Help Carry His Burden
This is Chrissie, Philip's wife. I've never done anything like this before, but I hope you'll understand my reasons for taking over our usual way of writing to you. For many months Philip has been experiencing dizzy spells and collapsing. He is a very private man when it comes to weakness, so it took me time to realize how serious things had become — but I finally knew we needed help to get him well.
We are blessed to have a heart specialist, Dr. Eliea, on the board of Orphan's Hands and in our home church. He arranged an appointment right away, and there we heard the words, “Philip will need open-heart surgery.” Testing revealed five major blockages. He didn't want anyone to know — but as a family, we feel the more people who love him and can pray for him, the better.
We were just kids when we married, fifty years ago this July 3rd. He promised me one thing: that I would never be bored — and he certainly kept that promise. At twenty-one he took over the family ministry from his father, Simon. Then came Romania, and a little orphan boy named Andrew, whom we adopted. Philip came home a different man, consumed with a calling to help forgotten children.
Years later he went to Moldova, nearly losing his life in the blizzards of the Carpathian Mountains, and found an orphanage full of girls with nowhere to turn. From that point everything changed. Orphanages were rebuilt. Vans purchased. Homes built. Lives rescued and redeemed. Recently we received devastating news: a young girl who had come to us from horrific conditions had to return to her village because of her age, and within a week she was gravely harmed. That news shattered Philip — and even in his own crisis, all he could think about was reaching the other children like her.
When the doctors told him he needed surgery, he never talked about himself. The last thing he did before going into the hospital was record a video for the children and staff in Moldova and Ukraine, explaining what was happening and reminding them of his trust in Jesus. It was gut-wrenching — but he did it for them.
He only said, “What are we going to do about the kids?”
The doctors tell us it will be months before Philip can travel again. Without him sharing the story and raising support, the work so many lives depend on could be greatly hindered. If I can assure him that the children's needs are being met — that he can rest and focus on healing — it would mean more than I can express. Today, from my heart as his wife, I'm asking: would you stand with us again, through prayer and, if you're able, through your support?
