In James 1:27, we see the importance of caring for widows. During our time in the Philippines, our family has grown very close to two Filipino widows, Virginia and Ascion.

Both of them are well into their 60's and their husbands are gone. In the last year, we have watched both of them struggle with their housing situation from unfair land lords and financial difficulty. Over the next year, it is our goal to raise $3500 each to buy the rights to a small piece of land and build them a small house to live in within one of the communities where we minister.

Would your church or small group like to take on this project for one of these Christian women? Maybe you would like to come to the Philippines and help us build one or both of these houses?

About 5 years ago, I, along with some sports ministry partners, started a foundation called Eagles SOAR (Sharing Our Abundant Resources) as a way to challenge those who God has blessed, to share a portion of their resources to help impoverished boys and girls have an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty through excellence in sports.

Basketball is one of the biggest tools to reach people in the Philippines. Many of you know about Buhay Sports and the assistance we provide to pastors and local churches to help them evangelize and recruit using the sport. Another use for basketball that God has laid on our hearts is to begin a training and discipleship facility within one of the communities where we minister. The goal is not to just teach basketball, but to instill Biblical values and Christian principles. With the popularity of basketball in the Philippines, there are nearly unlimited opportunites for someone who works hard and learns to play the game.

We have looked at numerous options over the years, but God has always kept a certain area of land on our hearts as a great place to do it. For many years, we have shared the vision with those who have come to the Philippines to work with us, and now, we are asking for your help.

In the picture above, you can see an aerial view of the land, and in the upper right hand corner a layout of the specific lots. The red roofed building in the upper left one the children's home we are involved with, and in the bottom center, the building with the green roof is the guest house where guest teams stay during their short term ministry trips. It is our goal to raise enough money to buy lots number 1 and 2, located just between the orphanage and the guest house. A location that makes it great for many possible outreach and minsitry programs, not just for basketball.

The yellow boxes are just a hypothetical idea of where we would put a gym and a stage, and where we would work with the Cuatro Christian School to build classrooms. The pieces along the roads, on the borders of the property, are where we would work with the community to help build shops. Here, community members can set up stalls and sell products to provide income for their families.

Eagles SOAR has already raised approximately $75,000 toward the purchase of the land, and we are going to make a big push to raise the remaining $225,000 for the land and then get started on raising the funds to build a basketball court.

Do you have an interest in helping us develop this project? Would you be interested in making a donation, or know of potential donors or grants that help with community development projects like this? Please join us as we dream big, knowing what God could do through somthing like this. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this project.

One of the struggles, as our family has grown, is finding a way to transport not only ourselves, but miinistry basketball teams, guest famillies on ministry trips and Faith Academy sports teams throughout Manila. We often have to borrow vehicles from friends and ministry partners to get things done, but we are praying that God will help us raise the funds for a used Toyota Hi Ace 13 passenger Van. We estimate that we need to raise as much as $25,000 to get a nice unit, but are also hoping to find a good deal once we start looking.

It would be great to find 25 people or groups to help us raise $1000 each toawrds this need. Thanks for praying with us that God will provide these funds according to His will for our minsitry.

Our personal support is one of the issues we really don't like to talk about. It's probably a struggle with pride, but all the same, we generally are content to let God provide without too many outgoing requests to all of you for personal needs.

Over the years, we have seen God provide for our family in ways we never could have imagined. Even as our family and expenses have grown, God has ALWAYS provided. In that, sources of support have come and gone, opportunities to do extra activities on the side to generate funds have also come and gone, but there is always money for rent, food, tuition and whatever else we need. It is your willingness to pray and your receptiveness to God's call to give that has sustained us over the last 11 years.

The reason our mission sends us on furlough is not just to catch up with friends and family and visit with supporters and churches. We are also given the time in the states to try to connect with potential new donors who will allow us to continue and expand our current outreach.

One thing we have learned is that supporters are not just meant to provide funding, but are also meant to receive ownership and a share in the work that they are supporting. Acts 20:35 says it is more blessed to give than to receive. Some of the coolest experiences we have had are watching guest teams and supporters, whose intent is to minister outward, ultimately receive a bigger blessing than those they are trying to reach!

It is our prayer that each of you who has been involved has experienced the blessing of giving by knowing the joy that your gifts are bringing to people in the Philippines.

Currently, we receive between $2500 and $3000 per month. Our mission estimates that for a family of 7, to cover our expenses, we need approximately $4500 per month in donations. We would love to raise some of the funds to make up that difference while we are home. However, if we don't raise any or all of it, we will continue to trust God to provide for all of our needs!

If you have any questions about our finances, or support options, or if you would like us to visit with your small group of church, please contact me. We love telling people about what God is doing in the Philippines.

Thanks for praying with us along these lines as well.