Many of you who receive our daily updates on your Amazon Kindle, are aware of our ministry to the poor of Bantayan Island in the Philippines. About one year ago, my wife and I moved permanently to this location from the United States in order to ministry to the needs of these desperate people.
As we have become more acquainted with the dear people in our little village where we live, our lives have become intertwined and knit together day by day.
A young mother next door to our home, has a new baby boy named “Gerard” who was born recently with a condition called “hydroencephalitus”, or “Water on the Brain”. This condition places pressure on the brain by the buildup of fluid, and can cause death or severe brain damage.
If we can obtain surgery for baby Gerard this next week, a “shunt” can be place in his brain that will drain the fluid and release the pressure on his brain. Gerard can then lead a normal life and grown up healthy and strong.
The total cost for the surgery here in the Philippines is a little over $2,500.00 in U.S. Dollars, or 100,000 Philippine Pesos. This is about 10th the cost for the surgery in the United States, but an insurmountable cost for a poor family that makes only $40.00 a month. As of January 8th, we have received a little over $500.00 in donations and are still in need of about $2,000 to save the life of this child.
We hope that you might prayerfully consider making a donation of any amount to help save this precious baby’s life.
You can find the link for our Ministry to the People of Bantayan Island here:
http://www.bantayanisland.org/ministry_at_bantayan_island.html
At the bottom of the page is a place to make your donation:
You cannot imagine how the financial help to save this child’s life has impacted not only the mother, but everyone in the small village we live in so far. They have never had anyone from the outside world ever help them, despite their dire poverty. I can hardly look at them now without crying, and when I start, so do they also. We all feel your love here and are so grateful to the Lord for your help.
Pastor Rob and Marissa
