their bodies — there's not much of a choice to be made. Sometimes parents must let their children alternate school years — one child attends school this year, the other child waits for the next school year. Yet, for only $7 U.S. per child per month, we have been able to provide for their education, and to show thir families the love of Jesus in a real and practical way.
While the parents are responsible for raising their children, we take the financial responsibility for each child's school uniforms, shoes and socks, backpacks, supplies such as pencils and paper, tuition and all school fees, and even toothbrushes and toothpaste. These expenses are the things that most often keep the children from being able to have an education. In the Philippines, children attend grade school for six years, then high school for four years.
The students in this program must maintain a good attendance record and earn grades over 75%. The children and their parent/guardian must attend regular meetings; families must regularly attend services at the church of their choice, and must be honest in reporting their status and obtaining assistance.
If you agree to sponsor a child, you will receive the child's photo, an occasional card or letter from the child, amd a year-end receipt for your tax-deductible contribution. We always need more sponsors!
YES, I want to become a sponsor! Sign me up!
[ If you have JavaScript disabled, click here. ]
Notes to sponsors: If you want to send letters to your sponsored child, you may mail them to the Student Sponsorship Program at our office landmail address; please do not include your last name or home address, to protect your privacy. If you want to send small gift items, remember that these kids would be delighted with even a pencil or pen; items should cost less than $10 U.S. These children usually do not have access to audio-video equipment such as cassette players or VCRs. For questions regarding the sponsorship program, contact us by email.
TO TOP OF THIS PAGE
GRADUATION PARTY FOR CHILDREN
IN EDUCATION SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM
Here, the school year is from June to March, so in March, we give a huge graduation party for all the kids in our education sponsorship program. We give the kids gifts related to education, such as notebooks and scientific calculators (which are expensive in the Philippines). This is a time to honor the efforts and diligence of all the children, but also a time for us to spend in fun and fellowship with entire families as we show them the love of Jesus and lead them to His saving grace.
DUMP OUTREACH
|
 A typical sight at the local dump: poor people going through the trash looking for food and useable items. |
Our young people are welcomed by the children as they run out of the clouds of toxic smoke in order to have their Bible lesson and meal. The children and adults often have infected burns, cuts, and abrasions from digging through the smoldering trash piles; so we also schedule times to go in and treat their physical wounds while hoping that our prayers and the love of Jesus we bring will help to heal their emotional wounds.
 Two of our leadership school students lead a game for all the children at the dump. |
|
“KIDS’ CLUB” OUTREACHES
Each Saturday, our Kids' Club ministers to about 500 kids and about 85 adults (their parents) at Bible studies held in four different areas. Many of the kids could use a bath and some clothes, but at present we only have the resources to give them one small meal or snack each
Each week, we go to four areas for Kids' Club: Gallares, Lamdagan, Lourdes, and Totolan.
— GALLARES KIDS' CLUB
Gallares is a squatter area; the people live directly over the ocean shore, with raw sewage underneath their huts. The huts are built on stilts, so at high tide the sewage washes out. But low tide can be an awful sight, with a terrible smell.
— LAMDAGAN KIDS' CLUB
The Tagbilaran City church is located on Lamdagan Street. The word "lamdagan" means "lighting," as in "lighting up an area;" that is what we are trying to do as a church, light up our area with Jesus, through friendship evangelism.
After worship and a lesson, the kids usually have a fun game. Then their favorite part: food! |
|
TO TOP OF THIS PAGE
— TOTOLAN KIDS' CLUB
Totolan is a small sea-village on Panglao Island, across the bridge from Tagbilaran City (1.5 miles away). We have been ministering as a team in Totolan since 1997. Most of the village's adults are fishermen. We come to Totalan each Saturday to feed the children, and also lead Bible studies for the children and adults.
In September 1998, the Totolan kids' parents asked us to come on Sundays to hold a weekly worship service in the evening.
These are some of the squatters' houses in Totolan, with Tagbilaran City in the background across the water. |
Some of the children in Totolan during worship. |
|
The Totolan ministry now reaches about 80 children at Kids' Club, where they can receive physical and spiritual nourishment.
Island Impact's e-mail address is john@islandimpact.org.
Web-site address: http://www.islandimpact.org
All photos ©John Mory except where noted otherwise.
Web-site design by James.com; send questions to webteam@james.com.