Who We Are
At a beautiful location on the island of Palawan we have established a children’ s home called the Door of Hope. The property consists of 12 acres, about four of which have been planted to pineapple, citrus trees and a variety of other fruit trees. A lovely stream intersects the property, supplying fresh water all year long.
In 2007 we completed the first home for children. It is a duplex that can accommodate about 15 girls on one side and 15 boys on the other. The cornerstone of our staff consists of house parents who are drawn from a large fellowship of churches called Philippine Christian Fellowship. The hundreds of mature men and women of high integrity provide us with a wonderful resource of people with proven moral character, who are willing to lay down their lives for children who otherwise would have no hope. The children do not enter an institutional atmosphere, but in every way possible we strive to make them feel a part of a loving family. The house parents will fulfill the need in each child to have a mother and father image that will care for them as if they were their own children.
The vision for this work came to me very suddenly and with great impact in a most unlikely place. It was the year 2001 and I was at the fruit and vegetable market in Puerto Princesa, the capital city of the island of Palawan. At this market poor children can often be seen selling large plastic bags to people who use them to consolidate their purchases. One of these children approached me and, as was my custom, I gave him much more than he asked, and told him to keep it to buy some food. He didn’t leave immediately, but stood a few yards away staring at me with a smile that made me wonder if he thought I was an angel or something.
What happened next has effected my life dramatically. I heard the voice of God within me speaking these words, “ If you were that boy, would you want someone to give you hope?” The presence of the Lord flooded over me and tears filled my eyes as I answered, “ Yes, Lord!” In that moment in the quiet of my heart a transaction took place, and I surrendered myself to be his hand extended to hopeless children in the Philippines. In the book of Hosea in the Old Testament of the Bible, chapter 14 verse 3 tells us that in God the fatherless find mercy. In Psalm 68 God is called a father of the fatherless; and other scriptures declare that God will bless the lives of those who remember the fatherless and do good to them.
In Manila there are children who live on the streets and do whatever they must do to stay alive. Some live near large garbage dumps and scavenge through the refuse and garbage to survive. Other children, who have no place else to go, are being raised by relatives who do not want them, and treat them like slaves or worse. Many of these orphaned and abandoned children are destined to grow up as drug addicts, prostitutes, criminals or with a warped understanding of love and commitment because of being abused sexually by those who took them in.
I believe that God has commissioned us to break through these barriers to find and rescue children that have no hope, and bring them to the Door of Hope, where they will grow up in an atmosphere that engenders character and motivates them to strive for excellence in every area of their lives. To each child that is not adopted, we are committed to see them through their education years, including college, or until they marry and start their own families. Through character building, loving discipline, training, and education our goal is that each child will grow up to be a positive influence on the people around them with a heart of compassion for those experiencing hardship and misfortune.
As we continue this outreach to some of the neediest of society we are filled with excitement and anticipation of what God will help us to do for his glory. Thus far we have taken one step of faith at a time as doors have opened before us. The great expense of obtaining and preparing the land, and erecting the buildings has been supplied little by little as hearts were touched in America and in the Philippines.
The God given burden that birthed this vision continues to burn in my heart and the flame is being kindled in the hearts of others that have joined me to give their lives for this noble purpose.
John Stutzman
Life on the Streets...
Into A Loving Family...
"The children do not enter an institutional atmosphere, but in every way possible we strive to make them feel a part of a loving family. The house parents will fulfill the need in each child to have a mother and father image that will care for them as if they were their own children."
