By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© 2011 Journal Group Link International)

C HICAGO (jGLi) -- This week’s hottest athlete in America is also charity-friendliest, particularly to the Philippines.

Tim Tebow, the Bible-spreading quarterback of Denver Broncos, one of America’s 32 professional football teams, has announced that the foundation named after him and another non-for profit organization are teaming up to build a state-of-the-art, US$3-million hospital in Davao city.

The Tim Tebow Foundation based in Jacksonville, Florida and CURE International based in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania are going to break grounds for the proposed 30-bed hospital this January.

Joel Worrall, vice president of communications of Cure International, told this reporter in an e-mail, “We do not have a specific date for the ground breaking nor do we know if Tim will be in attendance. The choice of Davao City is related to the number of factors, including need, spiritual makeup of the island, opportunity to build a sustainable operation in that city, and a number of historical factors in the project.” The hospital is expected to open in mid-2013.

This reporter was alerted of the proposed hospital construction by an article, “Tim Tebow and CURE building children’s hospital in the Philippines,” (http://blog.godreports.com/2011/12/tim-tebow-and-cure-building-children’s-hospital-in-philippines/), written by Mr. Mark Ellis of Godreports.

According to the Tim Tebow Foundation (www.timtebowfoundation.org), its partnership with CURE International (www.cure.org/timtebow) will attempt to fulfill its mission to “bring faith, hope, and love to those needing a brighter day, and this partnership will directly benefit children throughout the developing world who suffer from treatable physical disabilities. CURE International, which exists to provide both physical and spiritual healing, operates programs and hospitals in 20 countries and has performed more than 121,000 surgeries in its 14-year history.”

BORN IN MAKATI CITY

“I am truly excited about this partnership with CURE International,” said Tebow.  “When I learned about what CURE does and how intentional the organization is about sharing the gospel and healing children, I knew it would be a great partnership.”

“Tim’s passion for sharing his faith and making a difference in the lives of people around the world is a natural fit with CURE,” said Dr. Scott Harrison, President and Founder of CURE International.  “It is a blessing for us to partner with someone of Tim’s caliber and integrity.  Through this partnership, many children will receive the healing they so desperately need.”

Tebow’s choice of building children’s hospital in the Philippines comes as no surprise as he was born in Makati City in the Philippines, where his parents were missionaries.

The Tebow CURE Hospital in Davao City will be a surgical facility, focusing primarily on orthopedics.

“I was born in the Philippines, and my parents have been missionaries to that area since 1985. The Philippines have always had a special place in my heart,” Tebow said. “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.”

The hospital, which is CURE’s first in the Philippines, will be 12th worldwide.

“Throughout the world, 80 million children suffer every day with crippling conditions like clubfoot and spinal deformities, conditions that are correctable with surgery,” said Dr. Scott Harrison, the founder and president of CURE International. “We feel blessed that the Tim Tebow Foundation has chosen to partner with us to bring first-world quality care and spiritual healing to the children of the Philippines.”

The hospital will house a Timmy’s Playroom, which will provide faith, hope, and love to children before and after their surgeries.  It will be the Tim Tebow Foundation’s first international playroom.

“TIM TEBOWING” GAINS BELIEVERS AND AMUSEMENTS

T he 6-foot-3-inch, 236-pound Tebow captured the attention of football fans, when he won for the University of Florida (UF) the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding college football player in the United States. He also became known for kneeling and thanking Jesus Christ on the football field after each win, called “Tim Tebowing.” While the gesture endeared him to many Americans, it has also become a source of amusement for others.

Tebow’s come-from-behind victories have inspired Texas Gov. Rick Perry to “be the Tim Tebow of the Iowa caucuses.” And televangelist Pat Robertson calls Tebow as a “role model to be celebrated. The fact that he prays and seeks God, I think, we ought to applaud him. … Does disaster have to strike for people to acknowledge God?”

When HBO’s Bill Maher criticized Tebow’s sub-par performance against Buffalo Bills last December, upset fans called for a mass cancellation of HBO subscriptions over the atheist’s offensive tweets.

While still undergraduate, Tebow launched “First and 15” (his jersey number) under the auspices of the Office of Student Government and with the NCAA approval to mobilize hundreds of students on campus and UF boosters for a number of important charities. It raised funds for Uncle Dick’s Orphanage in the Philippines and Shands Hospital pediatric cancer center in Gainsville. Upon finishing his four years as a collegiate athlete, he immediately launched the Tim Tebow Foundation in January 2010.

Tebow showed his fondness for Bible, by scribbling Bible chapters and verses in his eye black during football games. His favorite is “Phil 4:8-9,” which is about Paul’s letter to the Church in Philippians 4:8-9, which says, "whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things... and the God of peace will be with you." Eye blacks are dark pigments that reduce sun glare.

His other favorite is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

The 24-year-old lefthander and home-schooled, who admitted that he is still a virgin, threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the first play of overtime last Sunday (Jan. 8) that stunned the Pittsburg Steelers 29-23 in the AFC (American Football Conference) wild-card game that gave the Broncos quarterback 316 passing yards for the game and a playoff record 31.6 yards per completion, giving some observers fits that there was some divine intervention in the game. Tebow wore the numbers on his eye black during the 2009 BCS title game when he was at Florida.

Tomorrow (Jan. 14), fans will again be anticipating to see signs when Tebow’s Broncos face the heavy favorite New England Patriots. # # #

Editor’s Note: To contact the author, please e-mail him at: (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)