When you witness a miracle, you want the world to know!  The journey to Lighthouse Sanctuary has been full of miracles, some small and others unforgettable!  Finding the shelter was unforgettable!  When this journey began we imagined that we would build the shelter, but a few months ago we had a series of miracles that led us to believe there was a structure already prepared as the shelter.  With faith alone, we followed that feeling.  We had no idea how we could purchase anything but we knew that the time and place were right.

A couple of days after moving into our new home we went with an agent to look at potential shelters.  The first three were beautiful homes that could have logically been used as the shelter with a little bit of help.  When we got into the car to head to the last option of the day, I remember this beautiful feeling engulfing me.  It was peace, love and excitement wrapped together.  I looked at my husband to see if he was feeling it too and there was no doubt he was.

We continued down the road for some time and the feeling became more intense!  My husband finally said aloud, “We are on the right road, I can feel it.”  Just as he finished, the agent replied, “I’m sorry to tell you this, but we are on the wrong road.”  We were completely confused, but followed his instructions.  He led us back to the previous fork in the road and had us take the road on the right instead.  The road wound around and eventually connected to the exact place we had just left.  My husband couldn’t hold in his excitement and, with a smile on his face, blurted out “I knew we were on the right road.”

We entered the property and the beautiful feeling became to intense it was almost tangible!  We had yet to enter the home but we knew without a doubt that we were standing on the exact grounds that the Lord had prepared for the children of Lighthouse Sanctuary!  We wanted to start celebrating but honestly a part of me was convinced that it had been too easy and the trials were yet to come.  We had no idea what the asking price was, and we didn’t have money to purchase anything anyway.  We weren’t even sure we could take out a loan if we found a sponsor.

We toured the full acre and the beautiful structure and inquired on the asking price.  It felt way out of reach and we were told that the seller was firm.  While we went home and prayed, the agent went home and called the seller.  He explained to her that we were planning to use her property as a rehabilitation shelter for abused children and were inquiring if she could let it go for less.  He told us that there was silence on the line for quite some time and then through her tears she explained that she had built that shelter as a Christian Missionary Home.  She was getting older and was ready to sell it but it was hard for her to let go.  She had received offers for what she was asking but never felt right about it, so she prayed that the Lord would send someone who could do a greater work in his name.  When the agent told her about us, she knew we had been sent by God.  She then agreed to lower the asking price by $70,000.  We were blessed to meet her and her husband and receive even more of their help moving forward.

We were humbled and grateful for her sacrifice and we knew that the Lord would provide a way to buy the property.  We called my brother, who is not only a member of the Board of Directors but has been financially supporting our family in this project.  He agreed to help us get the loan and find sponsors to help with the monthly payments.  We began the paperwork right away and miraculously the loan closed the day before we were set to leave to the U.S. for our fundraising event.  The event itself was a series of miracles that came together beautifully and turned out better than we had hoped!  And we left the U.S. with a check from a donor that would cover over a year of mortgage payments!

Last week we returned to the Philippines and when we arrived at the shelter, we could feel that same beautiful feeling and the confirmation that this is the Lord’s work and He has prepared this land through his servants.  We trust in his timing and are excited to bring his children here as soon as possible!

Please join us in prayers for the children to hold onto hope.  Please pray for their abusers to have a change of heart.  Please pray for all those who are working to bring justice for the survivors that they will succeed.  Please continue to shine your light in this world; light is the key in overcoming darkness!