Arms of Love Ride for Mark Holland

Mark Holland, our deeply missed brother and friend, dear husband to Natalia, beloved father of two angel girls, and a wonderful son to our loving mother Cora and our late father Steve, sadly passed away just short of his 42nd birthday this year. May you rest in peace dude, we miss and love you so much, you are always in our thoughts and heart. 

My brother was a family man with a lust for life. He was also a joker with a contagious smile and laugh. He was kind and wanted to help anyone he came across that needed it. Mark was especially compassionate in supporting children in need, he wanted the best for the children at a children's home 'Arms of Love' in the Phillipines.

We came across Arms of Love when our mother and our aunt were driving back from grocery shopping to my aunt's house in the Philippines when they passed a 5 year old boy wearing nothing but an oversized filthy t-shirt walking alone, along the highway.  My aunt and mother turned around and picked up the kid, William, to bring him home to care for him and contacted child services. William would follow Mark around because they formed such a sweet brotherly bond. William eventually joined one of his brothers and one of his sisters at Arms of Love. Mark had a big heart and donated to Arms of Love, on his visits he'd bring shoes for all the children and when he last visited he asked the kids what they needed, they asked for bicycles. My aunt and brother were going to make this happen but Mark sadly passed on far too soon. My aunt and I would like to continue to make this happen as Mark would have done. 

I know my brother would want to give these kids a bright future with education and love and care and the things that shape a happy childhood. Mark was a motorcycle enthusiast, something we had in common so I'll be motorcycling from Sydney to Melbourne on October 3rd-5th, in loving memory of Mark and in support of Arms of Love. 

If you'd like to donate to the cause, it would be so very touching and a great help in continuing to provide a healthy childhood for the sweet kids of Arms of Love - Philippines xo  

You can read the Arms of Love - around the world story here: http://armsoflove.org/our-story/