Jack tells me that one of the big challenges of helping orphans in the Philippines is redefining the term “orphan.” In the US, there are only a handful of actual orphans and the vast majority are cared for by relatives, foster parents, or relatively well-funded children’s homes.

In the Philippines, it is a very different story. There are unusually high adult mortality rates from opportunistic diseases like tuberculosis, which are virtually unheard of in the US. When you combine this with the trappings of extreme poverty like drug-use and crime, you get a situation that overwhelms the normal government and non-profit systems that exist to handle traditional “orphans”.

This is Joy-Joy, age 7

This is Joy-Joy, she’s 7 and she’s not a traditional “orphan”…

Joy-joy’s mother is a drug-addict who drifts around Manilla, picking pockets to support her habit.  She has 9 brothers and sisters who are scattered all over town. For the first few years of her life, he lived with her father, but now he has been in jail for several years.

So, Joy-Joy drifts too.

There’s not any family or foster-care program for her to go to and the overwhelmed government agency that is tasked with the care of these kids is little more than a kennel… A couple that abuses crystal-meth lets her sleep on their floor…

She has worms and lice and is malnourished… She has never been to school…

Joy-Joy needs a sponsor. For $40/month, you can provide food, clothing, a home with caring parents, school supplies and medical care. 

If you are interested in supporting the ministry of LifeChange Philippines to these kids through prayer or financial means, you can contact Jack Fairweather via email or by phone at (720)384-5820.