An orphaned set of four siblings captured the hearts of the Zimmer family over Christmas break in 2009. We met the spunky youngsters, Aira, Gerald, Jessica, and Jaypee, while visiting a children's home near Manila, in the Philippines. We visited them each year while we worked in South Korea and have stayed in touch through the years. As they reached university age, we formed a partnership with Messiah Lutheran and, for the last couple of years, have helped fund their education and some of their housing needs through grants from the Endowment Fund and our personal support.
Now the youngest, Jaypee Sampson, and his caretaker, Nanay Yolly, have lost their home and desperately need our help. The government leveled the home that they owned, along with many others, in an expansion project along the Port of Batangas. They were given pennies on the dollar and told they had a couple of months to make other arrangements. Along with a grant from the Endowment Fund, we have been paying for their rent in a new location. Nanay Yolly used the money she had been paid to buy a small plot of land on which they can build a 20' x 20' (400 sq. ft.) home. It will cost $15,000 to pay for the new home, permits, and taxes, as well as acquire the paperwork for the deed to the property; money they simply don't have. Different from the States, they have begun building their house and others in this new sub development, which will be completed sometime in April, so there's a call to urgency as well. Nanay Yolly, in her mid 60s, recently had a stroke and is unable to work. Jaypee is finishing up high school and has limited time for a job. He has worked as a fisherman off and on for several years, making about $1.50 per hour. Tom has been working with Nanay Yolly to navigate this complicated situation from across the ocean.
We would really appreciate the generous support of the Messiah community to help raise the funds for Jaypee and Nanay Yolly to build their new home and have stable housing once again. To donate to this worthy cause, please write a check or donate online to Messiah Lutheran Church, and in the memo write, "Philippines Home."
Every gift, no matter the size, is a profound blessing that will forever change the lives of this family we have grown to love so dearly. Messiah Lutheran has already built a deep bond with them, and Nanay Yolly often calls us her 'Angels.' To honor that connection, we want to hang a collage with the faces of those who made it possible—our own 'Angel Wall'–on the wall of their new home. Please, share your heart and your support with us. We invite you to send a digital photo of yourself or your family to be added to the collage as a lasting reminder of your care. Most importantly, we ask that you join us in prayer as we navigate this complex journey from afar. Together, let's show them they are never alone.
With prayer and gratitude,
Tom and Theresa Zimmer
