A Lesson in Excitement

Last week, Gepher hopped on the motorcycle and headed out to Hidden Island to share the good news of Hope for Tomorrow with the families and children of this community.

Hidden Island is a community filled with families struggling to get by.  They live in homes made of tin roofs and bamboo walls.  Several of these families make their living doing jobs we cannot imagine (such as sorting garbage for materials that can be sold for recycling).  Many rely on the nearby river to feed their families.  Its a community where most children are unable to attend school or have had to quit due to the cost.  Its exactly the type of children and families that need Hope for Tomorrow.

   

Gepher gathered the kids and begin asking who would like to go to school in June.  The screams, laughter, and shrills of excitement was heard throughout.  The children were so excited about the possibility they would get to go to school.  One little boy came running up to Gepher saying, "Kuya Gepher, Kuya Gepher!  What about me, what about me??  Can I go to school?"

Gepher went house to house explaining to the parent's about the scholarship program, the qualifications of the program, and what this would mean for their children and their family.  The parents were so excited that at least one child in their family would have the opportunity for a brighter future.  With tears in her eyes, one mother expressed to Gepher that she never thought she'd be able to send one of her children to school.  I cannot even imagine what that mother must have felt.

WOW!!  Who knew that a little boy would get as excited about the chance to go to school as he would a brand new toy??  Who knew a mother would cry over the opportunity for one of her children to go to school.  God showed us through the small boy and mother just how Hope for Tomorrow can change lives!

School starts in about 6 weeks and we are so excited about the plans God has for this school year as we begin changing lives one child at a time!!

A Lesson in Multiplication

Last night as I sat and crunched numbers in my multiple spreadsheets for work, God taught me a very vaulable lesson in multiplication.  The lesson didn't teach me how to maximize profit or increase productivity instead it taught me when there is faith anything is possible. 

"Jesus told them, 'I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed...NOTHING is impossible."  Matthew 17:20

As Gepher and I sent out the Hope for Tomorrow letters, we prayed God would use this ministry to make an impact on children's lives throughout Naga.  We asked God to open doors that would allow us to minister to childern's eductional and spiritual needs.  We not only prayed for the future children but also for their future sponsors.  We asked God to bring sponsors to this program that not only wanted to send these children to school but that also wanted to be an active part in the children's lives.

Three weeks ago we had received a generous donation from  an unexpected family that would send two precious children to school.  We were so excited about this life changing gift, because for our first year we were hoping to send 3 children to school and this was two thirds of our goal.  Last night God reminded us that He had other plans.

I got a phone call from my grandfather.  Pa told me that he'd been working on my "project".  I immediately realized he was referring to Hope for Tomorrow.  Gepher was sitting on the couch watching You Tub with head phones.  I franticly began making motions to Gepher to take the headphones out and listen to what Pa had to say.  Pa had shared the story of Hope for Tomorrow and the children of Naga with several Bible classes at Sycamore church of Christ.  As he told us how the Sycamore youth group began empting their pockets and a leader in the church immediately handed him a check for one child, Gepher and I were totally speechless.  Through Pa's sharing he received commitments to send four to six children to school!  We couldn't believe it...God was making our dream a reality.  Our dreams for the first year were small.  Last night our small dream was multiplied beyond our wildest imagination.  God reminded us that with faith anything is possible!! 

     


Hope for Tomorrow will target the children in Naga that cannot afford to attend school.  We will be reaching out to the children of Hidden Island (click here to see the latest outreach the church has done for the Children of Hidden Island) and other small poor communities.  Hope for Tomorrow will also provide a two or three day a week after school program where the students will come to the church for both homework help as well as fun activities that will supplement what they are learning in the classroom.  Hope for Tomorrow will also allow sponsors to know how their students are doing as well as give them the chance to communicate via email.  We are so excited with the sponsors that have already commited to make a difference in a child's life and we trust that God will continue to bring more sponsors and children to Hope for Tomorrow.

John F. Kennedy once said, "All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our tallent."  This is exactly what Hope for Tomorrow wants to provide.  An equal opportunity for all children to become the best they can be.

Let the Journey Begin

Dear Friends and Family,

For the past seven years, the Philippines and its people has held a special place in my heart.  Their smiles and spirit have left a lasting impression that has forever changed my life.  God took my love for the people of the Philippines to a whole new level when He brought Gepher into my life.  We each found the one God had been preparing for us; as both a life partner and someone to serve side by side growing the kingdom of God in the Philippines.

Every day I am in the Philippines I am reminded of what true happiness means and just how much we as Americans take for granted.  One of the biggest things we take for granted is a public school system that allows every child the opportunity to go to school despite their family’s income.  The school system will not allow a child to enroll in school if they cannot afford to provide their uniform, school supplies, transportation, lunch, and supplies for various school projects.  Even though the school system is supported by the government, the funding they receive is very minimal and therefore requires the student’s family to shoulder most of the expense. 

The Filipino family today has 4.61 children on an average yearly income of $4,700.  Sending an entire family of children to school would require 25% of a family’s yearly income.  Unfortunately many families are put in situations where they must choose which children they can financially afford to send to school.  These decisions are part of the reason why the country’s literacy rate is 86.4% and their enrollment rate is 85% for elementary and 62% for high school.  Gepher and I cannot imagine how tough these decisions must be for a parent as they decide the future of their children.

Gepher grew up in a family where education was a priority.  He is from a family of educators that value education and believe it is the key to a better future.  It’s for these reasons we are establishing “Hope for Tomorrow”.  “Hope for Tomorrow” will give one child a chance at a better future through the gift of education.  It is through education the cycle of poverty begins to break in the Philippines one person at a time.  “Hope for Tomorrow” will also provide the emotional support a child needs to be successful in school and in life.  A child can only succeed if they have a community to encourage and support.  “Hope for Tomorrow” is an outreach ministry of the church to the community.  It’s a chance to show the love of Jesus, to not only the student but also their family.  It is our prayer that God will use “Hope for Tomorrow” as an avenue to share the love of Jesus with both the students and their families.

There are two ways you can help be a part of “Hope for Tomorrow”.  The first is through financially supporting a child.  The Filipino school year runs from June to March.  For $250 a year (or $25 a month) you can send one child to school.  This will cover the costs of their uniforms, school supplies, books, food, transportation as well as supplies for school projects.  Gepher and I want you to be a part of the child’s life (if you wish); therefore, we will send you information on the child as well as pictures and progress updates.  The investment you can make in a child’s life is priceless when you consider how little it financially costs us.

There is a fund set up at Southside Church of Christ where your support can be sent either monthly or in a one lump sum.  Please be sure to indicate on the checks the funds should go to “Philippine Ministry – Hope for Tomorrow”.

Southside Church of Christ
Philippine Ministry Fund – Hope for Tomorrow Scholarship
1521 Nicholasville Rd
Lexington, KY  40503

The second way you can help is by becoming a prayer warrior for a child.  We will pair you up with a child giving you details about them, their family, and their school situation.  Having an army of prayer warriors praying for both the spiritual and academic needs of the “Hope for Tomorrow” children will open doors for God to work in ways we cannot imagine.

Gepher and I would love to talk with you more about the work in Naga and Hope for Tomorrow.  We both can be reached via Facebook or email (vandykead@aol.com or freekingl@yahoo.com).   I’m currently in Cebu but will be returning to the states in May.  We can be reached in Cebu on the VOIP 859-559-4099.  We will also be mailing out a letter at that time. 

Gepher and I are excited about the ways God is working in Cebu and specifically Naga.  We are eager to see how He will use “Hope for Tomorrow” to touch hearts and change lives.  Follow our journey at http://andrea-gepher.blogspot.com or http://hope-for-tomorrow-naga.blogspot.com/ to see how God is working in the community of Naga.  We hope that you will join us either financially or prayerfully as we work to change the future of the Philippines one child at a time.

Sincerely,

Andrea VanDyke & Gepher Lopina