October 2017

11/3/17

Our recent trip (October 2017) was such a sweet time in the Philippines. God’s mercies were evident from the very first moments of our trip. A United agent helped us by allowing Poppa John to have lots of leg space, and arranging for Michael, Eden, and I all to sit together next to a bassinet seat for Zi. She upgraded us for every single flight there and back.  It was such a tremendous blessing- we were so thankful.

Once we made it to the Philippines, we made our way to two different islands. Michael, Eden, Poppa John, and Ben went to our Baby House in Manila and Tita Anna, Zi and I flew to General Santos early the morning after we arrived. Early is an understatement! We arrived at our hotel at about 11:00 pm, ate a super late dinner, repacked, took a bath, and slept for a whole hour and a half. We needed to be at the airport by 2:00 am for a flight at 4:00 am.

Zi got to meet his Tita for the first time! 

Poppa John, Ben, and Zizi.

Zi and I were blessed to be greeted by an incredibly sweet and Godly family. I was blown away by the way they exemplified Christ in their relationships and hospitality. The intention for my trip to Gen San was to find a location for our orphanage. We found several ideal locations, and now we are covering the entire situation in prayer. Our heart is to have a safe place for kids to meet Christ and be loved on. We want to raise these kiddos to be contributing, God-honoring adults; it starts with this dream that God placed on many of our hearts! Our desire is eventually to be able to bring American teams every few months to interact with the kids, serve in a foreign country, and to encounter Jesus in a way they haven't experienced before. Overall, we have big dreams for this and are praying the God brings it to fruition! Will you cover this in prayer with us?  

Flight from Gen San.

The sweet family that blessed us with their hospitality. 

Later, after we arrived in Manila, we had a meeting with the Philippine government regarding the orphanage. Once again, we saw God clearly moving in the situation. They were able to sit us down and very clearly lay out all of the requirements and answer the questions we had. Then the following afternoon, we got to gather with our baby house families! We had a bible study, distributed food and gifts, and enjoyed each other’s company. One of the sponsors gifted two of our families with a meal at a restaurant. Many of our families have never experienced that, so it was super exciting. 

Being tickled by Kuya Michael!

Our very first baby to join the program is now healthy and walking after over a year of proper nutrition! 

Poppa John and Kuya Ben spending time with some of the little ones they sponsor.

Party at Inasal! ;) 

On Sunday, we were able attend church with our program families and a number of old friends that we miss. After church, we drove to the beach to spend a few days in fellowship, encouraging each other before we were countries apart again. We were able to take a few of them snorkeling and boating for the first time. It was definitely a time to enjoy each other’s company and is sweet to remember.

Swimming with her Tita and Ates.

Beautiful, beautiful Philippines!

We returned to the Baby House the morning before we flew back to the States. We packed, enjoyed our last little bit of time, and after lots of tears, took off for the airport. We had a smooth but LONG flight home. We are already missing our family in the Philippines and are hoping to see them again soon. We are so thankful for everyone that let us know they are praying or supported us financially. I don't think words will ever express how thankful we are.

Chasing summer

September 29, 2017

I got both babies to bed a the same time which guaranteed me at least 20 minutes of blog time! I'm feeling successful before I've even started.  AND my hubby got me a Starbucks- I mean, what could be better on such a cold, rainy day?  

I don't think I've officially announced- in fact, I'm sure I haven't. Life is CRAZY with two babies and a full blown ministry in the states as well as in the Philippines. I feel like I don't have an extra minute in the day, let alone to write a whole blog post. It keeps me from fully informing all of you as to what we are up to, and for that I am sorry! But, I am SUPER excited to share with you; we're flying to the Philippines! Monday! It's coming up fast. I feel completely unprepared, but ridiculously excited. It's FREEZING here in Colorado, so I keep joking that were chasing summer. I'm not ready for winter! 

This trip is specifically designed to work on orphanage stuff. We arrive late in the Philippines on October 3rd. Michael and Eden will continue on to the baby house while Zi and I stay near the airport to catch an early flight the next morning at 4:00 am. We will be flying to another island to look for locations for the orphanage. Please be covering this specific portion of the trip in prayer. Ate Anna and I will be spending a full 2 days looking for a location before returning the evening of the 5th. The morning of the 6th at 8:00 we have a meeting with DSWD (Philippine government) regarding the orphanage. Zi and I will be the ones attending this meeting. Please be covering this meeting in prayer as well. I don't really know what to expect. I'm just praying things will be communicated well and clearly, that there will be no language block and that we will come out of it with a clear plan and all of the information that we need. Some of you that have dealt with the Philippine government understand how difficult it can be to work with them. Saturday will be devoted to spending time with our program families, blessing them in some way and prepping for Sundays food buckets. Sunday is one of the days I am excited for! After church, our team will be taking the baby house staff to the beach for a few days of fellowship and encouragement before we leave. Pray that it is a blessed time of encouragement, spiritual renewal, bonding and rest for both our team and the baby house staff.  We will arrive back to the baby house on the 11th and our family flies out the 12th. Assuming this trip accomplishes what it is intended too, we may be planning another trip within the coming months in order to follow up with what is done on this trip.   

God is so good to us- it is often that I am in awe as to what He is doing and how He is working. God has abundantly blessed me with this life. To have the privilege of not only serving in the states, but also overseas, is a dream come true. If you ever have questions as to what we are doing now, or the status of the program, feel free to shoot me an email or message me. I would love to share with you about how God is working! 

Prayer requests:

• Jet lag (I am so nervous about how exhausted I am going to be with two little ones and how much I have to do on this trip. I am praying the visit to the beach is enough time to rest and recuperate from the craziness of the beginning of the trip.) 
• Finding an orphanage location 
• The meeting with DSWD (for those of you that did not read the detail of the trip; it's my first meeting with the Philippine government regarding any information I need to start filing paperwork for the orphanage. Pray for clarity and the ability to make a sustainable plan once we've met.)   
• The details that go into opening an orphanage. (Pray for financial sustainability and Gods anointing on a dream He placed on many of our hearts a long time ago.)
• Safety and health of the US team and the Philippine staff 
• For our hearts and eyes to be softened to what He is doing around us. His will be done through out this entire trip even when it means putting our carefully planned out, agenda aside.

Also, just because I am super excited for our first family pictures with Zi and its an update on how big my kiddos are getting (sad mommy face!) : 

We're heading back!

May 9, 2017

Summer is approaching so quickly, it's crazy! In the next few weeks, summer will begin for our ministry in Colorado Springs. This means all of the kids will be out of school and the center will have kids from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. (Except weekends of course!) It also means that one of our biggest ministries will begin. Every year, the staff at the center take kids up to the ranch for a overnight summer camp. It's kind of a divide and conquer concept. Some of the staff take the kids up and some of the staff remain in the Springs keeping the children's center running with the remaining kids that chose not to go. Despite the fact that it's summer camp, all state regulations still have to be followed from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. So a certain amount of kids must remain with one group leader from the center at all times, etc.
Michael, Eden and I have had the pleasure of taking part of these outreach camps for the past two years by bringing a team from Idaho to participate. It's exciting being able to be on this side of the ministry this time! In June, a team from Idaho will be driving out to assist us with one of the several camps that will be run this year. It's exciting to think about! Our main goal with these camps is to share Christ with the kiddos. Many of these kids come from hard situations. Broken homes, physical abuse, substance abuse, and neglect. To share Christ with them is not only a privilege, but it gives them a hope for the future. Throughout the year, the children's center continues to water the seed that was planted at camp with daily encouragement and AWANA every Wednesday night, for several months out of the year. It is quite a ministry, so please keep everyone in your prayers!

Pictures from the past two years of camp.

Once camps are over (they will at least go through August), we will begin preparing for another big trip. Zi (Eliam) is heading to the Philippines for the first time! We are super excited for the specific reason that we are going. I'm sure lately you all have noticed me speaking of a "transition" time for the F4P program, and also a lack of updates. (The baby has a little bit to do with that too.) But, we have been in a time of prayer, rather than action. Asking God to lead us with these next steps - whatever they might be. We definitely feel God has placed a passion on our hearts to open an orphanage at some point and we are wondering if the program will transition into that. We are super excited! This trip will be about reconnecting with our program families, finding a potential location for this orphanage, and beginning to take steps to file paperwork to open the orphanage! It's going to be a lot of leg work and sitting in government offices, which I will admit I am not excited about at all. But anything for the furthering of Gods kingdom, right?! It's a super important trip and we're praying that God really works during the planning leading up to it and that he is completely present during the trip itself.

Now, for the slightly discouraging part that I am trying to not let keep me awake at night. Especially with a newborn, when sleep is precious! Ha!

Fundraising. Fundraising is never fun, but it is definitely a growing experience. Please prayerfully consider supporting this trip. We are thinking we will have to raise roughly $6,000 for our family and potential team members, depending on how plane tickets fluctuate. Every dollar counts and it is completely tax deductible. We would love to answer any questions you have about the trip and what your donation would be going to. You all have been such a blessing to our families in the Philippines, and to my own family. Many times my family has been greatly encouraged by you, from being 18 year old newlyweds moving to a foreign country, to moving our ministry and kids to Colorado Springs. Many of you have eased the burden by donating, or by reaching out to us and letting us know that you were praying or encouraged us with an uplifting note or verse. Thank you!!   
I have also started an email prayer group for specific private prayer requests, regarding our families in the Philippines. Requests that I don't necessarily share on facebook. If you would like to be part of this prayer team, feel free to email me at sehodgie@gmail.com so that I can add you to the list. The emails will only be sent out about once or twice a month.    

We are so excited to take the kiddos back to the Philippines and continue the call of World FAMILY Missions! Please be praying for our team! For the funding to come in and for God to work His will throughout the planning and the trip itself.

You can donate at www.worldfamilymissions.com, just make sure you don't specify for us, but for the "Philippines team", you can also send a check to World Family Missions, Inc. P.O. Box 171292 Boise, ID 83717.

Ephesians 6:18

April 24, 2017

First things first, for those of you who haven't heard - we had the baby! Last Tuesday at 1:43 pm, we welcomed Eliam Zion into the world! He weighed 7 lbs, 3 oz and was 21 inches long. He was born at home and his daddy caught him! Eliam means "God's people" or "God's kinsman." Zion is referenced many times in the bible, but one particular verse we have always liked is Hebrews 12:22, "But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly." We pray that Eliam Zion walks faithfully and joyfully with the Lord!  

Now to switch gears: Formula for the Philippines is in a time of transition. We are not entirely sure what this means, but we are waiting on the Lord to direct the next steps of the program. Hopefully I can give you an official update soon! One thing that has been on my mind is prayer. We are often over-budget by quite a bit every month due to rent, utilities, and the salary of each employee. So I am asking you to please be covering those needs in prayer. Beyond that, I would love to have volunteers partner up with us regarding specific prayer requests. I am going to be starting a email group for private prayer requests. I am going to be starting a private email group for prayer requests involving our program and families in the Philippines. If you would like to join, please shoot me an email at sehodgie@gmail.com so I can add you to the next email going out. I am super excited to start this, it's always encouraging to know others are praying!

There are two specific prayer requests that I would love to have people praying over right now. #1 is to be praying for a young woman that just delivered her first child. Many of you may remember Jossa; we sent her to school last year. She has since dropped out and the other day delivered her first little one. While this is not ideal, we are always thankful to God for the gift of life! Please be praying that God protects the new little one, and softens Jossa's heart towards Him. Pray for her to make wise decisions regarding herself, her little one and her education. 

I also ask that you pray for a sibling group of three sisters that we cared for at the house for a few months. Their parents returned about 2 months ago and took them home; we have not heard from them since. It was a hard transition on the girls and on our baby house staff. Please be praying that the girls have adjusted well, that they be protected, and that the skills and lessons they learned during their stay at the baby house will continue to impact their young lives! Please also pray for their parents- that they will begin to make wise and healthy decisions regarding their family. 

We are so thankful for your financial and spiritual support. For the families and individuals that have prayed over the program and the families that participate in it. Words can not express how thankful we are, or show you the impact you have had on these families lives! 

 Ephesians 6:18 

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Update: Family, Colorado, and the Philippines

March 13, 2017

I know I have been horribly inconsistent on updating people on both ministry, and our family. I'm sorry!

I am now 38 weeks pregnant, and if I'm being honest, I wouldn't be surprised if baby came any day now. Craziness- I don't think I'm ready, but we're super excited. And, I am super excited for Eden to have a friend/sibling to enjoy. I'm definitely praying for her to be a good big sister, and I don't doubt that she will be! God is good!

Michael is super busy with the children's center. They will be entering spring break in a few weeks so that is going to be a VERY busy time. That means two weeks of keeping over 150 kids busy ALL. DAY. LONG. Lets just hope baby cooperates and doesn't decide to come in the midst of that.

Some of you may know, but Jaden moved down here with us last month and is now helping Michael out at the center. He's been a blessing-as always!

We have dreams of planting a garden and getting some chickens this month. I'm just praying it happens! I can't wait for fresh eggs and vegetables.

The Philippines is constantly on my mind, but I am usually unsure as to how to keep everyone consistently updated. We have several kids aging out of the program and we are seriously praying about letting the rest age out as we start an orphanage that is self sustainable. We are not quite sure about the direction of the program, but please be keeping it in your prayers during this critical, decision-making time. We have had several sick and injured kids lately, but God is always good and He has healed them over and over again. It is such a huge blessing to see how He works in the lives of these kiddos and their families.

Many of you know that over 4 months ago we had a sibling group of 3 sisters left in our care. They learned so much and flourished while at the baby house. They were being taught how to read, write, and do everyday chores like cleaning and helping with laundry. They were all potty trained and really developed under the love and care of the baby house staff. A few weeks ago their mom and dad showed up and brought them home. It was a hard transition, but they are home with their mommy and daddy now and that is exciting. I may write more about that at a later time so that you guys can get a glimpse in to what our staff at the baby house do.

We really covet your guys' prayers. We are doing well, but both ministries (Colorado and the Philippines) are not without their challenges. Please be praying for the continued progress of our ministry here in Colorado, for a safe birth and easy transition to a family of 4 and for our ministry in the Philippines. Please pray for the spiritual health of our baby house staff, the impact everyone has on the baby house families and for financial stability.

You all are such a blessing and we are constantly encouraged by our relationships with all of you!
God bless!
-Sarah

Eden cuddling her Meow-Meow (Julius) 

Eden playing doctor with her stuffed teddy bear-bunny 

Ate Anna with one of our baby house kids and her daughter

Ate Anna and Ate Nancy, both work for the Philippines program

Ate Anna and Ate Nancy saying goodbye to the sibling group that stayed at the baby house

Update from Colorado!

January 4, 2017

It's been such a long time since I have had the time or ability to update! So here it goes!

3 months ago we bought a house! It's been super exciting to be in a place that is our own space. Watching how Eden's personality has flourished has been sweet. Since having our "own" space and having things such as a place for her to go to sleep in every night has really enabled her little personality to explode. She's become super silly and daring; which is definitely not always a good thing! She is constantly dancing around the house and teasing her daddy and I.

Come Sunday we will be 29 weeks pregnant. I can't believe how fast it is going by. Baby #2 is expected in late March or early April, and no, we do not know whether it's a boy or a girl! Michael is desperately hoping for a boy where as Eden (I'm sure she's on my side ;) ) and I vote for a girl! 

While we are currently living in Colorado, we are still heavily involved in mission work. In December Eden and I traveled back to the Philippines. We spent 3 days in Boise and then flew to the Philippines and spent a week on the ground. While there, we conducted 4 different Christmas parties for severely impoverished kids and I was able to catch up with some stuff on the Formula for the Philippines program. Formula for the Philippines is doing well, though we still have two children that are not sponsored. The unfortunate issue with that is we have a waiting list of SEVERELY malnourished babies that we have been unable to help due to finances. So please be praying for them and their families! 

It was such a blessing to be able to spend time with our Formula for the Philippines families and to see how excited the kids were for their parties. I know many of your donated to this specific trip, and I hope you understand how impactful your prayers and financial gifts were. These kids would not have had a Christmas without you, and we were also able to share about who Christ was in those parties! Overall, the whole trip was a huge blessing to others and a huge blessing to us!

It was so exciting for Eden to be back "home" in the Philippines. She had missed her Tita and Ate's SO much. She spent the entire week being spoiled and hardly ever leaving her Tita's arms. It was hard for both Eden and her Tita and Ates when we had to leave. They always look forward to video calling each other and we are definitely looking forward to our next trip.

Alright, to switch gears now: Our ministry in Colorado Springs had steadily progressed, we are super excited to be involved here. Michael is super busy with the Children's center and our ministry with the youth. In a week we have our first winter camp with the youth group and we are really looking forward it! We will be bringing our whole youth group up to the mountains and spending the weekend learning more about God and enjoying each others fellowship. 

So! All of that to say that we are busy, doing well, and so excited and blessed to continue to watch God move in our lives, our family, and the ministries that he has given us. 

Thank you all for your prayers! 

Worried about my babies.

10/5/2016

I've really been struggling lately. For us, the adjustment to our Colorado mission has been fine, but my concern for our program in the Philippines continues to grow. We have several children without sponsors and we seem to accumulate costs through illnesses and emergencies constantly. 

It's a constant struggle for missionaries like us to raise money for ministry needs. To us, the pictures you see online are real people that we desperately love.  There is only so much we can do without your help and support. 

I'm not worried about the lack of resources. I know God has blessed our entire country with wealth beyond measure. What concerns me is how those resources are used. Everyday we are short of sponsors, these kids don't eat. 

If we do not feed them, love them, care for them, and minister to them, who will? 

These sweet, smiling faces have stories. Stories that not many of us can comprehend. Desperate stories that stem from deep poverty. Stories of young girls forced into prostitution, beatings, starvation, wounds that won't heal. Girls that have been stabbed or their parents attempted to drown them. Adults that never finished third grade. Mothers who lost little ones to easily preventable  or treatable illnesses. And that is just the beginning!

Jo: Before and after treatment in our care. Jo came to us weighing 9LBS at over a year old. He left over a month later weighing 18LBS - parasite and illness free! PRAISE GOD!!

We have babies brought to us dying. Children passing fresh blood multiple times a day because their little bodies were shutting down. They come to our program with parasites, UTI's, boils, malnutrition, pneumonia, lice, scabies, burns, bruises, and anything else you can think of. We want to help them all!

God is SO good. He is using us to minister to these babies; to these families. We can't continue unless the body of Christ begins to reach out to these people. Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Christ adores these people, the least of the least,  the uneducated, the unwanted, the unloved by society. He loves them fiercely. Please love them with us! Pray for them! Get to know them, their hopes and dreams - probably not so different from your own. Come on trips with us! Donate $5.00 when you can - it literally would cover a hospital bill and could save a life. 

Contact me if you have questions, have an interest in an upcoming trip or would like to sponsor a child or project. You can email me at sehodgie@gmail.com or shoot me a call or text at (email or Facebook message me for my number) I would LOVE to chat with you! 

Of course, you can always go to www.worldfamilymissions.com and check us out. All donations are tax deductible and because f a corporate sponsor who covers PayPal fees, 100% of your donation goes straight to where you want it! 

URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS!

9/11/16

I'm hoping friends, you can help us share our urgent need for sponsors. Many have stories similar to little Natalie's, below.

Natalie's mom came to us a few weeks ago crying and begging for help. Little Natalie was vomiting blood and had a consistently high fever. This is a huge concern for her, because when she spikes a fever, her tiny body begins to seize. We immediately took her into a clinic where they prescribed some meds and conducted a urine sample to do further testing. They sent her home to await results. Later that evening, Natalie's mom brought her back to us. Her color began to darken and she struggled to breathe. After further testing, the doctors determined that she had a severe UTI. She was prescribed additional meds and sent home to be watched over. That is actually quite difficult for Natalie's family, because the three daughters are raised alone, by their single mom. Because mom must work so hard for such long hours, the eldest at around 6, stays home to care for her sisters while their mother is out working.  After being sent home, and her mother leaving for work, Natalie overdosed on her meds. She was now very susceptible to seizing and falling into a coma. At this point it was safest and wisest for her to be brought into the constant care of the baby house so that she would be in a clean and safe environment. So, the following day, Natalie came into our full time care until she was well.We helped administer the correct amount of meds at the right time, and monitored her in case the fever returned.

This is just one of the stories of our kids; the stories of how your prayers and donations help. Fortunately, Natalie had a sponsor step up. Without Formula for the Philippines, She would not have had the chance to heal in a safe environment, let alone receive the medicine that she needed.

We currently have 3 kids enrolled that do not have sponsors, and at some point, we will have to remove them from our program unless someone steps up to help. We NEED sponsors. One-time gifts are a HUGE blessing to us. Prayer, and letting us know you are praying, is also a huge encouragement to our staff in the challenging work they do. Monthly donations of any amount take a huge load off of our shoulders, by letting us know we have the regular income to care for these families. Not just physically, by giving them the tools they need to protect themselves from disease, but also spiritually, by sharing the love of Christ with them every day.

Please be in prayer for our families, our kids, our staff, and the impact the program is having. We never want to have to turn away kids like Natalie.

Please consider how you might be able to help. As little as $40 a month can provide a child with nourishing, life-saving food and medical attention. To donate you can go to the “give” page at: www.worldfamilymissions.com. To contact us, email me (Sarah) at contact@worldfamilymissions.com

Colorado!

8/25/16

Weeks of preparation, a 24 hour flight, 8 days of chaos - and I mean literal CHAOS - a wedding, 21 hours of driving, a baby that thinks her parents are insane, puking and pregnancy nausea (did we mention baby #2 is on the way!?), and yes, we are finally here. Four short days we have been here, and we hit the ground running. Michael started training the morning after we got here, I started unpacking our cute, new little house, and then started training the following day, we've attending our CPR class, and we are sifting through hundreds of pages of paper work and training material. I sometimes wonder if God is chuckling at me for all of the times I told my mother I was bored. 

God has been so gracious during this process. Each time we hit a bump, He tells us to breath and He provides. Philippians 4 -or using my ability to read; Philippines 4- It says to rejoice, not to worry, and His peace will cover us. So thankful for this reminder! 

Both Michael and I have enjoyed getting to know the center these past few days. Introductions to staff and fellow employees have been made and relationships with the kids have begun. Some have recognized us from previous summer camps, so that's been fun. Among all of these new things and learning curves I have had to keep up with the ministries in the Philippines. Please pray for them as we still have babies and families with sponsors! 

As always, you can read more about our program at www.worldfamilymissions.com or contact us at contact@worldfamilymissions.com  

Eden says, "hi!"

Our new little apartment.  

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

7/20/2016

Many of you have been on this journey with me since I was little. You heard 9 year old me talk about my big dreams to become a missionary. Not just a missionary anywhere, but a missionary to the Philippines. Many of you supported my dreams as 12 year old me sold cakes in order to earn the money to get here. You listened to me relentlessly talk about how I was going to make it to the Philippines and work with children on the streets. You probably laughed as I spent my summers taking lessons in Tagalog (Filipino language) and learned how to cook Filipino style. And then the day came. I graduated, turned 18, and a few days later I moved to the Philippines.

My first trip to the Philippines!

You prayed with me, watched me learn and grow, and you watched me achieve my dream. 3 years later, I'm still here-now with my husband and baby girl and God is still growing my dream to reach the Philippines.

This year we started a feeding program. We went from helping a family of 8 on the streets to reaching out and doing Bible studies with over 52 people weekly. God, unyielding in His will for my life, has placed a urgency in me to continue this work He has set before me. He has continued to bring families to us, He has continued to open the doors to reach out to them, and He has continued to supply the resources even when we were uncertain.

 One of our babies delivered while in the program.

One of our baby house kids.

He has used these three years and this program to train me, and to grow an ever changing passion for the Philippines in me.

With that being said, I can't wait to share with you our latest God-led adventure. At first it may contradict a lot of what I just said, but stick with me!

We're moving to Colorado! Over a year ago we got to lead a team of youth to Colorado with the purpose of working with inner city youth. In June we had the privilege of going for a second time, this time with Eden! We got to work alongside Springs of Life Church and take part in their ministry. Michael was offered a position to work mainly in their school-age ministry; along with worship ministry, youth ministry, and whatever else God works out. We accepted and are looking forward to this new chapter.

Our last team in Colorado up at camp. 

God, in His graciousness, managed to knit together two people's passions into one, crazy, adventurous life. He's taking Michael's talents and dreams and allowing him to work in an environment that will push him, train him, and fulfill his aspirations of ministering to families in the US. He's using me to continue the work He trained me for as a child, and he's using both of us to complement each other in both mission fields; the US and the Philippines. Yes! We are moving to Colorado. And, yes! We are continuing our work in the Philippines! We will continue to partner with WFM and I (Sarah) will specifically be traveling back and fourth a few times a year to continue growing the feeding program. We have a full time Filipina director that will be continuing the daily work here in the Philippines and Michael will get to join in on some of the trips once or twice a year. God has so meticulously began putting all of the details in place. Each step we have taken, He has opened another door. When we began praying about the ministry here, He put in place women to take over, whose hearts are so clearly evident for the Lord and for these babies. He pressed on our heart that this time in the Philippines was coming to a close and he began preparing us and those around us. Please rejoice and pray for us as we prepare to step into this next phase of life. Thank you for all of your support and your prayers for us throughout this exciting journey! 

-Sarah

Short video

7/21/2016

Hey guys! We wanted to share with you the living conditions of our families and some of the struggles they face on a daily basis. 

According to UNICEF, there are over 250,000 street children in the Philippines. 

An estimation of 12.8 million children under the age of 15 live under the poverty line. 

PSA reports that 1 out of every 10 Filipino children do not attend school.

We desperately want to help these families. To ease the load so that their children can attend school and someday get a job. To educate and guide them on basic hygiene to prevent disease and death. To minister to the families and introduce them to Jesus. We NEED your help.

We would love for you to watch this short video in order for you to see where and how our families live. Maybe God will place the same urgency on your heart as He has placed on ours. Our hearts ache for these little ones.

Currently, we have 3 little ones needing us to step in! We also have a waiting list of kids begging to become part of our program. Unfortunately we can't assist until this last group of kids has sponsors. We simply do not have the resources. 

A monthly commitment, a one time gift, simply letting us know you are praying. These things are always a huge encouragement and blessing. We KNOW God has sponsor families for these babies.

To meet kids needing sponsors: http://www.worldfamilymissions.com/

To read about our program: http://www.worldfamilymissions.com/

To donate: http://www.worldfamilymissions.com/

To contact us: Email Sarah Jones at conatct@worldfamilymissions.com

Meet our newest little ones!

A number of you have already heard of our "Formula for the Philippines" program and the work we've started with little Princess. Some of you have also contributed to the effort and for that we are so grateful! There is such great need here, though, that we recently welcomed six more children into the program. We will need your help to sponsor these children so that we can continue providing them with food, medical care, and spiritual support. Here are the latest children we've welcomed into our program. More specific details about sponsorship follow at the end of the post.

Babies that still NEED sponsors: 

(Our babies cannot continue in our program unless they are sponsored, so PLEASE carefully consider helping one of these children.)

LAILANI: Sponsors needed: 1 monthly sponsor

Lailani is 3 years old and incredibly smart. She lives with her mommy, daddy and baby sister. Lailani's mother works hard in order to provide for them and pay for her own tuition fees; she hopes that by getting an education she will qualify for a better job.

This family lives near the river in a small home. The houses in this area are continually flooded; conditions that contribute to various medical conditions. Lailani is currently dealing with parasites and a UTI and so she needs a one time sponsor of $40.00 to provide for medical services. She also needs a monthly sponsor so that she can have a steady and nutritious diet. Lailani is so bright and sweet - she can not wait to write her sponsor a letter! 

                                       
                                                         




RAYNE: Sponsors needed: 2 monthly sponsors 

Rayne is Lailani's baby sister (pictured above) Rayne is fully on formula and needs someone to provide that for her. With mom and dad working so hard both o provide for the entire family and to pay tuition fees, there is very little left over to meet every basic need. Rayne has had water and coffee substituted for milk when her parent's couldn't afford formula.

Rayne needs 3 monthly sponsors (at $40 each) to cover the cost of her formula. OR 1 sponsor willing to commit to $120 a month. She also needs a one time donation of $40 to cover her stay and medical care while she is living at our baby house. Rayne is very sweet and very cuddly. She would be happy for someone hold her 24 hours a day and rock her to sleep every night. If God put Rayne on your heart, please contact us and let us know! Like her sister, she is excited to draw pictures for her new sponsor families. 

                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                   



EPHRIAM: Sponsors needed: 1 monthly sponsor 

Ephraim is the oldest of three siblings. His daddy has a hard time finding consistent work as a handyman and his mommy is busy taking care of all three children. (The youngest of whom is just 3 months old) When Ephraim came to us he was vomiting and repeatedly running to the bathroom. He really needs a one-time sponsorship of $40 to cover his medical costs so that he can feel better.

Ephraim also needs a monthly sponsorship of $40 a month in order to pay for the weekly food bucket that will enable him to remain in our program. With his daddy having a hard time finding work, food can be hard to come by for this little man. Please pray about sponsoring Ephriam!

                           
          





IRENE: Sponsors needed: 3 monthly sponsors  

Irene is the younger sister of Ephraim. At one year old she is malnourished and fully reliant on Formula. Irene needs three $40 monthly sponsors to cover the cost of her formula. OR one monthly sponsor that can give $120 per month. Also, a one time gift of $40 will cover all of her medical costs and food as she stays at the baby house and begins to get used to a consistent flow of nutritious foods.

Irene is adorable and wants to constantly be held. She is all smiles when you hold her and pay attention to her but does not believe anyone else deserves as much attention as she does. Irene loves to explore and  to get into anything that she is not allowed too. She loves sneaking away and busts up laughing when you catch her. Please pray for Irene and her family and consider becoming one of her sponsors!




              



JOVELYN: Sponsors needed:  FULLY SPONSORED! 

Jovelyn is a firecracker. She's very sassy and knows what she wants. She has a spunky personality and is absolutely beautiful. Jovelyn is the oldest of 2 children. She lives in a very dangerous area of town and her house is in constant threat of flooding. Her favorite person in the world is her Lola(Grandma). Most days, you can find Jovelyn spending time as Lola's close buddy.

Right now Jovelyn is struggling with a painful mouth infection. She is having a hard time eating and needs immediate medical attention. This requires a one-time sponsorship to cover the cost of her medication and stay at the baby house is order for her to feel better and be able to eat healthily. She also needs a $40 monthly sponsor ; this will provide a weekly food bucket for her and her family.








AILYN: Sponsors needed:  FULLY SPONSORED!  

Ailyn is just learning how to walk and explore. She is breastfed, but is now beginning to eat table foods. Unfortunately Ailyn's mommy and daddy have a hard time providing for her growing appetite.

Ailyn is the younger sister of Jovelyn. (Pictured above) Right now, Ailyn is dealing with a parasitic infection and needs immediate treatment. Please consider providing Jovelyn with a 1 time gift of $40 USD to cover her medical treatment, or a monthly sponsorship so that she can receive a grocery bucket each week.

*names are now being changed to protect the privacy of our families*

How our "Formula for the Philippines" program works:

Each child is specifically chosen for the program. They are from the poorest families in our area. The child's age and overall heath determines which of the program's three phases they are placed in:

• Age 0-1 receives strictly formula; (formula is necessary due to the low rate of breastfeeding in the Philippines - some health practitioners even discourage mothers from breastfeeding saying that it is likely they won't be able to do it. We provide mothers with breastfeeding education and support so that they will be better able to provide wholesome nutrition to future children.)
• Age 1-2 receives a mixture of formula and coconut milk; (to assist in fighting parasites and in overall health)
• Age 2 years and up receives a weekly food box.

Details of sponsorship:

We have divided the cost of providing food and services into sponsorship "units", as follows:

• One time medical sponsorship: Most children considered for our program come to us with serious medical needs. After we sign them up, children may spend up to two weeks with us (and several other care providers) receiving treatment for things like parasite infestations, lice, or injuries. They are given 3 meals and 2 snacks per day, clothes, diapers and anything else they need. For this stay they need a one time sponsorship of $40 USD. 

• Age 0-1: Due to the cost of formula, each child in this group requires three sponsors - each making a pledge of $40 USD/month.

• 1-2 years old: Because all of our children struggle with parasites, when they turn one year old we begin to add coconut milk into their diet. Coconut milk is a natural parasite killer that we have seen work firsthand. For this age group, we are asking for two sponsors per child to pledge $40 USD/month.

• 2 years and above: At this age, we begin to officially wean them off of milk. Children 2 and up receive a food box once each week that includes 4 kilos of rice, 6 eggs, 2 cans of sardines, 2 cans of meatloaf, 2 cans of corned beef, 2 packets of noodles, 2 packets of powdered milk, and almost half a kilo of fresh chicken for the day. One person pledging $40 USD/month can provide for a child in this phase of the program.

It is also our goal to educate mothers about how to breastfeed and care for their children so that we never have a return "client". When a baby graduates from this program, the mother should have a sufficient knowledge of hygiene and other information to keep her child/children safe from illness and disease.

Getting involved:

If you want to sponsor a child, we would love for you to feel personally involved! To sponsor a specific child, please contact Sarah with the child's name AND your address, so that we can send you a letter or a picture every once in a while! You can contact us at: contact@worldfamilymissions.com