Announcing a Matching Grant Opportunity!
After an older uncle passed away, a couple in America was surprised to be given a small portion of his estate. They wondered how they should use this unexpected gift. They didn’t have any urgent need for the money, but one of their cars was getting old. Although it still had life left in it, a more modern car with fewer miles on it sounded nice. One Friday evening, they were watching 3ABN when they learned about the missionaries on the island of Mindoro, Philippines who needed a vehicle to transport food to the children they teach in the mountain villages, and conduct medical evacuations for sick and injured villagers.
The missionaries had to ride their bikes to visit the villagers, and they can’t carry much food on them! God touched their hearts, and after praying together they both felt convicted to use the blessing they received to help the children of Mindoro and the missionaries serving them. “If they don’t have food in their stomachs, how are they going to learn about Jesus?” the couple shared.
The missionaries would like to purchase this basic van for their ministry. It seats 20 people including the driver and gets great gas milage. It has plenty of room to haul food for the children! The total cost for this vehicle is $20,000.
Life for Children in the Mountains
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=303za0HLvFE?feature=oembed&w=1080&h=608]
Watch the JFA Now show the couple saw on 3ABN and learn more about how children live in the mountains of Mindoro!
Every child needs good, healthy food to be able to learn and grow properly. But not every kid has access to it. The Mangyans, the common name for the tribes that live in the mountains, are a society of gatherers. Their superstitions keep them from growing their own gardens, so the adults spend most of their days searching for edible plants that grow in the forest. Their children get nothing to eat until their parents come home at night.
When Pete and Jessica first started teaching the Mangyan children, they noticed how hungry they were. The children never outright complained, but they were distracted and had a hard time concentrating.
Some children picked plants on the path and tasted them for bitterness before eating them.
Once the school lunch program was started, Pete, Jessica, and the other teachers noticed that not only did the children pay better attention, but they remembered their lessons better as well. Child starvation deaths dropped from 2-3 kids per year down to zero!
The Mangyans are looked down on by because they are poor, dirty, and uneducated. People from other tribes believe they are brainless, little better than monkeys, and they treat them accordingly.
God showed Pete and Jessica that the Mangyans' poor condition had a lot more to do with the lack of love and care given to them than with their intelligence.
"While in the eyes of many they are little better than monkeys or apes, I believe their case is not hopeless," Pete said. "Now they have aspirations. Some of them see a higher calling in learning to read or write instead of marrying at thirteen or fourteen years of age. They want to study and have dreams."
"...Since we have a love for these people they see hope," Jessica said, "and their li[ves are] made better by the grace of God."
Since Pete and Jessica started the Mindoro Outreach project, their work has grown from 5 to 19 villages. Teachers from all over the Philippines have come to teach the Mangyan children. Many children who started school during the ministry's first year are now first in their class at the local public school.
When the ministry started, villagers refused to allow the missionaries and teachers to teach their religion. But the children were interested in learning why the evil spirits had no power over the teachers, and they started asking questions. Over time, through God's miracle-working power and the love that was shown to them, the the villagers started allowing them to preach the Gospel. Now, small congregations are meeting together, and several villages have asked for their own evangelistic series!
These people are so valuable to God, no matter what the rest of the world thinks. We are thrilled to see the work God is doing in their hearts, and we are grateful for the faithful missionaries who have given so much of their time, energy, and resources to share Jesus' love with them.
Please keep the Mindoro Outreach project in your continued prayers as well as the new vehicle.
Please prayerfully consider whether God is leading you to help fill this huge need on behalf of the missionaries and children of Mindoro. Every dollar you give will get us $2 closer to our goal!