June 23 Update: A New Thing
The spirit of God is moving in Manila! The need is GREAT..not just physically, but spiritually..there is a genuine hunger and desire for Jesus..the real deal! There is much more vision and need then resource!!
Friends, your seed is being sown into GOOD ground. We had the honour of spending 5 weeks in the Philippines alongside a team of others from Australia, that came and went throughout those 5 weeks. I think I could speak for each of them in saying that God is well and truly doing GREAT things in Joshua Care International.
The Joshua Care House is by far the busiest, fullest, noisiest, hungriest, funnest, house I’ve ever been in. A true sense of the love of the father and JOY. The children are thriving, and amidst the normal everyday ebbs and flows of childhood, struggles & family life..children that once had no hope, many that had only ever known torment, pain, lack and sorrow now know the love of the Father. FAMILY.
I don’t know how well I can capture or articulate what God did over those 5 weeks but I’ll attempt to give you an overview!
APRIL/MAY MISSION TRIP
The camp was AMAZING! We had friends from Hillsong Manila Connect, Pstr Mitch from Mt Moriah Church and many of the Joshua Care staff and team sow into the kids over the 3 days. It was a FULL three days of games, healing, group breakouts and night sessions and yummy food! The tangible presence and love of the Lord met each of us, turning the broken ashes beautiful, Praise God! A HUGE thank you to everybody that sowed into making this camp reality..we are so grateful to do this alongside each of you. Joshua Care is not built on a few, but on the sacrifice and obedience of many.
And the rest of the trip was pretty much the same..medical mission were we treated over 200 people in one day, JCI alumni gathering, graveyard ministry and feedings, chapel ministry at Mt Moriah Christian Academy over 3 days with grades 7-12..is just a few of the many things we were able to do in our time in Manila. The overarching theme was that the Holy Spirit brought us there for such a time as this. So many God moments where he met us right where we were at. Finding ourselves daily at the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. Thank you Jesus.
And since then things haven’t stopped!!!!!
SOPHIE
16th May, we were asked to accept a little 2yr old girl who was found abandoned. She lay naked and alone, she had been severely abused. We picked her up from the hospital where they told us she had a fractured skull, Burns in her mouth and chin, burst eardrum and infections. This tiny little child has scars over her head and hands from her injuries and a large wound on her head! With deep compassion we brought her home to JCI and nursed her wounds until we saw her smiles. She was severely malnourished and weighed only 7.9kgs Sophie will be 3yrs old next month. Her skinny little legs are starting to walk and she can say ‘Mama’. Together we are making a difference! It is God who places the solitary in families. He instructs us to take care of the orphans.
JOSHUA CARE BUILDING PROJECT
The new Joshua Care House is looking amazing and well underway..almost completed! We are only $40,000 away from reaching our goal to complete the build!
There are still many abandoned, neglected or abused children who need a home, care and support. If you would like to sow into this project and help complete the build please DONATE HERE and join us in praying for the miracle of funds! It is our joy to see the kids growing up, happy and blessed! The awesome support of Joshua Care can never be done without all the partners and friends of JCI. Your support is making a difference for each one of these precious little ones.
FIRE SAFETY
June brings us to Fire training and emergency practices. The Fire escape ladder was tried out again and safety procedures were taught to the children. JCI has had a good report from the ‘Accreditation’ and we work to maintain a safe and happy home for the children in our care.
ROYS CAFE
Arturo has finished building Roy’s Café and we are selling Aussie burgers, hot dogs and drinks. This project will provide employment for 3 people and funds will contribute to the sustainability of Joshua Care.
GRADUATION
Graduation was a proud day for all our graduates, Elementary, High School and College. JCI is proud of each one as they close one chapter and move forward to the next. We feel a warm sense of joy as we see some of the kids who lived in the graveyard, in difficult circumstances now receiving their awards with Honors, graduating with confidence among their peers. Four of our High school graduates are now preparing for college. Well done to Kim Panta as he graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Special thanks to our dear sponsors for your kind and faithful commitment which has afforded these children this opportunity to have a good education and great opportunities in the future.
BALLET RECITAL
Some of our JCI children have been blessed with a scholarship at the ACTS Manila Performing Arts School. The young ones are learning the disciplines of classical and modern ballet, while the teens are enjoying the Hip Hop dance class. We all attended their Recital at the beautiful theatre at the Solaire hotel in Manila. The kids were super excited and all danced very well. ACTS Manila is a Faith based, professional performing Arts school and we were so blessed as the children danced for the glory of God. At the last curtain call each group presented to the music of ‘Yahweh, Holy is your name’ and there was an amazing sense of awe, as joy filled our hearts with happiness and pride as we all stood and clapped for the dancers all for the glory of our most high God. (Our hearts especially moved for some of our children who were once beggars in the streets of Manila, now dancing in this beautiful theatre.)
SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
Most of the students will tell you of their spiritual encounter at the JCI Youth Camp recently. Now it is school holidays and they come to the JCI house every Saturday morning where Pastor Mitch gives spiritual guidance and encouragement to help them grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God. Pray for the kids as they navigate their adolescence with the pressures of this modern society. Many of them from single parent homes with challenges too hard to bear. We lift them up in prayer and trust the heavenly father to guide them in all their ways.
OUTREACH FROM MOMENTUM CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
A team from Momentum came to reach out to the children of JCI. They had games, dance, food and fun. They gave them all gifts and school supplies. The children were greatly blessed. Thank you to Momentum Construction, Uhome and Summitventure.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
If you’re like most people, you give to Joshua Care because you want to make an impact on the world or support the causes you care about. We understand though that how much and when you give is typically a financial decision. Tax rebates may help you give more than you could otherwise and provide more resources to the causes you care about. Every seed sown makes a huge impact in the lives of so many. DONATE TODAY
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