Fighting For My Son, Stephen.

A blessed day to you! My name is Sarah Balabagan. I am based in California with my husband and our two beautiful children. I met my husband way back in 2011 when I was invited to their church at San Jose CA. to share my testimony. My husband was then the worship leader and we became friends. In year 2013, I was invited again to speak at their church and this time I was a single mother with four children and he was also single. He proposed to me and we decide to get married immediately. Since I was already here we decided for me not to go home to the Philippines to work on my green card, because our plan was to petition my children. Since my youngest child Stephen was only 17months old, I planned to let my Nanny take care of him, but my mother who was living with me at that time told me that my older brother and his wife are volunteering to take care of Stephen. So, knowing I was able to help them financially in the past, especially when my life story was made into a true to life movie in 1997 after my ordeal in the Middle East and that their older daughter lived with me for many years for free, I thought they just wanted to help me out. So, I let my mother and my youngest son go home to Mindanao to live with them. But I made it clear to them that we will petition Stephen in time. Though they did not ask for monthly support, every time they ask for money for Stephen’s needs, my husband and I made sure to send money to them. Now, my three children are already here in the US. We were able to get them by God’s grace in 2018. Stephen was left behind, because when we’re about to petition him, the wife of my brother kept on begging me to let them take care of Stephen and I listened to them out of my respect. When I became a US citizen, we decided to file Stephen’s petition and by God’s Grace it was approved. Now we are just waiting for the scheduled interview at US embassy in Manila. I need to bring Stephen to Manila, but my brother refused to let go of Stephen. So, I filed a petition to the court of appeals, but still needed to go to the family court in Cotabato. Their lawyer asked for a settlement through my lawyer. They are asking for a refund for the cost of taking care of my son for 10yrs. At first , they asked for twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) a month or P2,400,000.00 which I can’t afford. So, now they asked for P10,000.00 or P1,200,000.00 for the ten (10) years they took care of my son. Finally, I agreed in a condition that I will pay every month the amount of P10,000.00 for 10 years, which is the best I can do for I am only a part time worker, working 20hrs a week in the night shift, because I need to take care of my two children in the morning. My husband’s salary is spent in our everyday expenses and to pay the bills and rent. My supposed to be brother is asking for P1.200,000.00 in cash to let my son go.

I am sharing this story or battle of mine to humbly ask for your assistance in any amount to help me fight and save my son, Stephen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. God bless you abundantly.