Working with local pastors in the Philippines is one of the things that makes FCM ministry to the children unique. Without them, we could not do what God has called us to do.

Robert and Sarah Cuenca were the first pastors hand-picked by God to care for the children He was giving FCM. Most of you have read about how we began the ministry of sending children to school and breaking the cycles of poverty. Robert is the pastor who took Ras to that garbage dumpsite where he first saw the children - hungry, uneducated, dirty and trapped in a cycle of inherited poverty. That visit changed us and the focus of our ministry. (To read the full story of that encounter go to How It All Began.)

We began working closely with Robert and Sarah in 2001 when we stepped out in faith to help 8 children go to school. Every month since we started, he has sent a report telling us how much money he received from FCM and how it was spent as well as an update about the sponsored children's progress.

The Cuencas cook hot dogs at the garbage site on Saturday mornings and feed hundreds of children. They have fed hungry children from their own small kitchen, children whose only source of food was digging through restaurant trash. They built a church at the garbage site in order to better care for the children and their families. They opened a drop-in center for street kids to come eat and take a shower. They began a pre-school at the garbage site to help the children for public school. Some of the children were 10 to 12 years old but had never been to school.

Robert is a leader, a bishop, among the pastors related to FCM as well as many others. Most of the pastors with whom we work today were introduced and recommended to us by Robert. He has been our guide and body guard when we've gone into unsafe places. Sarah has been my traveling companion when I would have otherwise been traveling alone, sometimes to remote locations in the Philippines. She is widely recognized for her wisdom. 

I saw Robert's heart for disadvantaged children one day when we observed some "street kids" being mistreated by a shop owner. Robert stopped the van, got out and proceeded to remind the shop owner of the "rights of children not to be abused." Then he turned to the kids and told them to go on and not to bother the shop owner any more. Though none of these people knew him personally, they recognized his authority and submitted to his demands.

We are thankful for the Cuencas and the love they have for the children and youth of their nation. God blessed us when they became partners with us in ministry. The fruit of their ministry is good. 

Pray for all the FCM pastors in the Philippines who care for and disciple the children God has given us. Without those pastors, we could not do what God has given us to do.