A struggling family in a remote village in Occidental Mindoro received an unexpected Christmas miracle after a Korean benefactor extended help just days before the holiday, easing their daily fight for survival.

The assistance reached the family of the late Lim Jin-ho, a Korean national who died of a cerebral hemorrhage in the Philippines last October, drawing renewed attention to the plight of overseas Korean children who fall outside formal nationality and support systems.

He left behind his Filipino common-law partner and their four children, aged 14, 12, 9, and 7.

The couple lived together for 15 years without registering their marriage, and their children hold only Filipino citizenship.

Since Lim’s death, the family has been living in extreme poverty. With no stable income, there were days when they had no rice at home and worried about how to feed the children, especially as Christmas drew near.

It added that the children’s return to Korea and access to education there have been virtually blocked, leaving them without institutional protection.

The family’s story recently became known in Korean society, prompting a helping hand.

On Tuesday, Dec. 23, a donation from a Korean philanthropist was delivered to Lim’s Filipino partner and their four children in a rural village in Mamburao, following a long journey by land and sea from Manila.

"I happened to come across the story of the late Lim Jin-ho's family and my heart ached, so I couldn't just stay put." the benefactor said.

"It's not a big help, but at least I hope this family can live without going hungry," it added.

The assistance was facilitated by the Korean Wave Tourism Federation of the Philippines and personally handed over by its chairman, Jang Han-sik.

The benefactor said he was moved after learning about the family’s situation and decided to help so they would not go hungry during the holidays.

For the family, the donation came at a critical time and felt nothing short of a miracle.

They were able to buy food and share a warm meal together on Christmas Day, something they had not done in weeks.

The assistance also gave them a chance to start again.

The mother now plans to open a small corner store to earn a modest income, with hopes of selling simple snacks and homemade Korean dishes.

The family expressed their deep gratitude to an unnamed Korean sponsor.

"We were able to have a warm meal together as a family for the first time in a while on Christmas,” they said.

In a gesture of gratitude, the family also prepared a simple breakfast for the visiting officials, personally bringing it to the hotel lobby after the donation was handed over.

Meanwhile, the family has also sought help from a Kopino education center, but assistance remains limited as many certification and education programs are not yet fully operational.

Supporting the education and daily needs of the four children is estimated to cost about 4 million won a month.

Experts said the case highlights the growing problem of Korean children left without support overseas.

They noted that more children are falling through the cracks due to citizenship issues, unregistered marriages, and weak systems, while a clear national response remains lacking.

Local observers said the story highlights how a single act of kindness can make a life-changing difference, especially for families living far from help.

“With this family's case as an opportunity, it is urgent to establish a system to educate and nurture children of overseas Koreans locally and to connect them to Korean society in the long term,” it said.

As Christmas ended, the family said the assistance reminded them that they were not alone, and that even in their darkest moment, hope could still arrive.