Most people think an orphanage is a shelter for kids whose fathers and mothers are both dead. In most orphanages, that’s what the sheltered kids are.
But not all the time.
A kid in an orphanage could have both father and mother still alive.
And the kid could still find himself in an orphanage.
Like Dondon (not his real name). This little 4-year old boy lives in our Tahanan ng Pagmamahal Children’s Home, one of the ministries being supported by your KerygmaFamily.
So why on earth is a kid like Dondon staying in our Tahanan orphanage?
At first glance, Dondon is just like your typical 4-year old kid.
Playful, at times naughty, at times shy and timid.
Sometimes, picking a fight with the other kids. Sometimes winning the fight. Sometimes on the losing side, especially when he makes the mistake of picking on bigger, tougher kids.
His father was a wife beater. Drunkard, irresponsible, a bum.
And he beat Dondon too when he was not beating his wife.
Then one day something in his mother’s mind went off, like a busted electric bulb.
The authorities had no choice but to place her in a mental hospital.
She’s still there as I write this.
Dondon was therefore left in the care of his cruel father.
And the father lost no time in running away, abandoning Dondon.
Where he went, nobody knew.
Kindly neighbors brought him in the custody of DSWD, and DSWD brought him to us.
Tahanan ng Pagmamahal volunteers welcomed him into our shelter and into our hearts.
There in our Tahanan home (love can never be redundant, and we didn’t think the name of a loving shelter can sound redundant), we gave him nutrition. Security. Medical care. Spiritual Formation.
Most of all, we gave him God’s Love.
Because you sent us love.
The love that you send to KerygmaFamily.
Today, Dondon is not alone.
He’s got surrogate fathers and mothers – the Light of Jesus volunteers (Note: Light of Jesus is my physical community, while KerygmaFamily is my virtual community) who never get tired of sharing their time, talent, and treasures to keep Dondon and the other kids of Tahanan safe and secure in God’s love.
Thank you so much for all the support you give Dondon and his fellow orphans.
Tahanan ng Pagmamahal Children
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez
PS. Thank you so much for your monthly love offering! It goes a long way for KerygmaFamily to do God’s work for the poor and evangelism in this wounded world. To give your monthly support to all the ministries of the KerygmaFamily, click here.
