Adonai's Mercy House Philippines

A Night When Hope Sat at Every Table

August 31, 2025By Shane Wallenda

The evening of our 2025 Annual Banquet, "Love Without Borders," was more than an event — it was a tapestry of hearts woven together by a single thread: compassion for children fighting cancer in the Philippines.

2025 Annual Banquet 'Love Without Borders' - A night of hope featuring performances, silent auction items, and supporters coming together

Scenes from our 2025 Annual Banquet "Love Without Borders" — Grace Green's ballet performance, silent auction items, and our wonderful supporters coming together for the children.

"In that room, borders dissolved. Nationality didn't matter. What mattered was the shared conviction that no child should face cancer alone, and no parent should watch their child suffer without hope."
— Aimee Wallenda, Co-Founder

Held at Walla Walla's Assemblies of God Church, the banquet brought together over 150 donors, volunteers, and community members who believe in the mission of Adonai's Mercy House. The evening opened with Grace Green's ballet performance — a visual prayer of movement and meaning that left not a single dry eye in the room.

Bob and Devi, longtime supporters who have been with us since 2018, shared their testimony of why giving to children they've never met has become one of the most meaningful parts of their lives. "When you see those faces," Devi said, her voice trembling, "you realize these aren't statistics. These are someone's babies."

The Numbers That Matter

That single evening raised over $47,000 — enough to cover six months of chemotherapy for three children, provide 2,000 meals for families staying at Mary Johnston Hospital, and fund 45 blood transfusions that will literally keep hearts beating.

$47,000

Raised in One Night

150+

Hearts United

3

Children Fully Funded

Pastor Levi's Invocation

The evening concluded with Pastor Levi's powerful words that still echo in our hearts: "Tonight, we are not just writing checks. We are writing prescriptions for hope. We are signing permission slips for miracles. We are telling children 10,000 miles away that someone in Walla Walla, Washington, believes they deserve to live."

As we packed up the decorations and counted the donations, one thing became crystal clear: this work is not ours alone. It belongs to every person who showed up, every prayer whispered, every dollar given. Together, we are building something that transcends geography, culture, and circumstance.

Love truly knows no borders. And neither does mercy.

Want to be part of our next chapter? Join us in making 2026 even more impactful.

IN LOVING MEMORY

August 31, 2025By Shane Wallenda

Saying Goodbye to Krystal Mae

Are there ever words profound enough to convey the sadness of parting with one of our children? They elude me. Still, I write with the heavy heart that comes from having just said goodbye to one of our young cancer warriors, our beloved Krystal Mae de Guzman.

Krystal Mae de Guzman - A beautiful, bright, and dreamy young girl who bravely battled cancer

As one positioned at the front lines of children's suffering, I question my ability to become accustomed to this aspect. In fact, it never becomes easier—when the battle is lost, when silence descends, when all that is left to us is to mourn.

Krystal Mae was a lovely little girl, bright, dreamy, and full of life. I've heard from many folks that she was kind and as sweet as can be. For the precious time I knew her, I saw with my own eyes how bravely she battled. And then, like the relentless beast it is, cancer took her.

"

"Krystal will make it," her mother Kaycee told me. This is the only way I can think to frame the toll this loss is taking on her. Sleepless nights. Bodies, spirits, and every breath taken that no longer fills the room.

I am not related to Krystal Mae. Not by blood. But the feelings of loss and sorrow I hold go deep, like those of an aunt who loved and watched from a quiet distance. Still, that kind of sorrow is not mine to claim. It belongs to her mother, Kaycee.

I messaged Kaycee early this morning—just to tell her that I am here. That we, at Adonai's Mercy House, are here. I didn't attempt to counsel her, not on how to go through this, not on when to stop grieving. Who am I to know such things?

Perhaps I don't need to inform her that we are grieving along with her. Perhaps she already knows. And perhaps, in time, she will find solace in this undeniable fact: Her child is no longer suffering. Kaycee is strong.

When Nature Intervened

I planned to be at Krystal Mae's wake. I had been set for the plan to attend it along with Adonai's administrative assistant, Jehann Ong, but was thwarted by the act of nature that seemingly did not want me there.

It was July, a typhoon month. A batch of typhoons appeared to be conspiring to hit this portion of the country and to flood most of the streets of Metro Manila. Caloocan City, where the De Guzmans live, is one of the most flood-prone areas in the metropolis, making some of its roads inaccessible.

I wanted to be with Kaycee, to grasp her hand, and give what little comfort presence can offer. But our best intentions were swept away by forces beyond our control. All I can do is murmur a prayer and hope that love goes where our bodies cannot.

"I feel your concern and your love," Kaycee told me.
— Kaycee, Krystal Mae's mother

Through online conversation, I apologized to Kaycee for my failure to be there, but she assured me it was alright. Instead, she expressed her gratitude to Adonai's for making her feel she's part of its family.

Ultimately, we take solace in knowing that Krystal Mae is now complete. Secure. At rest. Wrapped in the everlasting arms of God—reveling with the angels, unfettered and unbound.

In loving memory of Krystal Mae de Guzman

YEAR END REFLECTION

DECEMBER 2025

Adonai's Mercy House 2025 Year End Reflection

A comprehensive look back at the year that was — the lives touched, the challenges overcome, and the hope that continues to grow.

As we close the chapter on 2025, we invite you to journey with us through a year of profound impact, unwavering dedication, and transformative moments. This reflection captures not just the numbers, but the stories, the faces, and the hearts that make Adonai's Mercy House what it is.

From the children who bravely fought their battles to the families who found hope in their darkest hours, from the donors who gave generously to the volunteers who gave their time — 2025 has been a testament to what is possible when compassion meets action.

Read the Full Reflection

Download our complete 2025 Year End Reflection document to explore detailed stories, impact metrics, financial highlights, and our vision for the year ahead.

View Full Reflection PDF

2025

A Year of Impact

100%

Dedicated to Mission

∞

Lives Touched

2026

Looking Forward

Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we are making a difference, one child at a time.

Want to support our mission in 2026? Your generosity makes all the difference.

CHILDREN WE SERVE

Faces of Hope

These are the children whose lives you're helping transform. Each face represents a story of courage, resilience, and the hope that your support makes possible.