Bob and Debbie Long have given their lives to serving the needs of students at home and abroad. After 40+ years of youth work, when most people consider retirement, they are creating opportunities for college students in the Philippines to become the next generation of youth leaders.
Bob Long is a professor at both the Baptist Theological College, and Cebu Graduate School of Theology in Mandaue City, Philippines. He teaches youth ministry, theology, Bible and leadership courses. His wife Debbie leads the student orientation classes, and the engagement and ESL (English as a Second Language) groups. After 40+ years of working with youth as pastors, directors, facilitators and consultants in the United States, many people thought they would retire. Instead Bob and Debbie moved from the Windy City (Chicago, Illinois), to Mandaue City, a tropical island paradise in the Philippines, and joined the work the was happening there.
Since beginning their teaching at the Cebu schools, Bob and Debbie have overcome numerous challenges, from starting over in a brand new climate and culture, to knowing how to help the students, many of whom come from impoverished homes. Most recently, they struggled to keep the school open when the students were in Covid lockdown and had limited access to the internet, and when their city was devastated by a direct hit from Typhoon Odette. The resilience and courage of the struggling students encourages and inspires.
To help bring food, clothing, shelter, education, medical care and hope to the students whose homes were destroyed by the typhoon, and to rebuild on-campus housing at the schools, a generous donor has offered to match your gifts, dollar for dollar up to $2500, through the month of July. To make your gift to the Philippine Typhoon Relief project go twice as far, give today to:
https://www.converge.org/missions/world-relief Project #P00760636
You can reach Bob and Debbie Long at:
https://www.facebook.com/realbobbob
or support Bob and Debbie personally at: