Featured Story

December 2005

	From Our Home To Yours
	Remarkable Changes Over Four Years Of Ministry

 

 

 

From Our Home To Yours

At Christmas, when the children write letters to their sponsors, we always receive a few extra letters that are written to all of our supporters. We would like to share a few of those letters here. The letters written by our children in Nicaragua were written in Spanish and then translated by our staff in Nicaragua; the children in the Philippines have learned English as a second language.

May God bless you and your family during this Christmas season!

Dear friends,

I hope you and your family are in good health and doing well in your job.

I like to write you because I want you to know that I am well and I am learning a lot of things. I receive classes at home with a teacher.

I am happy because Christmas is approaching. I love December because we decorate the house with Christmas accessories, we bake biscuits, we are giving special meals and besides all the girls are in vacation and we go out to have a good day. By the way, tomorrow we are all going to the property (la finca) in Jinotepe. I am anxious to go there.

Thanks for everything. May God bless you in this pretty Christmas.

Gloria Yadira Bermudez Medal
Nicaragua

 

Dear friends,

I am happy being able to greet you this day and wish you well being and blessings.

I want to share with you that this school year has been a very special one for me. I have got good school grades. I have participated in many school activities and I have realized scientific school projects where I have had a highly mentioned participation.

I owe it all to you. For the love you have given me so I can get ahead and to be a professional girl in the future, and for having been able to fulfill my goals so you can feel proud because of me.

I want to end this letter desiring a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year for you.

Marling Yessenia Contreras
Nicaragua

 

Dear sponsors,

First of all I would like to greet you first Mabuhay! I do hope God will continue to shower his blessings and pour out his love to your family.

Anyway, I just want to tell you about my life in the school. I'm doing good in my academic subjects. Presently, I am Grade 6 level at Grace Christian High School in Tag. City, Bohol, and I am expecting to graduate this coming March 2006. That's why I study very well because I want that my family will be proud of me. My ambition in life is to become a successful nautical someday so that I can help my family in the future.

We celebrated the children's month culmination program last October 29, 2005. During the said activity, I am very busy especially when it comes to preparation of food. I helped the staff on cooking and obey on what they are telling me to do.

The night of the celebration, we performed a modern dance no. entitled "Open the Eyes" and I showed my best in dancing. We also performed a chorale song entitled "Only Selfless Love" with the children in the Arms of Love.

I will spend my Christmas here in the Arms of Love with the children. I wish we will be having party and fireworks.

I wish that you will also be happy and enjoy during Christmas Day. I also pray that the whole world still attain peace and prosperity, and God will also bless your family with love, peace and joy.

Thank you very much for supporting me.

Arthur Monton
Philippines

 

Dear friends,

My warmest greetings to you! May the light of God always shine in your heart, giving you joy and love.

Our second grading period ended last week. I am excited to see my card. In school, I'm happy because I understand the lessons. Sometimes, I help my classmate when she can't understand the discussion. In my second grading period exams, I know with God's help I can pass. Please pray that I will get good grades on the third grading period.

Last October 29, we had our Children's Month Culmination Program. Before that, we practice a dance and song number. The girls dance the "Pandanggo sa Ilaw." The boys also dance. I did the invocation. I was nervous when I said the invocation. When I dance, I am not nervous anymore. We had a party after the program.

This Christmas, I pray that I will have a heart of worship. I hope this Christmas that everyone is happy praising God. I also wish for the best to come to your family not just this Christmas but also for the coming years. Do you also hang Christmas lanterns at Christmas? Here, we have fireworks and we decorate Christmas trees.

Thank you so much for love and the happiness you give to me. MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Lots of love,

Sarah Jane Porlage
Philippines

 

 

Remarkable Changes Over Four Years Of Ministry
by Bob Rich

Zolito Alaba has spent several years working with Arms of Love in the Philippines, and has seen the lives of many children changed for the better.

Arms of Love has three children's homes in the Philippines, where street children find shelter, encouragement, and support. When the children first enter the homes, they immediately get healthy meals and an opportunity to bathe. But in addition to getting their physical needs met, the children also get an opportunity for spiritual fulfillment as well, as they hear about the hope that is found in Jesus.

Zolito was there from the very start, when construction first began on these children's homes in the year 2000. Back then, when the homes were first being constructed, only five children came in from the streets to live in the homes, which included three boys and two girls. Now, in 2005, there are 28 kids altogether, including 13 boys and
15 girls.

From 2001...
		...To 2005
Jonas Vargas	Maryjel Ayco	Lito Canada

The population of children has grown through our partnership with a local government agency in the Philippines, which refers neglected and abused children to the Arms of Love Children's Homes. When there are no families to adopt seriously abused or abandoned children, the children are brought to the Arms of Love homes. These children's homes are managed by a married husband-and-wife team who take care of the children in a family-like environment. These married house parents are supported by Arms of Love staff members who provide additional assistance.

Zolito was recently promoted to the position of "administrative assistant." In that capacity, Zolito helps manage the project from an administrative standpoint, and has an opportunity to relate to all of the children. Zolito often tells the children about his own experiences as a Christian, to let them know how God has worked in his own life. Zolito's approach is to relate to the children as a friend, creating an environment where everyone feels equal.

Zolito frequently sees some real and lasting changes in the lives of the children who come to Arms of Love. One boy named Ruben arrived at age 15 and, in two years' time, the boy grew to have a genuine personal excitement to be involved in ministry. Now, Ruben is helping with the worship team. For Zolito, the best fruit of the Arms of Love ministry is to see a child grow to love God.

Another girl named Rachel came to Arms of Love without a dream and without any respect for authority; but, in time, she learned to pray and she learned to submit to authority inside the children's home. At first, Rachel would fight back when adults asked her to do things. But, soon enough, Rachel chose to obey the adults in the home, and learned to exercise self-control. Zolito is always glad to see children growing in maturity, encouraging and giving good advice to one another.

The work in Arms of Love is very meaningful and important, but there is always time for fun and good humor inside the children's homes. Zolito enjoys playing with the children, joking with them, and making sure that the children's homes are full of good cheer. In short, Zolito does whatever he can to see the children happy, with the hope that these children will someday look back and remember the staff who loved them and helped them toward a bright future.