July 2021 Update: Make a Difference!

We pray you are doing well and that the Lord is covering you with His love. Joshua Care has been busy this month with all the new applicants and enrollments. Many families are struggling financially and seeking support for their children to continue their education. Once again the basic needs for food and housing becomes the first priority and medical needs, education etc, goes down in priority.

This year JCI has 62 students enrolled and we are now preparing their uniforms & books. Many children need school supplies, pencils and notebooks because their parents can’t buy it for them. One child last year would call a friend to copy pages from the workbook so that he could still do the school work. Even without his own workbooks, he was determined to study and managed to have honors on his report card!

Most children still don’t have electronic tablets or laptops in the house and they have to study their online classes using their parents cell phone. Sadly this has affected their grades and we would like to help those students this year. JCI is calling for donations of tablets and laptops to help the children with their online classes. If you wish to donate you can go to: www.joshuacare.org/Donate then leave your message as “Laptop” - Together we are making a difference!!

The Philippine Government was quick to impose community restrictions during the COVID Pandemic. The country is still in quarantine mode. Children under 18yrs of age and seniors over 65yrs are to remain at home at all times. All others may go out for work or to buy groceries and medicines. When we go to the shops we have to always wear a facemask and shield; record all your details before entering any store. Therefore the children have been staying at home since February last year in an attempt to reduce the possible spread of the COVID Virus. That’s 18 months at home without going out!! Last week we decided to reach out to the JCI students and invite small groups to come to the JCI house where we have more room to move. They have enjoyed singing together and listening to words of encouragements from our University students who have become their mentors. Many of the children have become very pale and thin due to lack of food & exercise. Some of the teenagers were showing signs of depression and we were able to give some counselling and encouragement. Please pray that they will soon be allowed to play outside again.

Philippines has a very active vaccination program and you can often see hundreds of people lining up in the Shopping Centre car parks, waiting for the COVID vaccine.

JCI has recently been approved for licensing and registration with the Department of Social Welfare in Manila. All the paperwork and compliances are to make it possible for JCI to help care for some of the street children who have been abandoned, neglected or abused. We have finally found a lovely Social Worker called Crezol who is working fulltime for JCI (this is a requirement of the DSWD). Our new Community Officer is Ruth and she is now coordinating the activities of our scholars in the community. We pray they will be blessed to serve together with us in JCI.

Arturo & Benzar have been busy on the rooftop and we now have a new laundry and a roof over the third floor verandah. This will prevent the heavy rains from seeping into the house which was a problem before. We thank the lord for giving them strength as it was a really big job. And we are ever so grateful to our amazing sponsors who sent the finances to help us pay for the materials we needed.

Everyday we have devotions with the JCI kids in the house. The boys play guitar together with Arturo as we worship the Lord. It is so good to see the children growing and maturing day by day. God has a good plan for each one of them. They always give thanks to the Lord for providing all their needs and everyday we all pray for you our amazing faithful sponsors and friends.

May the Lord Bless you and Keep you, cause His face to shine upon you and give you peace.

Arturo & Sharon are hoping to visit Australia in August- September to meet their new little grandson. Pray for them as they travel back to Australia!

We pray the Lord will Bless you and keep you well, till we meet again.

Kindest regards,

Sharon Del Valle & The Joshua Care Team