More Important than Football: the Children's Hospital in the Philippines being Built by Tim Tebow's Ministry and CURE

Aimee Herd : Dec 15, 2011
Mark Ellis – God Reports

"I'm excited to be a part of this hospital that will bring healing to thousands of children who would not otherwise have access to care." -Tim Tebow

In the midst of the nation's current "Tebow-fever" over the Denver Broncos' quarterback who has repeatedly come through with miraculous wins in the final minutes (sometimes seconds) of the game, what seems to dazzle the most about Tim Tebow is his genuine humility.

Cutting through all of the commentary and hype is this young man's unwavering faith in God, and his graciousness—even in the face of cheap shots and ruthless critics.

Though Tim Tebow is unashamed to proclaim his love for the Lord Jesus and the Gospel, his actions speak even louder than his words, which reminds me of the saying often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."

Another thing that has shone through the fog of media is Tebow's passion, which—as he has stated in more than one interview—is more important than playing football in the NFL, or even than winning a Super Bowl ring; the children's hospital the Tim Tebow Foundation and CURE are partnering together to build in the Philippines.

This endeavor is highlighted in a recent article by Mark Ellis on his blog, God Reports. According to Ellis, the hospital building project is set to break ground in Davao City on the island of Mindanao in January of 2012.

"I was born in the Philippines and my parents have been missionaries to that area since 1985," says Tebow. "The Philippines have always had a special place in my heart. I'm excited to be a part of this hospital that will bring healing to thousands of children who would not otherwise have access to care."

Scott Worrall, vice president of CURE notes that the hospitals built by the organization are a place of both physical and spiritual healing.

"We see what we do as an extension of Jesus' healing ministry," adds Worrell.

Another aspect of the hospital in the Philippines will be "Timmy's Playroom," a space (named after Tebow) where "kids can be kids." The new facility will have 30 beds and will concentrate mostly on orthopedics.

CURE has 12 hospitals around the world, and according to Ellis' report, their focus on bringing healing to developing nations has resulted in more than 1.5 million patient visits and over 121,000 surgeries to correct physically disabling conditions. CURE has also trained more than 2,400 medical professionals, raising the standard of care in the countries where it operates.