The Children’s Home
By Pastor John Basiwa
It's been my
prayer and dream to start a Christian Orphanage since 1994, after I found out
that the government orphanage I had previously volunteered at was sold to a
private sector organization. I found out
that the street children who had been living there were either back living on
the street or had been transferred to other institutions where they experienced
abuse. I didn’t know how my desire would become reality, but from then until
now I just kept on praying and doing what God wants me to do!
My wife Gela
and I started the IT Tender Ministry in August 2000. Without much funding but
by God's grace and provision, we are able to fed 60-70 street children, were
able to reconcile hundreds of street children to their families and we saw
children and young people recover from solvent sniffing.
The vision
grew and in 2008, we are able to start a drop-in center where many more street
children, youth and families received help and came to know the Lord. After 5 years
the existing dream of having a Christian Orphanage became clearer but I
thought, this will take 10 - 15 more years before it will happen. However, this
year in 2013, God opened the door of opportunity to start an orphanage called the
"Children's Home".
The Lord has
reminded me of what He says in Isaiah 55:8-9 ‘For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts.’
We have found
a house already fitted to be a functioning children’s home where we will be
able to provide for 10 neglected, abandoned street boys ages 6 to 12 years old.
My family has already moved in as we will also be living there for one year but
the full operation will begin in September.
We are currently in the process of hiring people who will work with us:
social worker, care givers, and cook.
Prayers:
- · My family who will live with the 10 boys
- · God's provision for the completion of the 3rd floor where my family will stay at the children’s home
- · Please pray for God's provision for all the needs
- · For a quick process in the Registration in DSWD
- · Transition of IT Tender into new Leadership – one of our current IT Tender workers John Coffey will be taking over this role as Gela and I focus on the Children’s Home from June 2014
We will
continue to serve as consultants of IT Tender Ministry and are willing to help
when required ....we want to encourage you to continue your support of IT
Tender Ministry through prayers and whatever capacity you can.
- In His service,Pastor John, Gela and our kids Jarick and JMA Step of FaithCecille De Jesus
It’s been almost five years since I started to work for God and I am still continually seeking what I can do to help children, especially with their mental needs through education. One of the problems for every family in the Napacoor community that IT Tender serves is that a lack of education hinders the children from having a good future in life.This problem led to starting an educational program for basic teaching called ‘Simula (Beginning) Learning Center’. This opened up an opportunity for me to teach and share my God given talent in teaching. It was hard at first - a lot of preparation was required in order to accomplish the things needed for the program, especially because I’m not a college degree holder or a teacher by profession. This made it quite a challenge for me to manage the program.As of now the program has been running for one year using a curriculum guide and some research to help me to do the teaching for the children, but this was not enough. I know that I am still lacking in my role as a teacher and this gives me the desire to go to college and take up my BSED Early Childhood Education. I am eager to learn more about formal teaching for the children and to become a more effective teacher to them. This plan is a big step of faith and I have entrusted my dream to our mighty God, knowing that He can make all impossible things possible.
The SLC Day Care students who I will continue to teach
during my studiesFor almost a year I’ve been waiting for God to answer my prayer of being able to go back to school. This has now been answered and I have received support to pursue my educational needs. Preparing myself for the entrance examination and interview made me nervous and as the days passed by I struggled with waiting for the result of the examination. That feeling passed when I saw my name on the passer’s list in the bulletin board! Experiencing mixed emotions, I wanted to cry, jump and shout when I saw my name on the list. An assessment was done through an interview with the Vice President of Teacher College of Education course at the University and after passing the interview I took another examination for the area I will be majoring in. I passed the final examination and I am now officially enrolled! I will balance my schedule this year as I teach at the SLC Day Care while attending college.Blessings!!May you be blessed as we share how God has been so gracious for the past month of May!· For the success of the 1 week Summer Pre-Trial Class of SIMULA (Beginning) Learning Center and for the blessing of 2 young beautiful Volunteers: Michelle Wong and Bianca. Also for the provision of snacks by Mr. Danny Wong· For the Microsoft Excel Training lead by the Helen Roberts, each of the program coordinators had the opportunity to receive professional advice in improving our systems in monitoring their beneficiaries with the use of the excel· For the success of John Coffey’s mission trip together with his church mates from Canada to the youth in Kalinga, Apayao· For being part of the significant events held by our partner churches: the Launching of Jesus Our Hope Church in Sucat, Muntinlupa and the Anniversary of Lord Jesus Bible Church-Pasong Kawayan in Cavite· For the blessing of the healthy soup mix where thousands of children could be fed from Ontario Christian Gleaners in Canada· For the provision and physical strength as the ministry staff conducted its general cleaning at the center· For the blessing of new 4 laptops, 50 monoblock chairs, 1 digital camera, 6 new office desks and other office needs· For the provision and your prayers as Cecille is now officially enrolled in college taking up Bachelor of Science in Education major in Early Childhood Development. This will contribute a lot as she continues to lead the Day Care program· And most especially for the Almighty who never stops providing the ministry and the staff needs, for the blessing of good health, wisdom, peace, protection, and joy and laughter as we minister to the street children and people from poor communities. TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!!!Prayers· For the success and provision of wisdom as the ministry will have an opportunity to conduct a Sunday School Training with an Orientation of Children’s Rights to our partner Jesus Our Hope Church this coming June 4· For the success and guidance for the annual Orientation and Memorandum of Agreement Signing to be held in the 1st and 2nd week of June of all the 4 sub-programs under Sponsor A Child Now· For the provision of school supplies for the beneficiaries of HAKBANG (Footsteps) Sponsorship Program· For the provision and guidance for the enrolment of Jizza Magallanes this coming month of May taking up Social Work course· For the success and travelling mercy as Jizza will attend a Child Sexual Abuse Seminar in Stairway Foundation, Puerto Galera this coming June 13 to 15· For the provision of ministry’s needs to have new office supplies as the school year is about to start· For the success and provision as the ministry staff will undergo a training about Children’s Ministry this month of June· For regular monthly donors who will support IT Tender Ministry in any amount – helping with our operational costs, as we our currently praying fervently to be able to continue paying the rent for our drop-in center which is the heart of our operations· For the provision and guidance as the ministry is about to launch the SMART Kids program which aim to serve the children ages 1 to 3 years old this coming month of July· For our God to continue showering the ministry with guidance, blessing of safety and good health and provision for its needs as it reaches out to the street children the children from poor communities
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