OUR LOGO, NAME, & CORE VALUES

‘Side by Side’ conveys the following foundational truths about our organization:

• We build relationships that foster cooperation and collaboration as we come alongside people currently living in impoverished communities in the Philippines.
• We seek to build partnerships with local churches near the communities where we work and to walk side by side with everyone in mutually respectful relationships.
• We do not do things to or for the communities where we work; rather, we engage with those communities that invite us in and want to work together to alleviate poverty.
• We believe that by building relationships, working, planning, implementing, and evaluating together, we can help vulnerable communities make lasting changes that lead to a better future.

The word ‘Alliance’ conveys the following foundational truths about SSA:

• We believe in building alliances with individual experts, trainers, existing organizations, local churches, and others who care about the poor in order to best accomplish our common goal of alleviating some of the extreme poverty in the rural and isolated areas on the islands of Leyte and Samar.
• Because of the strong alliance growing between our US and Philippine partners, SSA can encourage people currently living in extreme poverty to believe that lasting change is possible.
• We engage our Allies in the US and the Philippines to help accomplish this work through their prayers and financial support.

RESPECT

Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’ (Genesis 1:26).

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4).

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God (I Peter 2:17).

Whoever oppresses a poor man insults His Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors Him (Proverbs 14:31).

HONESTY

Rather, speaking truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the Head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:15-16).

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one body (Ephesians 4:25).

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:8).

A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful (Proverbs 14:25).

COMPASSION

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor (1 Corinthians: n24).

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ (Galatians 5:14).

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:12 14).

Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor (Proverbs 22:9).

HOPE

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:21-23).

Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2).

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works… (Hebrews 10:23-24).

Blessed is he whose help is in the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry (Psalm 146:5-7).