July 2006 Newsletter

Greetings to you from Glory Reborn Org! Thank you for taking time to support our ministry. Glory Reborn is continuing to serve the poor of Cebu by offering Free maternal services to our pregnant neighbors. To date we have delivered over 800 babies and have had the opportunity to touch thousands of lives. We have just expanded our services to include new lab work and prenatal testing for our pregnant mothers in hopes of giving them the very best service possible with little cost. We believe that in offering practical services to the poor their hearts would be opened to the realities of the love, hope, and future that Jesus has for them and their newborn baby. Thank you for sowing into the kingdom with us.

A King & A Kingdom

This has been a month of experiencing the realities of life particularly life in Cebu City. Though we walk through tragedies we have a great HOPE in Jesus who daily renews our strength! This month, one of our dear patients husband was murdered in his home in the graveyard. This poor mother already lost two children this year to potassium deficiency and now a husband. We also had two patients admitted into the hospital for potassium deficiency treatment due to lack of proper nutrition. Another one of Glory Reborns patients was bitten by a rat three times in her home that is built over an open sewer flowing to the ocean. After the scare of rabies and a lot of prayer she is recovering well and has regained full use of her leg. Yet in the midst of a lot of hardship and tragedy, the Lord has been teaching us how to renew our strength. The test of this strength came with two stillborn deliveries. Though our strength was tested victory was in Jesus as we were able to pray with each mother and give her an eternal hope in Jesus. We were also able to pray with one of our security guards to receive this eternal hope as well. Roland, our guard, is suffering from double kidney failure and needs a miracle to survive. But perhaps the greatest miracle has already happenedhis spirit is alive and well in Jesus. Though it has been a month of feeling like the earthly bodies and medicines have failed, the spirit has been so alive working in hurting and desperate hearts.

We held an all night prayer meeting with our staff in order to seek out what the Lord was doing this month and we had such a wonderful time with Jesus being renewed and refreshed. We were reminded that the joy of the Lord is our strength. In each situation we are learning to find that joy and the promise HE has for us in order that we can continue to serve and not grow weary! That the joy that gives us strength would be a joy and a hope for those we are serving. I cannot myself imagine the realities of living in a graveyard or lacking so much nutrition that I must be hospitalized to receive it or living in a home where rats run freely, but I can imagine the joy that overflows in Jesus for my staff, our patients, you and me. Though our outward surroundings and circumstances may vary drastically the faithfulness of who Jesus is and the promise He gives us remains constant to every nation, every person, and in every situation.

The Value of Life Besides a reminder of the joy and hope of the Lord that month has been encouraging in the reason we are here in Cebu City offering a charity clinic. This month a young women and her fetus (not a part of our clinic) died unnecessarily at a city hospital here after being admitted more than 26 hours prior without any complications. (related story)

It was made clear to our hearts that though this month has been filled with tragedies, we are making a difference and we are meeting a need. Women should not fear childbirth but receive quality care with familiar faces that will celebrate the life to come. This tragedy in Cebu has stirred up a lot of fear for pregnant women in the city. Thankfully Glory Reborn is able to offer reassurance through our professional staff and education and though the protection and grace of Jesus. Glory Reborn feels truly blessed by Jesus that we have not encountered any maternal deaths though we are working with extremely high risk and malnourished mothers. Truly it is by the grace of God. Each month we have a have a party to celebrate the lives born and the mothers share their testimonies of Glory Reborn. They feel safe, loved, excited and the hope of Jesus fills their hearts. The moms love to gather together for worship and give praise and thanks to Jesus for the life He has given because, those who hope in the Lord will NOT be disappointed!!

The Beauty of Christ

We also had a beautiful encounter with a young woman from the neighborhood. She was a 26 year old mother of four who was not pregnant but came to clinic because she heard we would pray for people who were having a hard time. We gladly accepted her and listened to her story. As Gods timing is always perfect, part of her situation involved a husband that was away as a seaman. The staff member that was present that day at Glory Reborn has a husband who is also a seaman! She was able to relate well with our staff and receive prayer. Her deepest concern was that Jesus would not hear her prayers because she was a sinner. We were able to share with her that though we all have sin through the blood of Jesus we can enter into the fullness of all of the goodness HE has for each of us. She spent over two hours at the clinic crying, sharing and receiving prayer and renewing her relationship with Jesus as a gracious and loving Father who longs to hear His children. We were so blessed that she felt she could come to our clinic not for pregnancy help but for spiritual guidance and prayer. Above all this is the desire of Glory Reborn, to see the glory of Jesus reborn in the hearts of His children. This month glory has truly been reborn in the lives of so many hurting hearts. Hallelujah for life, joy, and a hope that renews our strength!

Our commitment is to provide FREE care to the less fortunate mothers of Cebu, to provide a financial solution for all of our staff, & to spread the Love of Jesus. 100% of your donations go directly to our patients and providing this care. Hilary & I receive no salary or benefits from any of these operations, and to be honest, it is our greatest joy that every cent goes towards those who really need it the most! Thank you for being a part of this ministry!