Mother from Samar makes a full recovery.

At our Samar site in the Philippines, many parents struggle to find full-time work. Since Samar is an island, industries and businesses are limited, and the most common work for families is fishing or seasonal wage work.

Alicia is a mother from our Samar site, and has two children, Abigail, and Vincent. Both of her children were fortunate to be chosen by kindhearted Chalice sponsors, and receive support to attend school. Alicia and her husband were both blessed to be working full-time, and the family was thriving.

A tragedy struck when Alicia’s husband had to have his arm amputated due to illness. He was left unable to work at his labor job, and Alicia was now the sole wage earner for the family. She had to pick up multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Alicia’s heavy workload took an extreme toll on her health. One day, she suffered from a hypertension ischemic stroke, and was rushed to the hospital. She was completely bedridden, and had to stay in the hospital for many days.

Thanks to our donors, we were able to fund Alicia’s hospital treatments through a critical needs fund. She received all of the necessary treatments, and was eventually sent home from the hospital. Slowly, she regained her health and energy.

Alicia is now back to being the family provider, but has chosen to work just one job. She makes ginger juice and coconut jam and sells it in the community! She’s able to do this out of her own home, and finds the workload more manageable. People love her products, and can tell she makes them out of love for her family.

“Thanks to the donors who gave her the gift of health by helping with her medical treatments,” says Sr. Maricel, our Samar site director. “God bless!”

Follow Chalice US on Facebook and Instagram for daily updates from our sponsor sites, impact stories, and more.