By ALESHA CAPONE
TWO young men from Brimbank have witnessed the plight of underprivileged children who cannot achieve their dreams in the slums of a Filipino city.
Derrimut’s Joshua Salfate and Aaron Ford, of St Albans, belong to the Enjoy Church in Sunshine North.
The church has partnered with the NewLife Christian Centre, which runs programs in slums, prisons, schools and universities in Tacloban City within the Phillipines, .
For the past few years, Mr Ford and Mr Salfate have travelled to Tacloban City to help out.
“The most challenging thing about my experience was watching children and young adults stare into a future, where they could not realise their dreams and aspirations or even have any because of their lack of education, socioe-conomic status and poor health,” Mr Ford said.
“Some of the major differences you first notice when arriving into Tacloban City Airport is that infrastructure is way below developed nations’ standards, sanitation and hygiene is extremely poor.”
Mr Salfate said he enjoyed seeing the Tacloban NewLife Christian Centre “make a difference within the slums and local community”.
“The support the church gives can go a long way and through the people it gives hope to those who are in greater need,” he said.
This year, he and Mr Ford will take part in the Melbourne Marathon half-marathon on Sunday 13 October to raise funds for the Tacloban programs.
The Enjoy Church will also host a fund-raising trivia night for Saturday 19 October.
Mr Salfate said he was not looking forward to running more than 21 kilometres for the half-marathon.
“I have been in training for some long time now, but in the end it’s the cause that drives me to do what I do,” he said.
Head to run.gofundraise.com.au/page/philippinesrun to support them. Registrations for the trivia night open 6pm on 19 October at the Enjoy Church, 41 Lance Rd, Sunshine North.
