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Cebu, Philippines |
Cebu Island, in the Philippines, is the focus of Mercy Ministries’ outreach to Filipino children. After living in Manila from 1984-1985, and adopting two Filipino children, Fred and Karleen Dewey felt a deep concern for the preschool children of poor families. Often, the parents worked during the day leaving their children alone or in the care of an older sibling. It was not unusual to see a six-year-old with his four-year-old brother or sister begging on street corners. In 1986, the Deweys were approached by Mrs. Norma Manego of Cebu, located 500 miles south of Manila . She had a dream. She wanted to start up Christian day centers where the preschoolers could learn Bible stories and songs, and be better prepared to enter school. Mercy Ministries agreed to sponsor three of these centers. Each center is located either in an existing church or in a small bamboo building constructed specifically to be a center. Often the teacher and her family live on the second floor of the center. Norma developed a cooperative food plan so that parents can come to their assigned center to pick up food supplies. The teacher and her husband teach Bible studies for the parents as well. Several churches were formed from these Bible studies.
Throughout the years, others
joined to sponsor more centers. Soon, eighteen EvanFree Christian
Child Development Centers were serving poor children and their
families in the surrounding area. In one center, a kindergarten was
added to further assist in the children’s preparation for school. In
more than twenty years of ministry, thousands of children were given a
“chance” at these centers. Please visit our Photo Gallery to see more pictures of Cebu Island |
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