“Maligayang Pasko!”
By John Coffey
Christmas
is just around the corner, but in the Philippines people have been hanging up
Christmas lights and playing festive music since September. The anticipation
for Christmas by Filipinos is immense and unparalleled. However, many Filipino
children have yet to experience the true meaning of Christmas and to experience
the love, peace, and joy of Christ. This is why each year we host multiple
Christmas parties in Manila – to share the joy of Christ with the street
children.
I want to personally thank all of our supporters who have
given so generously to our programs at IT Tender, to our sponsor children, and
to the Christmas parties. Thanks to your compassion, the children in Manila
have an opportunity to hear the message of Christ, to receive Christmas gifts
and hygiene supplies, and to receive groceries for their families. My team has
been working exceptionally hard this year in preparation of Christmas and I
couldn't be blessed with a more dedicated and passionate group of workers. IT
Tender aims to provide gifts and parties for over 200 street kids this year.
I'm proud of my team for all their efforts this season in my absence. This is
the first time in several years that I am celebrating Christmas with my family
in Canada while on furlough for two months. Please continue to pray for my team
and our programs as they continue empowering the community for God's glory.
Have a wonderful Christmas season. "Maligayang
Pasko!" ("Merry Christmas!")
 |
IT Tender Team; 2013
Back
Row L-R: Karin Jose, Lorna Carro, Cecille DeJesus, Jizza Magallanes
Front Row L-R: Gabby Malquisto, John Coffey, Jamielyn Torres
Food For Life
By Karin Jose
On
November 28th we started our Food For Life feeding program in
Putatan – one of the areas where our Night Life program was launched earlier
this year. From running the Night Lifeprogram, which caters to youth, we saw
the great need for the children in this community of simple makeshift houses
along an active railway. We realized the children needed a program more suited
to their age and their needs – food and fun! We also saw that the program
needed to be run at a time of day that was more suitable for younger children
to attend.
This
program runs Wed-Fri between 5:30pm and 7pm and caters to 51 children ages
5-12, almost all whom are considered underweight or malnourished. We run a
simple program of singing, games, story telling and feeding. After only one
week we can tell the program will be a fun, chaotic adventure but we are so
excited that by Gods grace we will be able to continue with it in 2014 and look
forward to building lasting relationships with our kids and the community of
Putatan.
We offer a special thank you to Action
International for sponsoring the food for this program through
Feed My Starving Children
Food
For Life clients: Rosary, Ereckson & Chrisantha Mae
(Mae-Mae)
PRAISE
·
The
opportunity for IT Tender Director John Coffey to spend Christmas with his
family in Canada
·
The
launching of not only Food For Life Putatan, but also the feeding program of
our partner church ‘Jesus Our Hope’. Thank you Ontario Christian Gleaners for
providing the food for this program.
·
The
opportunity to start working alongside partner organisationsand the local
barangay in Sitio Aplaya, Sucat
·
The
amazing generosity of friends and partners around the world who have given
financially to support our fundraising effort for our Christmas Parties and
grocery giving for our clients
·
The
visit from Extreme Response International whofinancially supported and personally
assisted IT Tender in hosting our Christmas party for the beneficiaries of our
educational programs
PRAYERS
·
Peace
of mind and financial provision for IT Tender missionary Cecille de Jesus who
requires urgent surgery to remove a large cyst (for further information or ways to support Cecille, please contact
karin.jose@iteams.org)
·
The
upcoming Christmas parties for the clients on our Food For Life and Night Life
programs and for strength and energy for the team as they host them
·
Fellow
Filipinos living in the areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda. Although IT Tender
was not directly affected, we continue to stand alongside our fellow countrymen
in prayer
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