Haven of Hope Orphanage turns 3
SOWERS INTERNATIONAL Director for
Southeast Asia Romy Niere with the
Muslim scholars in Punta Biao, Digos
City, Davao del Sur. Niere visits them
after he graced the 3rd year anniversary
of the Haven of Hope orphanage, which
Niere family has established with the
help of Sowers' International.
Haven of Hope orphanage is now on its third year. They had its anniversary last June 26, 2009 in Digos City, Davao del Sur.
Here, the children are being molded to grow in faith with the Lord and become well meaning Church leaders of the community in the near future.
The anniversary celebration highlighted the institution's unconditional love for the orphaned, abandoned and neglected children in the area.
Romy Niere, director of Sowers International for Southeast Asia graced the celebration with the dedication of the new facilities such as children’s playground and six modern comfort rooms.
Their facilities were provided out of the generosity of the late Engr. Rudy "Toto" Niere, Jr., son of couple Eng’r. Rodulfo and Violeta Niere.
The orphanage is world class with its modern facilities and child-friendly programs.
The orphans were provided with basic necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care. The orphanage further takes care of the children’s emotional, social and spiritual development.
Haven of Hope has its new playground
facility and six modern comfort rooms.
Niere said, "My family gave so much of our time in helping these less privileged individuals as we were once orphans too. There were six of us who lived in an orphanage, when our beloved father died. My mother could hardly raise us and decided to bring us under the care of the orphanage. We know the feeling of an orphan. And when God has poured His grace and blessings to us, we also gave back by helping others," he said.
The orphanage was built using the retirement claims of his sister-in-law Violeta Niere, a retired Nurse in the U.S., wife of Engr. Rodulfo Niere, Sr.
The missionary works further to expand and touch so many lives.
With the great help of Gwynn Lewis, founder of Sowers International and his friend Craig Kelford, they brought the message of hope and eternal life to the third world countries - Philippines and Thailand.
"God is so great that he used our family as His instrument to help others. We are all fulfilled in our lives. But helping others is more meaningful. It has its eternal rewards," Niere said.
The missionary works of the Niere family and Sowers International include the conduct of mission classes in Laminosa Muslims in Punta Biao in Digos City, Davao del Sur.
They started with the Adult Literacy classes with 60 adults in regular attendance.
They also put up a pre-school to cater to the educational needs of the children who have nothing to do, but wait for the time they reach age of 13 or 14 and settled down.
These children are denied of their right to education due to racial discrimination because they are Muslims.
There were 70 children who enrolled in the Pre-School, said Niere.
The discrimination against these Muslim children fizzled with their literacy in reading, writing and counting.
There's also a Feeding Program for the Pre-Schoolers as in the past, they just come to the school with empty stomachs.
With the feeding program, the children's health has remarkably improved and they became more active, alert and happy.
Furthermore, 50 young people in the village accepted the Lord as their personal savior and they continue to grow in their walk with the Lord.
They were also trained with Christian leadership so that in the future they will also take the responsibility of leading the rest of the villagers to the Lord.
As part of the leadership training, they provided scholarship grants to 15 high schools and two college students.
“By the grace of God, ten of them graduated from High School and this year, two have successfully graduated from College – the first ever in this village. What a source of pride and inspiration to the young people and their families. They now know that with determination and faith in God, they can achieve higher education in the midst of extreme poverty,” Niere said.
Sowers International also started a community among the Kalagan tribal people in Guining, Hagonoy, Davao del Sur. Majority of the Kalagans are animists. The tribal village is plague with poverty, illiteracy and violence. Sowers’ entry point was through the conduct of pre-school classes and feeding program. Soon, through the ministries, the villagers started to trust the local missionaries. Adult literacy, livelihood and other developmental projects were introduced to them and 50 young and adult were in regular attendance. The Simi Valley Covenant Church of California, U.S.A. sponsors this missionary work.
Couple Philip and Jo Pabalate are in charge of the missionary works in Davao del Sur.
They were very active Church leaders. They were instrumental in putting up a Missionary Training Institute in Digos to train residents to become missionaries to their fellowmen.
“There are so many challenges. But the Lord guides us, gives us His strength to continue this missionary works,” Mrs. Jo Pabalate said.
Furthermore, the Nieres also established a mission home in La Carlota City, their beloved hometown.
Niere and wife Violeta established the Lily of the Valley Mission home in the city, a retreat house for the tired and weary pastors and missionaries.This is a place where they can refresh, revive, renew, recharge and rejuvenate.
“What a blessing this is to the faithful servants of the Lord,,” Niere said.