Love & Light – World Peace & Healing The Planet
December 13, 2014
AWH staff proceeded with its van fully loaded with cut and bundled firewood to the 100th Sheep Resettlement Camp in Dasmarinas. After unloading the firewood which is much sought after for cooking, AWH staff then went Christmas shopping for the children of the Resettlement Camp, purchasing the needed items to feed 130 children from three local grammar schools during their Dec. 17th Christmas party.
A little Christmas event was held for children on December 20, 2014 at the barangay hall in Sicat, Alfonso, Cavite, where AWH is located. AWH provided pasta and ice cream for 100 children. Barangay captain also joined and greeted the children. He told us that the participated children were one third of the entire children population in Sicat. AWH talked with him about necessity of family planning, otherwise no bright future for these children growing in poverty, hunger and joblessness situation.
Nevertheless, all the children enjoyed the food. 10 gallons of ice cream went empty in about an hour.
December 19, 2014 @ Municipality of Alfonso
The five poorest families from each of the 32 barangays (villages) in the municipality were chosen to receive gifts. The gifts consisted of a backpack with school materials inside. Mayor Varias and his Vice Mayor greeted everyone and the mayor gave out the gifts. We assisted with the gift giving.
The second part of the event consisted of gift-giving to the handicapped children (PWD: Persons With Disabilities). This consisted of the children, assisted by their parents, receiving the same backpack gift and their guardians receiving Php2,300 cash in an envelope handed out by the major. The cash represented the semester school support for the handicapped.
Raymund, Kimiyo and Klaus represented both AWH and Rotary and Klaus was requested to give a short talk on behalf of Rotary. It was a heart-warming event.
Since DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development) Alfonso introduced AWH madam Luz in Bahay San Jose, Alfonso, Cavite 2 years ago, we have visited them often and brought our Japanese guests to her “Angels”.
Eleven of the residents are orphans (except the daughter of Ms. Luz) and severely handicapped due to polio, cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.The House with No Steps Foundation owns the property and Ms. Luz volunteers there to take care of them.
AWH with its guests occasionally provides rice, clothes and financial assistance for their needs.
“I remind myself about them from time to time” says Casey Takayama, vice president of AWH, “we who fortunately have no physical defect are able to see, hear, talk and walk. Why not do our best to help others?”
Although these eleven “Angels” do not have any choice to do anything, it might give a meaning to their existence.
The local Alfonso DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development) introduced us its accredited orphanage in Tagaytay and AWH with its guests from Japan visited their facility in November 2014.
The orphanage is funded privately including oversea donors and well maintained. They accept abandoned children and on that particular day we visited, Alfonso DSWD brought an 1 year old orphan girl to the facility and asked for her acceptance.
The girl was found on a street in Alfonso right after her birth in malnourished condition and had been looked after by five foster parents. However, since all of the foster parents are indigent and could barely feed her as they have 7 or 8 of their own children already. After the evaluation, the facility accepted her and the last foster mother let her go in tears.
They explained that they are able to place children on a foreign adoption list that has a backlog of over 1,000 children to be adopted by foreign parents.
AWH and its guests donated rice, powdered milk and used clothes.
Academy of World Healing Foundation (AWH) has committed to provide its facilities for free rental for educational and environmental purposes and local government to help the community better place to live.
DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development) is one of the dedicating government organization. Under the national program to help low income indigents (4 P’s: Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) the municipality and the local DSWD hold a convention every year. To accommodate over 100 participants, they have chosen AWH to be the venue this year. The municipal mayor and the assistant regional director of DSWD in Alabang were present.
AWH was pleased to provide the venue to the meaningful event and be a part of the community project.
ＤＳＷＤ（フィリピン社会福祉機構）アルフォンソ支部は、障害者にプレゼントを贈るクリスマス・イベントを開催しました。いつも献身的な貢献を欠かさないＤＳＷＤのGINAをはじめとするそのスタッフ、アルフォンソ市長、そして多くのバランガイ（村に当たる単位）のボランティアが参加しました。ＤＳＷＤ認定の慈善団体であるＡＷＨは、金銭的な援助という形で参加しました。アルフォンソ市からは、車椅子５つや米袋などが贈られ、心温まるイベントになりました。
ＡＷＨ協賛によるバランガイ（村のような単位）クリスマス・イベントがスタートして今回で７回目となりました。今回は、ＡＷＨではパスタやアイスクリームなどの食べ物を提供しました。近所のレストランからオーダーすることにより、地域経済の活性化を図る狙いもあります。食べ物を配り始めると、行列ができてあっという間になくなってしまいました。１１ガロンあったアイスクリームにも、２００人の子供たちが群がり、蒸し暑い日にはもってこいでした。また、地域の住人が飲み物やおもちゃを提供してくれて、子供たちの笑顔を見ることができました。
２０１２年１２月、ＤＳＷＤ（フィリピン社会福祉機構）からの要望により、ＡＷＨ役員はカビテのダスマリニャスにある貧困地域を訪問しました。１１年間続いている「移住計画」の下、２００余のマニラのホームレス家族らがこの地域に移住してきました。
福祉組織の一つ「１００匹目の羊」は、この地域で保育施設の設立および運営、食料や物資の供給やその他の生活支援を精力的に行っています。是非「１００匹目の羊」の応援をお願いいたします。