Dumaguete City, October, 2011
Dear All,
From the Shelter of Hope
Peace and Blessings to All!
A verse of a song from my youth reads: "Time escapes me quickly ..." A few months have passed since our last update about life in Dumaguete. Sr. Maria Atorino has returned from her vacation and the community is finally back to full strength.
Vacation is the only moment of rest because our center - Shelter of Hope - is always open. This allows continuity and a better understanding of the priorities that continuously emerge in this environment. Some are yet to be fully discovered.
With Br. Lambert |
Five of the children from grade school |
Faces of hope
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Two happy faces |
Camilla, a baby girl born at our Center |
Three beautiful children with Srs. Armi and Cristina |
Taking Children off the Streets - A Challenge
In June, at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, we began meeting a special challenge. The other aspects of the program continue to develop: take as many children as possible off the streets. Since we do not have our own facilities to accommodate them, we started to collaborate with various local institutions.
Seventeen children (from one to seventeen years of age) are no longer on the streets begging, so are no longer exposed to many dangers. We are very grateful to God, Blessed Frances Schervier and all those who support and are help us to meet this great daily challenge.
The biggest difficulty was convincing the children or parents about not begging on the streets. Instead they were encouraged to search for a safe place, with opportunity to study, develop their own talents and prepare for a different future that would be better than that of their parents and ancestors.
For many of the children and parents, it was simple. For others it was more complicated because of government red tape. Some children had not been recorded; others had a different surname (depending on the office where the registration took place). To proceed with the registration we hired a lawyer. He prepared a document for their registration.
In another situation we had thought a boy was twelve years of age. After finding his birth certificate, we discovered that he was seventeen. Unfortunately, he had not grown normally so no one had noticed this lack of development.
How many children have you managed to take off the streets?
• We placed six girls in a family structure sponsored by an Italian man with his wife from the Philippines. The girls are fine and happy and are accustomed to the new environment.
• Five other children were welcomed into a pre-school agency of the diocese called, "Friendship." We go to visit them together with their parents.
• Three boys are housed at the Fathers Somaschi. It was not easy to convince the parents and these boys to leave the streets. By the grace of God and the support of many, during May all three entered this beautiful house of the Fathers, who received them with love and patience. Two of them escaped, but returned perhaps because of hunger and a sense of abandonment. Now all three go to school and are happy.
• With the help of a friend, we were able to bring three other boys to LCPH: Little Children of Manila. This center accepts children six to seventeen years old. It is beautiful and is managed by our Protestant friends. The boys and girls must be sponsored. They receive good assistance along with room and board. With the help of a social worker, they are placed in schools and are visited by a doctor and a psychologist. Our friend covered all the expenses. We thank God for so much love for his creatures. Now we just hope and pray that these children will follow the discipline of the new environment and the school.
For this school year, we also have the pleasure to report that we are helping:
• Nine young people complete their university studies; four to return to high school (they left because of lack of funds), and fifteen children to attend primary school. We are helping them with school supplies and uniforms, and offer them a hot meal during the days at our Shelter of Hope kitchen.
• On the topic of “school,” another interesting service is the “alternative school,” or as we like to call it, the “school of recovery.” With the support of a teacher sent by the Department for Education of the City of Dumaguete we are preparing some children for the test that will allow them to enter the normal school system. This is a real challenge; coming from the streets, they suffer from lack of food and sleep. It is very hard for them to concentrate. Little by little, we hope to help some achieve that goal and enjoy the dream of a better future. We are happy because a group of Franciscan associates has offered to provide a hot meal for them. It arrives regularly to the delight of the children, teacher and volunteers.
The three girls placed in a family structure |
Precious moments: our visit with the children. |
One of the three boys living at LCPH, with the woman who sponsors him. |
The alternative school with the teacher and volunteers |
At the ‘Recovery School’ |
Breaking Ground for our New ‘House’
We also want to share the joy of our dream come true: to have our own "House." In September we started construction; for now we have the land fenced in. We ask you to pray with us so that everything may proceed on schedule and it may become a special house, a worthy home for the living God. We are certain that St. Joseph and Mother Frances will work hard to keep safe all those who will work for it and to send the necessary providence to cover the expenses.
Please continue to support us with your prayer and assured of our prayers for you. Thank you for your life! May the Lord bless and reward you.
With sincere gratitude,
Yours,
Sr. Armi Sison
Sr. Maria Atorino
Sr. Cristina Di Nocco |
