2012 ~ The Sky Is The Limit!
This is Joana!....I had the privilege of meeting this beautiful young woman. She has spent the majority of her life in Open Door Christian Orphanage, an environment that is bleak and lonely. A good friend of mine once referred to it as a warehouse for children, and it is a very accurate description. It is an empty hollow shell that houses the children, lacking all the things a child needs to develop socially, emotionally and spiritually. Yet Joana, somehow shows no sign of her years here. She is the most beautiful and talented girl I have seen in a long time. Her voice is like an angel. You will often find her off in a corner singing sweet praises to God. Her personality is filled with joy and laughter, always bringing sunshine to the room. She travels among her village to work with little children. She yearns to give back and help those around her, when she has nothing herself. She truly inspires me. But Joana has a problem. She is now 18 years old and will be graduating high school in two months. At this point she will no longer be able to reside in the orphanage, the only place she has ever called home.
What's her dream? To go to college....... She dreams of being a high school teacher someday. She is an outstanding student and is up for Valedictorian of her class. Joana is looking at going to Laguna College, but she will have to find housing and transportation. Many hurdles to overcome in two short months. So Joana is my FIRST goal for 2012....
I want to make her dreams come true and get her through college this next year. Help with whatever cost she may have. It would be a tragedy to waste such potential and beauty. She IS going to do great things. She is an outstanding high school student and yearns to devote herself to other studies. Joana....You are my first goal.
What's her dream? To go to college....... She dreams of being a high school teacher someday. She is an outstanding student and is up for Valedictorian of her class. Joana is looking at going to Laguna College, but she will have to find housing and transportation. Many hurdles to overcome in two short months. So Joana is my FIRST goal for 2012....
I want to make her dreams come true and get her through college this next year. Help with whatever cost she may have. It would be a tragedy to waste such potential and beauty. She IS going to do great things. She is an outstanding high school student and yearns to devote herself to other studies. Joana....You are my first goal.
My Second Goal ~ Sponsor 2 Adoptions ~ $3,000 ~
Although orphanages serve a purpose, they do not solve the enormous social issue of orphans in the world. Just in the Philippines alone, there are over 1.8 million orphans. This does not include the children living on the streets. The only way to solve the orphan issue is adoption. When one child is adopted. another is taken off the streets. We can build more buildings, but the children will still be orphans. Let us find them what there heart truly desires and give them a "forever home".
It is fairly inexpensive for a Filipino family to adopt in country, as compared to an American trying to adopt out of country. The average cost for a Filipino couple to adopt is about 1,500.00 dollars. The is a fee that is astronomical to them, yet quite reasonable to us. So it is my goal to give the gift of a "forever home" to at least two children. We know of a few families that have already been approved by the government, but can not adopt yet, due to lack of funds. Seems silly when you think about it. I for one am going to give a child a home!
It is fairly inexpensive for a Filipino family to adopt in country, as compared to an American trying to adopt out of country. The average cost for a Filipino couple to adopt is about 1,500.00 dollars. The is a fee that is astronomical to them, yet quite reasonable to us. So it is my goal to give the gift of a "forever home" to at least two children. We know of a few families that have already been approved by the government, but can not adopt yet, due to lack of funds. Seems silly when you think about it. I for one am going to give a child a home!