(PROJECT COMPLETE!)
We would like to introduce you to a special member of the Abounding in Love family—Harde Flick Ysulan. Like many children in the Philippines, Harde was born with a cleft lip and palate, but his family could not afford the surgery. Thankfully, in 2016, we were able to get him free surgery in collaboration with the well-known nonprofit organization, Operation Smile.
But this story doesn’t end there...
On the morning of January 1st, 2021, at a time when most of us had yet to begin our New Year’s festivities, the Ysulan family lost everything. Their sleep was interrupted by suffocating plumes of smoke. Upon waking, they found their small home in flames. The parents, Bimbie and Maria, frantically scooped up their 2 children and carried them outside to safety. It was touching to hear that little Harde, now 11 years old, begged his father to let him go back inside to retrieve the gifts Abounding in Love had brought him for Christmas. Bimbie held him back as the 4 of them watched the relentless flames consume their home and all of their possessions. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
The Ysulans immediately asked for help from the local municipality. Unfortunately, they were only given a tarp, which they now use to cover the pig cage so they could have a place to sleep. Their neighbors were kind enough to give them some clothes and food, and Abounding in Love had already sent money to keep them on their feet. We want to do much more than that though…and we can with your help.
Together, we can build a new home for Harde and his family.
Following a Typhoon in 2013, the Abounding in Love team constructed several new houses for low-income families in the Philippines. Our new mission is to build a similar home for the Ysulan family. Believe it or not, we can do this with a mere $5,000, which is the sole purpose of this fundraiser. It’s important to note that 100% of the money received will go directly to this cause; there are no sneaky administrative fees or anything like that. Every donation will be manifested in a box of nails, a bag of concrete, a piece of lumber, tools, etc.
The beginning of every year is meant to be a time of hope and celebration. Harde and his family were robbed of those things on the first of January…but we can give them back. And that’s where you come in. Please consider chipping in to help us build the new Ysulan family home. Big or small, every little bit helps. If you’re unable to make a financial contribution, I urge you to share this with as many people as you can. We have the opportunity to do something very special here and we’d very much like for you to be a part of it.
Photo Galleries & Updates
January 19
The Abounding in Love team visited Harde and his family today. We brought them some food, gifts for the children, and pre-loved clothes that were graciously donated by our friends in Bantayan. We also showed them the drawing plans for their new house. The family is very excited about it.
January 21
Today, we worked on the layout and started digging the foundation. Some changes were made to the design. The house will now have two rooms with 2 windows in each room. We would also like to put two steps going to the porch since the land is not level. The family plans to use the porch as their kitchen/sala.
January 23
It's our 3rd day working on the house and we’re at about 30% completion. The foundation is now finished and the trusses have been installed. Big thanks to our hardworking carpenters and to everyone who contributed to making this project a reality!
January 26
Wood framing is now complete and ready for wall installation. Our team is now working on the completion of the roof and the porch.
February 1
Cement plastering and the filling of rocks for the preparation of flooring are now complete. The walls are still in progress. If the weather is good, we might be able to finish the project this week.
February 5
I’m happy to report that the new Ysulan family home is almost done. The only thing that still needs to be completed is the restroom, which will be outside of the house. The workers have already begun with the cement mortar, and they expect to finish it by Sunday.
February 6
We’re almost there! The outside bathroom still needs some work. We also plan to upgrade the open porch into a full kitchen area with a countertop and cabinets.
February 13
The bed, table, electrical wiring, and kitchen walls have been completed. The team just needs to finish the countertop, shelves, cabinet, and windows. We will also be purchasing other things that the family will need, like pots, utensils, a gas stove burner, and chairs.
February 17
Exciting news: the house is finally finished! The Abounding team worked tirelessly to get this project completed as quickly as possible, and they did an amazing job. Harde and his family are extremely grateful to everyone who helped make this happen.
March 4
We finally crossed the finish line! Thanks to some truly amazing people, this project has been fully funded. I want to send my sincere appreciation to everyone who made this happen: the donors, the hardworking Abounding Team in the Philippines, as well as anyone who helped us get the word out. Kind hearts like yours can literally change lives, no doubt the Ysulan family would agree. Everyone needs a place to call home…you gave that to them. This world may be weighed down with problems, but good people like you are what keep it spinning.
