Where We Started

Everlasting HOPE is founded by Kristina Andersen, an American nurse, with her utmost desire to reach the children and families of the Philippines. Since 2008, Kristina has traveled several times to Cebu on short- and long-term missions. Through her various trips, and meeting with dedicated Filipinos, a team transpired. Our team has reached children, families, and communities through children and youth programs, community feedings, providing school supplies and uniforms, medical support and resources, food and nutrition, home and hospital visitation, vacation bible school, and a soccer sports camp for underprivileged children.

From 2012 to 2014, we began witnessing many families in medical crises unable to provide proper care for their children. Patients were being denied admittance to private hospitals without large deposits.  Those trying to admit to the public hospital were required to purchase supplies and medicines they could not afford.  Many couldn’t even afford the transportation costs to get to the hospital, and some were terrified of what they might find out if they went to the hospital, so they avoided going all together.  

These challenges are creating huge barriers to proper medical care for children in the Philippines.  We have witnessed children dying from illnesses that could be treated if the family wasn’t faced with such barriers and challenges.  This has left so many families in desparate situations and feeling without hope.

In 2014, God birthed the desire to reach children with cancer specifically through the life of a 10 year old boy diagnosed with Osteosarcoma of the knee. Within one months’ time, his knee grew to the size of a basketball and he was no longer able to walk. His family had no money to provide proper medical care for him and they had no real support systems.

Our team felt the urgency to come along side this child and family to help in any way that we could. We were able to connect them to various agencies that assisted them with finances, medicines, and medical resources. We also connected him to his medical care team and coordinated a home visit by his doctor. We were able to provide him with a much needed wheelchair in addition to granting him and family a wish come true.

We began to see the great need of this family to have someone walk alongside them and to support them, not just financially, but also emotionally and spiritually. They also needed someone to advocate for them and to help connect them to various agencies that would provide the resources and financial needs that they had.  We were privileged to work with this child and family for four months before he passed away. Through his life, our team has been inspired to come alongside other pediatric patients, families, and communities to support them and bring them HOPE. We are called to help children with cancer and their families so that we will hopefully see more children healed and living long lives. Most of all, we wish to bring them HOPE and joy for all the days they are given.

  Through his short life, he will impact many lives to come through inspiring our mission.