Finding a Light in the Darkness of Despair

Reggie and his wife Susan with their sons, Mark and Ivan.

It was the most unfortunate day in Reggie’s life, and it affected his whole family.

Just as Reggie was about to leave after a day’s work as a backhoe operator at a construction site, his supervisor asked him to give a hand with setting up some scaffolding.

As Reggie went to work on the scaffolding, something suddenly snapped him off of it.

“It was like some force pulled me, and then I was gone,” he says recalling that day when he got electrocuted by a loose live power line.

The next thing he remembered was lying in a hospital bed. He saw his arms were black because they had been burned. Doctors said his arms could not be saved.

Sons Mark and Ivan are enrolled at the Hope Center in their town.

It was the most painful truth that Reggie and his wife Susan ever had to face.

Both of his arms were amputated. Since then, their life as a family has never been the same.

A New Reality

Never in their lives had they imagined that this could happen to them as a family.

It was hard, especially realizing that he could never do the normal things he used to do on his own like drinking water, eating, or even scratching an itch. Worse yet, he could no longer provide for his family.

“Because my husband doesn’t have hands anymore, he could not work,” Susan says.

Reggie used to work three jobs — as a construction worker, a fish vendor, and tending a small store in their house. Now, Susan works doing laundry, providing the family’s sole income.

As the medical costs for Reggie mounted, they lost their small store, too.

A Helping Hand Reaches Out

Pastor Ronald, of Jesus is the Savior Christian Fellowship Church, had been praying for a very long time for Reggie to come to church. And after what happened to Reggie, he had an opportunity to invite him again.

“It’s a miracle [that Reggie survived the accident]. God has plans for him,” says Pastor Ronald.

“I never go to church because I was very busy with my job Monday to Saturday,” Reggie says. “And Sundays, I sell fish.”

Pastor Ronald saw the great need of Reggie and his family.

Pastor Ronald saw a great need for Reggie and his family to get some encouragement and assistance.

In addition to providing the family some food assistance, Pastor Ronald also invited them to register their two sons, Mark and Ivan, in the OneChild program at the Hope Center.

“It was at the right timing that we had an allocation to register new children,” says Pastor Ronald.

Reggie and Susan were thrilled to register their sons into the program.

“We were so happy because we heard from others that the program of OneChild is very good,” Susan says. “It is a big help to us, especially to our kids,”

Hope in the Hardest Times

Reggie and Susan have dreams for their children — for them to finish school and always have good health.

And thankfully, Child Champions like Pastor Ronald are there to walk with Reggie and Susan and guide them in giving the children a better future through their holistic programs at the Hope Center.

Thanks to sponsors, children like Mark and Ivan regularly enjoy weekly games, Bible lessons, and healthful meals. They also receive medical and dental checkups yearly. And during their birthdays, they receive a cake they share with other kids.

“I am thankful to Pastor Ronald for the school supplies that we cannot give to the kids at this time. These are all blessings from the Lord,” says Reggie, expressing his gratefulness for the hands that hold them in their hardest time.

“Don’t lose hope,” is Pastor Ronald’s encouragement to Reggie. “God will provide and will use people to help you.”

Many children are waiting for a hand to reach out to give them hope in their difficult circumstances. Sponsor a child today.