HE CARES MISSION for STREET CHILDREN
Backpacks for Scholars
LAST FEAST SUNDAY (May 3, 2026) we had a special guest: Bro. Joe Dean Sola, longtime member of our Light of Jesus Family, who founded the He Cares Mission for Street Children.
Longtime LOJ members know and are well inspired by Joe Dean’s story.
As written in The Feast Family, an online magazine led by Bro. Bo, Joe Dean was a carefree youth. One day, short of cash, he called his elder brother Dan, an LOJ member, who at the time happened to be attending an LOJ Prayer Meeting at 56 Chicago, Cubao, Quezon City. Dan told Joe Dean to come and get the money. Joe Dean arrived, had to sit at a corner to wait for Dan.
As he sat there, Joe Dean inevitably heard the Talk of the preacher which centered on God’s unconditional love and forgiveness.
Long story short, Joe Dean experienced a spiritual awakening and so, he served God, first with Bro. Bo Sanchez at our Anawim Home for Abandoned Elderly.
There, he met Ardis, also an LOJ member who shared his passion of serving the poor. They fell in love, got married, and continued living as missionaries.
From Anawim, Joe Dean eventually devoted his life to ministering to the youth in need– like he was before. So, he founded He Cares Mission– picking up children hanging out on the streets and providing a shelter-home for them– at 9 Mines St., Project 6, Project 6, Quezon City, Metro Manila.
And, ably supported by Ardis, he has well sustained the Ministry. He Cares programs include: Balik-Loob sa Diyos (Back to God);
Balik-Kalusugan (Back to Health); Balik-Aral (Back to School); Balik-Hanapbuhay (Back to Work); Balik-Bahay (Back to Family)
He Cares is developing a sustainable farm community in a five-hectare land donated by a supporter, in San Rafael, Bulacan, called the Promised Land.
Led by Bro. Bo, the Light of Jesus Family and particularly The Feast, has been among the steadfast supporters of He Cares. Last Feast, Bro. Joe Dean shared to Feasters an update on He Cares programs.
Here, sharing the presentation…
BRO. AUDEE VILLARAZA:
Tap your neighbors and tell them: This is our church. This is our Community.
I’m going to call somebody onstage who is going to speak and bless us. This is somebody we all know. He is a man after God’s heart and he is somebody who is not just changing the world, one child at a time.
You will be impressed and blessed by his story today. May you please give a warm welcome to our dear brother,
Bro. Joe Dean Sola of He Cares Mission.serve, o
BRO. JOE DEAN SOLA:
Hello! Peace be with you.
Every year we are here to answer God’s call. And my call is to bring the Good News to the poor. My call is to love our neighbor.
So, thank you so much, for the privilege to be here, to speak in behalf of 800 scholars that we have.
We are holding a Backpack Campaign. Last year, guest what? We gave backpacks filled with school supplies to 800 scholars.
This year, we have 12 graduates– they finished school this 2026, and six of them are here with us.
Here is one of them. Ali started with us from elementary school and stayed until college. He lived in the He Cares Farm for two years during the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic.
Here, Ali briefly shares his story.
ALI: Good Morning, I’m Ali. I graduated last January 25 with a degree in Marketing Management.
My Papa died when I was still a kid. And I promised the Lord that if He would help me graduate, I will help children, the youth.
So, I am here to give a testimony that He Cares greatly helped me.
Now, I am already working in the Marketing department of a company.
And I am also serving at Feast Valle Verde as member of the Dance Ministry and as a Youth leader.
More Scholars
Here are the five other scholars and their college degrees, from left:
Lebi: Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management Baby Alumatap: Entrepreneurship
Amy: Exercise and Sports Science Jasmine Celes: Hospitality Management
Stephanie: Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
BRO. JOE DEAN: More update: We now have He Cares Bacolod, He Cares Montalban, and He Cares Bulacan.
And now, guest what? We are praying that we may be able to open a He Cares shelter in Mindanao. In June, I’m going there to see how we can help the poorest of the poor among the street children in Mindanao.
We have a new project– the Livelihood Program.
I feel the Lord wants us to develop business skills, so, we don’t just depend on donations. Not just for us.
We want to help mothers of street children to know how to earn money for their family needs, to put food on their table.
And their products are Banana snacks and salted peanuts.
To order for these yummy treats, check out the He Cares Facebook.
Thank you, all, very much for your support and blessings which push us to continue answering God’s call for us to serve indigent children and their families. God bless you!
