GHI First Annual Thanks Giving Dinner
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On September 30, we held our first annual Thanksgiving Dinner: Colors of Grace. It was an amazing night of friendship, food and performance. We are so appreciative to all who attended and shared in this event. Special thanks go to our visitors who travelled from America, Australia, Canada and Singapore.  It was amazing to have Gentle Hands founders, Dennis and Denie Heppner join us for this celebration.  Their vision and leadership inspired Gentle Hands' passion to serve disadvantaged people in the Philippines. This powerful legacy has continued to shape Gentle Hands' ministry in sharing God's hope and love.  Special thanks also go to our wonderful corporate and individual supporters who were honored on the evening.  You truly make a difference in the lives of our children.
Our children were so excited to perform for the evening.  Performing gave them self-confidence, a sense of achievement and helped provide a focus for their learning.  It also gave them a lasting memory which we are sure they will never forget.  It was truly a blessing to be able to celebrate together as we honored God for his faithfulness and grace in the lives of our children. We can't wait to see all of you again next year.
Saving Precious Lives
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Earlier this year in February, some of my peers and I had the opportunity to go to the Philippines and help people in need. On the way to our first hotel I looked out the window into the dark streets of Manila and saw people skinnier than toothpicks sleeping on the side of the road and scavenging through huge piles of rubbish. I was dumbfounded at this sight as it was very different to "homeless" in my hometown Melbourne, Australia.
 
The very next day we went to Gentle Hands Orphanage. As soon as I stepped through the door into the orphanage I could feel the sense of love and care that lay inside this beautiful place. We met a woman called Charity whom is the guardian of all the 112 kids at the orphanage. Charity is a very lovely women and has a big heart to help people in need.
Some of the girls at Gentle Hands have had the opportunity to take ballet lessons, I was very happy to hear this as I am a dancer myself and I am glad that they can feel the freedom and happiness that you feel within when dancing. I showed them one of my dances I had been working on and I was so very happy to see the smiles on their faces, because I dance to bring people, including me, happiness.
 
A few months later when I was home in Australia, mum showed me a Facebook post of how three young children from Gentle Hands Orphanage needed immediate surgeries. As soon as I saw this post I wanted to take immediate action. I told the others who went to the Philippines with me and together with the help of our principal, we set a date to have a casual clothes day with all donations going to support the children's surgeries.
 
On the casual clothes day, we managed to raise a total of $1124.00 for those three kids. It is an unbelievable and sensational feeling to know that you have helped save not one but three people's precious lives. So please help donate old clothes, blankets, toys, etc to Gentle Hands Orphanage, or even experience what I did and visit there and give the kids some company, as they didn't deserve to be abandoned by their parents as they are some of the most amazing kids you'll ever meet. I am so very grateful for the experience I had in the Philippines and Gentle Hands with my friends and I hope to go back there soon!
 
Erin Toomey, Age 11. Melbourne, Australia.

Hello I am Sam and I am one of the 5 students that went to the Philippines and we heard about the news that 3 children needed immediate surgery and we could not just let this news go past without doing something. So, we decided to act and we put a school fundraiser on and you had to dress up in free dress. We raised a total over $1000 for Gentle Hands Orphanage. I hope this money can give these kids the surgery that they need.
 
Sam Tyrrell, Age 12. Melbourne, Australia.