Help me provide hope for 500 families!

Help me feed and clean 400 or more impoverished families in the Philippines this Christmas.

My name is Mike and my wife’s name is Yra.  In August 2019 I retired from the US Navy and my wife and I moved to a very small island, Pilar Camotes Cebu, in the Philippines.  For the last five years we supported a missionary providing free medical services.  We always intended to continue our work with the medical mission.  Once we arrived, we began attending a Christian home church soon I was preaching God’s word.  I never expected to be called into ministry.  Yet that is where I now find myself.

My wife and I had to go to Guam in January, and we returned to the Philippines February 29.  Before heading home, we were in Ormoc City grocery shopping when the Philippine government enacted travel restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.   

In 2015 we purchased a house one street over in the neighborhood my wife grew up.  We always intended to renovate it to make it more comfortable for us.  However, COVID required us to renovate earlier than planned.  We stayed with family during renovation.  We live in a normal Filipino community where everyone simply lives one day at a time.

Stranded in Ormoc City we began to settle into routine of supervising construction and getting to know our neighbors.  Restrictions were implemented that prohibited the gathering in large groups.  What to do since we couldn’t go to church?  We started a Christian church in our home.   We have grown our home church from just family to 20 regular attendees including many children.  We have also partnered with a local pastor and his wife so we could extend our reach.  Our services include Youth, Children, and Sunday worship service.  We have tried to grow cautiously because of COVID.

As Christmas approaches it is our desire to help feed needy families within our community.  Last year my wife and I provided food for 100 needy families.  This year the need is much greater because of COVID.  Severe hunger and malnutrition have increased from 27.2% to 40.7% representing an additional 1.9 million families in the Visayas region of the Philippines where we live*.

The cost is about $10 per family.  That will provide five kilos of rice, canned meat loaf, canned corned beef, powered milk, instant noodles, a bar of laundry soap and a bar of soap.  Yra and I will again help 100 families (our personal financial limit).  I’m asking for help feeding at least 300 additional families!

My promise to all that help is simple: 100% of the money donated will be used to feed an impoverished family in need for Christmas.  My wife and I will cover all expenses associated with distribution.

God calls all us to make a difference in the world.  Will you help to make a difference in the lives of someone who even in the best of times earns less than $5.00 per day?

Thank you for taking time to read my heartfelt request!

* https://www.rappler.com/nation/hunger-philippines-sws-survey-september-2020