By Pastor Judith F. Kintanar
The Hearts on Fire (HOF) youth of EFC-Davao have expended a meaningful Christmas break with the little ones spending Christmas in the hospital.
Last December 19, the young people visited the House of Hope, a health facility in Davao City that provides multi-specialty care of child cancer.
The House of Hope which treats almost 150 patients every year is a project of the Rotary of Waling-Waling Davao Chapter and Davao Children’s Cancer Fund Incorporated. The facility which has revolutionized the care of child cancer in Mindanao is located at Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), the largest public hospital in the region. It has the Children’s Cancer and Blood Diseases Unit with a dedicated multi-disciplinary team catering the care of children with cancer. Majority of the House of Hope’s patients are indigents with no place or family to stay with in Davao while undergoing treatment.
20 youths, led by Pastor Christine Wee and Pastor Judith Kintanar, volunteered to take part in the House of Hope’s mission to provide holistic care to children through their fun-filled Christmas visit in the Center. Christmas carols, games, picture-taking and gift-giving to the patients including their guardians brought smiles and laughter all over the place. Pastor Judith ministered to the children with the simple Gospel message that gave the hearers the strength and encouragement in their daily battle with the disease. The Evangel Family Church also donated financially to the Davao Children’s Cancer Fund, Inc.
Ms. Annie Ong, House of Hope Assistant Director of Activities, expressed the staff’s appreciation to the HOF team for making the children so happy on that day.
“The donation will be a great help in buying medicines and providing for some everyday needs of these 48 children enrolled in this year’s cancer treatment. Thank you for choosing us to be in your list this Christmas!,” Ms. Ong said.
The HOF youth believe that their visit brought the presence of God in the House of Hope, healing spiritually and physically the people there. In that short visit, they also realized that their good health is a gift from God and a reason to help and heal the sick, as Jesus commissioned the church.
