Latest Update: February 2008
Submitted by: Manette Monteclaro
On my trip to the village of Nagasi, I met a young lady by the name of Josie Montoya, who has been a part of the Nagasi Baptist church for eleven years and is now serving as a nurse aide in the clinic. Here is her story:
“My name is Josie Montoya, I am twenty years old and I started going to the Nagasi Church at the age of nine when Pastor Levi started it. I grew up with my parents and three other brothers. I am the second to the youngest and the only girl. Like most of the children in our village, I grew up in a poor family. My father works at the sugar cane plantation, chopping sugar canes, loading them in to a truck and bringing them to the sugar mills. His work day begins at six in the morning until four thirty in the afternoon. With this back-breaking job under the heat of the sun, he earns P200 ($5) a week to provide food and clothing for his family of six. He gets paid every Friday. My mother stays home to care for the family especially one of my brothers who has epilepsy.
“Together with my family, I started attending church at the age of nine. When I reached the age of fourteen, I accepted the Lord as my personal Lord and Savior. I began to understand what He did for me and how much He cares for the people of the world. With my faith growing stronger everyday, I became involved in the ministries of the church especially with children. I helped with the preschool kids. Later, I became very interested in the youth ministry during my high school days and even started singing in the choir.
“Since my parents cannot afford to send me to college, I began to pray for God to supply my needs. I got a scholarship from the Nagasi church and went to a nearby school and studied midwifery. It took me three years to finish my course. Being grateful for the opportunity of getting an education, I am now very much involved in church ministries. When the Family clinic opened as the result of Bright Hope’s support, I assisted the head nurse who was in charge of the clinic. Together, we do basic health care education especially for expectant mothers and mothers with very young children. With the limited supply of medicines, we help those who cannot afford to buy pain medicines, allergy tablets, cough drops, and antibiotic ointments for minor bruises. The clinic provides basic health care services for the village since the nearest medical center is still an hour away.
“I am so grateful to Bright Hope for its support to the Nagasi project without which the clinic would not be made available for the people in the village. I am a recipient of your kindness and generosity. I am able to help others and use the gifts God has given me to make a difference. You have given me hope and the many children who are part of our school and church. Thank you and may God bless you all.”
Truly, Bright Hope has made a difference in the lives of the people of Nagasi.
