Maricel and her Family

There is a family who lives in Isla Bonita (a community in Malaybalay) that we have been helping. We hired Maricel to work in our home three days a week and she is very sweet and hard working. Mondo and Maricel have four children, two girls and two boys. Their youngest boy David who is five years old has bowed legs from malnutrition. This past week he was bitten by a dog on the hand and is now receiving 4 rabies shots. His little sister Rachel was just diagnosed with pneumonia and asthma and was in the hospital for three days this week. Like many family's in Isla Bonita they can't always afford to buy food or even rice. We visited their house recently and I was face-to-face with their needs.

The roof has a large gap and many other small openings that lets in the rain and insects.

It is our hope to replace the leaves with tin panels.

 As I looked around I realized that not only was the roof falling apart but the walls were barley there.

 This is a large hole in the wall near their wood burning stove. Notice the walls are made of bamboo strips woven together.

They have sheets up in place where the walls used to be.

This sheet is on the edge of the family bed which on the other side drops down a hill to a small stream. L to R David (barely visible), Long-Long and Rebekah (not pictured is her oldest daughter Jonahcel). 

They have no bathroom but must go outside. Their small one room house has one bed for all 6 family members. The bed is made of bamboo slats with no mattress. They have no electricity and no running water. They must go to a family's house to fill their water jugs for cleaning, drinking and washing clothes.

 Another gap in their wall.

 Here Maricel stands in the doorway (where they prop a door up at night).

 To get to their house there is a very steep hill that gets muddy and slippery. They often fall trying to climb down to their house and it is especially hard for little David. We hope to put in cement steps and a handrail.

 We have been praying for this family and thinking about them a lot. We believe that God has given us this opportunity to help them. Recently I was thinking about Lent and making sacrifices. I don't know what you have decided to give up this Lent, but may I make a suggestion? Would you consider giving up a material comfort for this family and donating the money you would have spent to help rebuild their house?

Perhaps you give up Starbucks once a week = $20 a month

or everyday = $150 a month.

your family could give up eating out once a week = $80 a month

give up going to the movies = $10

Whatever you decide please consider praying about it and praying for this family. Whatever sacrifice you make this lent makes your prayers that much more powerful.

A few things our family has given up as missionaries in the Philippines (maybe it will help you think of something you could give up this Lent):

• hot showers
• bath tubs
• air conditioning
• many dairy products (fresh cheese, sour cream, fresh milk)
• many types of meat (hamburgers, steaks, pork chops, ribs, bacon, you get the picture)
• a television (& cable)
• access to perpetual internet (give up internet except 2 hours a week)

If you would like to help this family donations can be made by clicking HERE. Make sure to put Maricel Home Project in the memo line. Everyday we are made more aware of how much we have been blessed with materially in the United States compared to so many other countries. As you think about all you have and have been blessed with remember that God has given you these things so that you can share them with others. A little goes a long way here and God will bless you for your generosity!

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each ones need.         - Acts 2:44-45