World Vision Philippines releases book for 65th anniversary


Child sponsors and donors help about 1.5 million of our most vulnerable children

My elderly aunt has never missed a donation for her sponsored child at World Vision. I know, since I’m the one who processes her donations using her credit card. Attending the recent 65th anniversary of World Vision, has solidified my good impression of the organization.

To mark its 65th anniversary, World Vision compiled a book entitled “The Day My Life Changed,” with inspiring stories of sponsor children and how their sponsors helped them transform their lives.

Rommel Fuerte, World Vision Philippines’ National Director

At the book launch, former sponsor children went up the stage to share how the organization has helped them. One inspiring story was from Commodore Armand Balilo, who went from selling rice cakes as a child to becoming one of our most prominent public servants in the country.

Commodore Armand Balilo, a World Vision sponsored child.

“Years back, I was the one who needed to be saved and rescued. I grew up in a community where poverty and misery was a norm. I was selling rice cakes to put food on the table and there were times when I would attend Sunday School shirtless. One day, a World Vision project staff approached me and that day changed my life. My wonderful sponsors gave me the opportunity to create a better life for myself and my family,” shared Commodore Balilo.

Testimonies from other former World Vision sponsored children also took place. There was Ace who is now a policeman looking after his community, and Bishop Alconga who was World Vision sponsor child No 7 and one of the first sponsor child in the Philippines.

Sponsored Children -- Rommel Fuerte with World Vision sponsored children

"Thanks to our supporters, so many of our children have been able to write their own life story. I am passionate to see many more stories of transformation being written by our sponsors and their sponsor children," shared Rommel Fuerte, World Vision Philippines’ National Director, at the book launch.

According to him, World Vision child sponsors and donors help about 1.5 million of our most vulnerable children. "We hope that through this book, we find reflected in these pages God’s wonderful plan for our lives, enclosed with a prayer for our hearts the will to make it so."

To know how you can avail the book, visit www.worldvision.org.ph or follow World Vision’s official social media pages worldvisionph.