On a lot in Bgy. Canitoan, some kilometers off the beaten track, a house for abandoned boys is slowly shaping up. Against all odds, “The House of Joshua” is making the dream for a shelter to minister to the needs of abandoned boys from aged five come true.
God's gift of land for the abandoned boys of Cagayan de Oro.
The name 'Joshua' means: 'God saves'. The people behind the project believe that God has a plan that extends beyond a home, and it is his intention that these boys be saved from lives of rejection and loneliness and find hope and life in Him.
Dedication of the promised land. Lifenet Foundation Board visits the site.“We bought a lot located in Canitoan in January and now we are working to raise the needed funds for the construction of the House of Joshua home for abandoned boys with learning center facilities for livelihood skills training and special needs children,” said Mary Louise Conroy-Rendon, a British missionary who now calls Cagayan de Oro home. “The initial temporary home is scheduled to open later this year for 10 boys with the construction of the permanent home ongoing.”
The shelter on the 1,261 square meter site will eventually be able to accommodate 28 boys and will include specially designed facilities for children with disabilities.
“An in-house learning center for livelihood skills training and a therapy room for special needs development will empower the boys to grow in confidence and discover within them what God created them to be, whatever their age or ability level,” said Ramil, Mary’s husband and vice president of Lifenet Foundation which administers the project.
Lifenet received a a shipment of tools from 'The Conroy Rendon Charitable Trust' in the UK in January which would serve to pioneer a livelihood skills program for older boys like street
youths and thosenow staying in government social welfare facilities.
House of Joshua will house abandoned boys like these ones scavenging at the city dump who, however, still have time to pose for pictures. (photos by Dante Sudaria)
“We are hoping to partner with Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and develop this area of ministry as a Youth Development Project that provides support in the attainment of livelihood skills such as carpentary and mechanics, foundational numeric, literacy and social skills, and facilitates ongoing Christian discipleship so that abandoned youth are better equipped for independent living and supported both practically and spiritually beyond the age of 18,” Mary said.
Lifenet is also working in partnership with ProCare Foundation (a special educational needs center) to provide and facilitate appropriate intervention therapy for abandoned children with disabilities both at the House of Joshua or those living in other government social welfare facilities in Cagayan de Oro.
Carrying steel bars to the site over water Dug by hand and covered by mud and
and mud. water.
Work goes on even it the foundations All materials have to be carried by hand
are flooded with rain water. to the site.
As Lifenet’s first major project, the House of Joshua needs P4.5-million to be completed and additional regular support for its monthly maintenance and operations. Work started at the site in Canitoan on July 3rd, with the construction of the perimeter fence and raising the house area by one meter to prevent flooding.
“I think our main needs right now are 'fundraising' for the building project and donations of materials,” Mary said. “We are trying to get donations of filling materials for the site.”
Work on the backwall has started. And so has work on the south wall.
“The construction has started with the 'Backwall' which forms the back of the perimeter fence as well as the rear wall of the house which faces East,” Mary continues as she gingerly walks between the puddle of mud in the site. “The work is mainly digging and cementing the foundations of the main posts at the moment. It will later continue with the fencing around the rest of the site and elevating the house floor area of 300 square meters to prevent flooding.”
While the House of Joshua is under construction, Lifenet plans to open a temporary house (by renting a location) for 10 boys.
The temporary house was too late for Dodong, an abandoned child who
died recently before it was ready. Read more about Dodong in Tales from the
House of Joshua also found in Pipol.
“We are trying to raise some regular financial support for the running costs of the house - and also need to secure some more staff like house parents, social worker and others before we can move further forward with this,” Ramil adds. “Not really sure when this will be realized - we were originally targeting September - the weeks seem to be flying by fast though.”
The House of Joshua doesn’t aim to attain all these lofty goals by itself though. Networking is a basic working tenet of Lifenet, with the synergy of people working together towards a common goal always greater than the sum of its individual components.
“By networking and supporting churches and organizations in our area that reach out to children at risk, we can provide better services together, improve and share training resources for workers and reach more children more effectively,” Ramil stresses. “It is only through partnership together that we can reach out to the countless children living in difficult circumstances.”
Post frames - wooden struts holding Property line under construction.
the posts.
Lifenet Foundation invites volunteers to join them in the quest to complete and run The House of Joshua by any of the following: sponsoring a child; volunteering your time, skills or experience; collecting used toys, clothes and books; helping raise funds or making a donation; joining the voluntary staff team; becoming an advocate for Lifenet Children’s Foundation, or joining their prayer network.
Quotes Mary from Jeremiah 29: 11 “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future'. We believe that this scripture is a promise for every child.”
The House of Joshua will be these kids hope for a better home.
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