Today we’re highlighting Village of Hope, an orphanage run by Team Expansion missionaries in the Philippines.
At VOH the grass is green and soft, unlike the streets where most residents of the Village used to sleep. There are playgrounds and laughter and safe grown-ups who love and take care of the children and teach them about Jesus. It’s a safe place. It’s a loving place. It’s a happy place. It’s a place of Hope.
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The Village of Hope college students, staff, and orphanage kids enjoy a swim outing.
Rene, the House Dad in Home 4 at Village of Hope holds Jacob, the orphanage’s youngest child.
This is one of VOH’s newest kids. · Her mother is an 18-year-old rape victim · Her grandmother is 39 years old and has 13 kids · She was starving, couldn’t walk, and had a skin disease (scabies) and worms when rescued · She cried all the time because she is hungry · Now at VOH, she loves to sing and hum. She loves to carry her toy doll. Now, she is walking.
One of Village of Hope’s core values is teaching the kids the importance of giving back. Before building we visited many homes and shelters and saw a saddening trend of entitlement mentality among both children being cared for and the staff caring for them. Funds and resources flowed in but there was no flowing out, and it showed in attitudes.
So we decided we’d teach our kids the importance of giving back. One way we do that is at Christmas time each home chooses an indigent family in the community and they bless them with food, gifts, toys, usually new shoes, and some songs. Sometimes the kids play games with them.
It’s supposed to be a mini Christmas party, a blessing to a family (usually one who needs Jesus), and a chance for our kids to see how happy giving can make everyone. These next four pictures are from those activities last year.
