Street Boy Becomes Academic Dean

He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him (Proverbs 14:31, nasb).

Sometimes there may be a subtle slight in the way we treat the poor, the needy, and the orphan. Even though we would never knowingly oppress orphans, are we gracious to them?

In Christian history, a man of faith cared for thousands of orphans. This was wonderful! However, since the children were orphans, they were considered low class by society. Instead of sending these children to college and encouraging them to enter ministerial training, the boys and the girls were apprenticed out as laborers and servants at age 15 and 17.

The love and care given to these orphans was exemplary, but none were ever known to become lawyers, doctors, educators, pastors, or missionaries because of their social standing.

Praise God for this man of faith who cared for thousands of orphans. As many of God’s people worldwide care for street children and orphans, let us follow in faith as this great man did, but let us go further. Let us make sure that we care for them as we would our own children and give them the same opportunities to serve God whether as a bus driver, civil engineer, doctor, educator, missionary or pastor.

Fidel, an underprivileged boy in Manila, attended an evangelistic camp. He came to faith in Christ and was later trained in a mission's Second Mile Discipleship and Vocational Training program. Later he got a welding job but felt that God was calling him into ministry. He took a job in maintenance at a large church in Manila, so he could attend all the services and seminars to prepare for ministry.

Later a small church in the US, with the help missionaries, paid for Fidel to attend Bible school at Philippine Mission Institute (PMI). Even though he was from the streets and had little education, the faculty helped him through school, and he graduated with honors. Fidel became the Dean of Students and attended part time at Asian Theological Seminary (one of the largest in Asia). He graduated and later became Academic Dean at PMI. At one point, he was even considered for the presidency of this same institution. Today Fidel is pastoring a Conservative Baptist Church.

Praise God for the people who did not give up on this underprivileged boy. Instead, they encouraged him to be all he should be to the glory of God.