Manila, Philippines:  Many of you have been following the story or Roldan Imbo, the orphaned boy who has been part of the Village of Hope ministry in the Philippines, and who recently started attending a new church plant in the downtown Makati area of the greater Manila.

Makati leaders visiting Roldan in the hospital post surgery, praying for God’s healing touch.

Over the past few months, Roldan experienced a reactivation of rheumatic fever,  along with treatment related kidney and liver failure. The result was the need for open heart surgery and the replacement of two heart valves. It has been a very challenging journey.

Roldan - Considering Giants

But you and God have been so very faithful!  People from more than 29 nations joined in prayer for Roldan over the course of last week’s open heart surgery.  We were amazed to see that in just 5 days post-surgery, Roldan was able to give us a walking tour of his floor of the hospital!  Just seven days post-surgery, the doctors were clearing Roldan to be able to go home! PRAISE God!

From left to right: Ricardo, Jason, Sam, Faith, Jam, Roldan, Todd, Connie.

Today, the journey continues.  One of Roldan’s “guardian angels” and medical advocate Jam David, had this to say Friday, December 18th.

The journey of recovery is really  just beginning.  Roldan now has to be on a very strict diet, low fat, low salt, low to no vitamin K and this is a big challenge, for a teenage boy who wants to eat “normal” again.  He has many medications that he needs to take, at least 3 times a day.  Because of the new mechanical heart valves, he will be on Coumadin (a blood thinner) for the rest of his life. 

Praise God – Roldan is continuing to make great progress.  He has completed Phase 1 of Cardiac Rehabilitation and is now on to Phase 2.   Phase 3 will be his maintenance. Roldan overheard the team talking about the rehabilitation and asked if he could skip it, as the funds could then be used to buy his medication. We reassured him that God provided for his surgery and would continue to do so. 

Roldan and Ricardo

Please continue to #PrayForRoldan. Also pray for Ricardo, who is living in the apartment with Roldan and is his official caretaker. It is a tough job for a young man who himself, is only in his early 20s.

This truly is what James was talking about when he said that pure and undefiled religion is taking care of widows and orphans in their distress (James 1:27).

Roldan at his apartment post surgery – doing what he loves best – music!

What an incredible gift Roldan has received this Christmas; we just continue to Praise God for his tremendous and miraculous blessing!

As you are celebrating this most blessed time of the year, would you remember to pause and continue to lift up Roldan, Ricardo, Jam, Jason, and the entire Village of Hope family?  Pray for the thousands of other orphans around the world, that are looking for someone to reach out to them in their time of need!