By Ramona Szell
A Perth family has been moving heaven and earth to help provide much-needed resources to street children in the Philippines – all consigned in shoeboxes.
The Soh family recently presented a talk in Perth about their mission work in the Philippines in January providing for the less fortunate.
Mike and Ruby Soh, together with their children Michael and Kamila, visited the Philippines in January to establish orphanages and feeding programs for street children in Manila, Damaguete and Cebu.
The family has helped locals, including 350 orphans, by fundraising in Australia to provide Bibles, daily meals, thongs, clothing, toys, pots, pans, notebooks, pens – and plenty of hugs for the children.
The family, along with a small group of parishioners, is working together for ‘Shoeboxes for Jesus’ which provide necessary items for an orphanage of 70 for Christmas.
They have also worked towards providing 100 boxes of books and created a community library replete with encyclopaedias, comics and Bibles.
They also raised $1,000 towards building a facility to provide proper sanitation and electricity.
A shelter was also provided for ‘unwanted’ children with physical and mental disabilities.
Any unwanted or unused items suitable to the project can be dropped off to 369 Roberts Road, Subiaco.