A Year of Blessings

I am back home now and been having a great time catching up with my family and friends. I have missed them very much! I had the most amazing year-long experience of my life, and here is my final blog and thank you to the people of the Philippines. This sums up my time over the last seven months. Thank you for all your prayers this year and ask for continued prayers for my next adventure in life, whatever it may hold!


While making my way to Manila, expectations were high of the thought of working with a highly acclaimed VIDES chapter where I could use some of my talents and past experiences, and hopefully learn about serving others and the positive impact of VIDES projects on their community. What I found was even more than what I had expected! I was blessed to have been chosen to serve in the Philippines.
I had great joy in using my background in Business to work on office projects and tasks, including the VIDES Philippines Project Proposal, the Busina Mo, Dunong Ko Mobile Education Project Module Volunteer Handbook and brochure, and several other small projects to assist the office staff. I also naturally offered to lead the planning for the Annual Sports Fest, because of my enthusiasm for sports.
While joining the “Busina Mo, Dunong Ko” Mobile Education Project for urban street children, I provided tutorial services in major academic subjects and assisted with values formation and group activities. I traveled five days a week to six areas in Metro Manila where the children were given the chance to actively participate in lessons and receive personal attention they aren’t able to receive from the public education system. I got to know these kids personally, and I am grateful to them because they have opened my heart to the beauty of this country. Because of them, every future endeavor I embark on will be done with greater passion because of the responsibility I feel to use my gifts and opportunities to the fullest. In some small way, my accomplishments will mean more to me because of these kids to whom I wish I could give the world, but the most I can do is to live my life abundantly. They have shown me the strength of a survivor with the heart to love deeply. The faces of these kids are hard and tough on the exterior, but somewhere deep inside they are yearning for something more, an unconditional love. I got to see glimpses of the extraordinary people they will become during brief interactions which revealed a transformation in attitude and behavior. I will forever look back on our time together with great joy and remember the profound love that I felt for the children of which I have never experienced before. I will never forget and will always pray for their futures, and hope to hear of their great success stories.

After two months of tutoring the BMDK kids, I began to teach my most enjoyable lessons; instructions about the basics of playing soccer. I coached more than 60 kids on their busy streets with one ball and makeshift goals. Each and every day I looked forward to the kids shouting to me, “Ate Tessa, Soccer?” The summer sessions culminated in a soccer tournament at the annual Sports Fest which each area competed against one another. I feel a special connection with those players and will always have a special place in my heart for “my” soccer kids. The kids revealed to me how incredible it feels to watch pupils improve and to observe them love and find passion for what I love. I now recognize that the means through which I can teach and inspire kids will probably not be with books, but with a ball. This realization was re-emphasized during our trip to the Azkals game, as I saw their excitement building on the drive to the game and jumping around giving me high-fives as the Azkals defeated their opponent.

The other passion that I discovered here in the Philippines was a deep concern for the poor. I feel a mission and newly-discovered motivation to help communities find the desire and means to escape the cycle of poverty. I learned how wonderful and insightful the VIDES community members are, but how much the children need something greater to hope for and someone to model for them the love that Christ has shown us. I believe so strongly in the power of the Mobile Education project to change communities, and with constant new ideas and growth, one day soon the six areas will be completely new places from when VIDES first started there.

I am grateful to have been able to see many different places in the Philippines and challenged to share my life and time with others. The most significant experience I had traveling was to Palawan for the annual Mission Camp. The Mission Camp was a beautiful experience where I was able to witness over 50 other volunteers giving their time and all their love and effort in providing services to a community in need. The local sister’s dormitory graciously accommodated us as we served 300 patients at the Medical Mission and 100 persons for haircutting services. A total of 400 children and adults attended the inputs on health and human rights and received school supplies, clothes and food. Throughout the afternoon we heard the cries of 30 goats reluctantly going with their new owners through the Kambing Mo, Kabahayan Ko livelihood project. Just before our blessing of the new VIDES BMDK multi-cab given to the Palawan community, we shared a mass together to celebrate our unity with the community and from where the inspiration from which we give comes.

Another group that was surprisingly admirable and taught me a number of lessons was the out-of-school-youth attending the Alternative Learning System. The ALS is a literacy program of the government adapted by duly-accredited schools and intended for children who have been deprived of primary education due to poverty, child labor, abuse and/or neglect. While attending the daily evening classes and providing one-on-one tutoring and occasional lessons, I was able to understand the beauty of this method of learning. The program is the modern representation of Don Bosco’s vision of taking children off the streets and showing them a positive alternative to their current path in life. The students have found something that gives them hope and a chance for a bright future; along with values formation for living a life in Christ which God has planned for each one of them. I have witnessed how love can change lives of young people with just one person who cares and expects something of them.

I am full of admiration for all the sisters in the Don Bosco School community, Manila and the whole province. They have shown me hospitality unmatched by anyone I’ve come across. Their interest in my experiences in the Philippines has been a great comfort during this year away from family and friends. Their presence and fun-loving attitude has made it easy and enjoyable to be around. Through their actions I have learned many valuable lessons that I hope to hold onto and share with others. I have seen the beauty of community, and of devotion in religious life.

I am particularly grateful to Sr. Jojo, VIDES delegate, who has tirelessly worked to develop VIDES into a highly respected and effective volunteer organization. VIDES, nor my experience would not be the same without her. It would also have been incomplete without the companionship of Sarah, Rhea, Varry, Melvin and Amy from the office for accepting me into the VIDES family and becoming great friends. I was constantly motivated by their dedication to work harder in my own tasks.

I thank everyone for this unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience to serve. Maraming Salamat Po.

Prayer Request

The typhoon season is starting to pick up, and even though it is not until the November - December season that they are the most dangerous, the recent Typhoon Juaning has recently killed 27 people. I wanted to share this article with you about the problems facing the Philippines which make it so awful when the rain comes. Prayers not only for safety but for strong leadership and the means to fix the underlying problems of the degree of damage created by these disasters.

One month until I am home. Will update later about my own adventures!

Poverty, poor urban planning increase RP's risk from typhoons
By Katherine Baldwin


LONDON (AlertNet) - Poverty, poor urban planning and a lack of alternative livelihoods are keeping hundreds of thousands of people in the Philippines trapped in areas that are highly vulnerable to storm and flood damage as the typhoon season continues, aid workers say.

Despite a run of destructive typhoons in the past month that washed away homes and caused the worst flooding in 40 years, relief groups say many Filipinos return again and again to flood- or landslide-prone areas because they have little or no choice.

While the government is trying to provide better land for the so-called illegal settlers, it faces an uphill task to reverse years of poor urban planning that has left large sections of the population living in at-risk areas, particularly in shanty towns around big cities like Manila, which has been inundated with people from the provinces seeking work.

"One of the issues the government is trying to deal with is unregistered people living in makeshift homes, but this is not an easy task," said Terje Skavdal, head of the regional office of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for the Asia-Pacific.

"The government is trying to relocate these people but the challenge is whether they want to be relocated. These makeshift homes are close to where they have their income. It's not just about giving them land, but ensuring this land is fit for purpose. These are challenges of the recovery phase that the government will need to face," he told AlertNet by telephone from Bangkok.

Some 86,000 people remain in evacuation centres, relief workers say, some in dire conditions, after three typhoons battered the Philippines since Sept. 26, killing more than 900 people and displacing millions. Typhoon Ketsana hit first, followed by Parma a week later and Mirinae last weekend. Typhoon Lupit approached the country but did not hit.

The Philippines, home to 92 million people, has one of the fastest-growing populations in the region and more than a quarter of its people live on less than $1.25 a day. According to the United Nations, 44 percent of the urban population live in slums.

The sprawling shanty towns block waterways, causing huge problems with drainage and sewerage. After flooding, rivers of garbage flow through the makeshift settlements. Hillside deforestation adds to the problem, putting the population at risk of landslides.

Typhoon Ketsana caused massive flooding in the Manila Metropolitan Area, or Metro Manila, in the main northern Luzon island, where some 12 million people live.

Valerie Lewin, senior programme manager for the Ketsana response at Oxfam, said she visited a riverside illegal settlement where many homes had been washed away by Ketsana.

"The people were saved because they had been warned in advance but I went there two or three weeks after Ketsana and they were already back there, rebuilding their slum house, just by the river," she said. "Then my team went back this weekend and the houses had been flushed away again. These people know they aren't safe but they don't have another place to go."

Readying for more Storms
Land issues, as in many developing countries, are highly complex and require long-term solutions, Lewin said.

With so many people in need of relocation, the government faces a difficult task to deal with people fairly, without angering other families who are in a similar if not quite so desperate situation, added Skavdal.

Relief workers say it will take several months for people to be able to move out of evacuation centres. Some of the centres are not suitable for evacuees - some people are being housed on basketball grounds with simple shelters, and many centres are overcrowded and have poor hygiene facilities.

The typhoon season continues through November and into December, meaning it is imperative that people do not return to unsafe settlements. In 2006, some of the worst typhoons came at the end of the year. Twenty typhoons on average hit the Southeast Asian country of more than 7,000 islands annually.

"A lot of education and persuasion is needed to convince these people not to go back to the former sites," said Minnie Portales, advocacy and communications director for World Vision Philippines.

The main challenge is finding alternative sources of income for people who have moved from the countryside to illegal settlements near the country's big cities.

"The government is encouraging people to go back to the provinces but many don't want to. Their children are studying in Metro Manila and they don't have a source of livelihood in the provinces," she said.

In a survey carried out in the Philippines in early October by the IBON Foundation, a research and education institution, 71 percent of the respondents rated themselves as poor, up from 67 percent in a July poll.

Sports Fest

We just had our VIDES SportsFest. And of course, it was one of my favorite activities that we have done here at VIDES Philippines. I was totally into it. I made all the brackets for each sport (Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Soccer, Dance, Chess and Scrabble). It made me remember filing out brackets during March Madness, or looking at the schedule for the State Basketball Tourney in High School. The day is for the regular VIDES kids from each of the 6 areas to compete against each other in all the sports. The kids really looked forward to it. I was in charge of running the soccer tournament for those kids I have been teaching how to play. I originally wanted a few areas to play together to make a full team, 11 vs. 11. But I soon realized that they prefered to only play with their friends. So, I had to scratch my original plan and make up a new schedule, which made it a little difficult to make it a fair tournament. But, each team got to play 2 or 3 games each. Some only for 15-minute games because it was so hot out, it was very tiring. It was a beautiful day, no rain, thanks for the prayers! But, it was about 93 degrees during the afternoon. When the kids saw my waterbottle they begged me "Ate Tessa, can we drink your water?" They were exhausted, but I think they enjoyed very much.The championship game was between Del Pan and Recto. I was very surprised Del Pan did so well because they are so small, but very fast and the most aggressive fiesty group of kids out of all the 6 areas. After the time was over, I think we played 30 minutes, it was tied 1-1. So it all came down to a PK shoot out. One kid from each team was chosen to be the kicker and the goalie. The first boy from Del Pan kicked and missed, and the MVP, Al, from Recto made it to win the game! They were very excited, and I feel close to those kids who were on the team. The kids from each area who played soccer always come up to me right away and want to play. I am so happy for being able to organize the Sports Fest and let the kids have a opportunity to compete in a nice undercover court and a full soccer field, which is very rare.

The Champions from Recto

24th Birthday

I had a fantastic birthday! I got to spend it with the kids from Del Pan and Pasay, about 500 kids total. I am really getting to know the kids and their personality, and its nice to spend my birthday with them. They sang me "Happy Birthday" and I got to tell them how happy I was to spend my birthday with them.

After the BMDK, I went with one of the Don Bosco seniors that I have gotten to be good friends with, Lorriane, and another VIDES volunteer, Anna to the Switchfoot Concert! It was a blast. I didn't know any of their new songs, but all their old ones, especially from "Walk to Remember."
It was great to go out to a concert. I haven't been to one in a while and it was nice to spend my birthday doing something fun in the city.

It was a great concert and a perfect way to celebrate in my home away from home, Manila!

Salesian Youth Day

In preparation for World Youth Day in August, which I just bought my registration for, the Salesian community around the Philippines organized its own celebration in Negros Occidental. I had a wonderful experience with about 500 other teenagers from around the Philippines attending Salesian schools or parishes. I went with the two girls who work at the VIDES office, Sarah and Rhea. We left for our flight early in the morning to travel to another island (Negros) of the Philippines about 1 hour away. It was my first time to go outside of Luzon, the island Manila is on.

One of the first things I did after getting settled into our room with the girls from Vietnam and Korea, of which some were also VIDES volunteers, was to play soccer of course! The boys who go to school at the local Don Bosco Technical School are a part of the soccer team and I joined them. In Negros, they speak another dialect than Tagalog (Filipino) and many do not speak English well at all, but there’s no need for speaking when playing.

Throughout SYD I was approached by many kids and also adults who wanted to take my picture or get something from me. It was probably the most attention I have gotten since coming to this country. Some of the great things I was able to do were read scripture during night prayer, be interviewed for my thoughts about SYD and give a message to the kids, get an award, and join the Family Fued activity during recreation. I am trying my best to be grateful for all the opportunities and kindness the people are showing me, but I can’t help but to truly appreciate those people who sincerely try to get to know me, and those are the ones I will really remember. It reminds me of the talk a priest gave a few weeks ago on our VIDES recollection about the story of Martha and Mary. Martha was the hospitable one while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to listen to him. It is good and right to serve others by work, but it more right to encounter Jesus, or have a personal connection with others. I have been overwhelmed by the hospitality of others, but the people I cherish are those who tried to develop a sincere relationship with me.

Day 3 of SYD was the most impactful. We went on our immersion trips to one of the local communities in the area. I went to Malihao, a community in the sugar cane fields. I was by myself with a family who had three little houses on a compound. It was difficult, as I expected, to converse with the family, and actually only one lady, Donna, could speak English somewhat okay. I first helped her clean her clothes by hand on the washboard then to the river to wash them. I was able to talk to her about her life on the plantation. Her husband works in the fields, of which is very difficult work when it is hot outside. She is a housewife along with her sister and sister-in-law. She has a high school diploma, but there are no jobs for women except to run a little store. She has no desire to leave her village and enjoys living a simple life. We were supposed to take this opportunity to speak with them about how they live out their faith, but unfortunately it was hard to even have a basic conversation, so I could only say so much, which made me appreciate the missionaries in foreign lands who were able to tell so many people about Jesus.

After that I played with the children for a long time on the street just with a ball. I think they enjoyed having a silly white girl play with them. We then walked back down to the river to swim for a while since it was such a hot day. I really enjoyed this time I got to spend with them. I even tried to give the necklace I got for this immersion trip to one of kids but he wouldn’t take it. Finally, I had to give it to Donna to give it to him. Maybe it will remind them of my visit with them, and they invited me to come back someday to visit. It was a blessing to spend this time with such a simple, humble family working very hard to support each other.

The next day, we continued our program with mass, messages from priests and bishops, and many fun activities. The message for WYD is “Planted and Rooted in the Faith,” and I think the message I will most take away from all the speeches is that when we encounter Christ, we find our true identity. The priest used the example of the Samaritan woman at the well, which she went to the well in the middle of the day when the heat is the hottest because she was avoiding having to socialize with the other women of the community. But, when she encountered Jesus at the well she found her vocation to evangelize and went straight to the community to tell them about Jesus. She found her true identity after she had a life-changing experience with Christ.

And then I played more soccer, and had a beautiful cultural celebration where each region performed a native dance or song.

Our final day consisted of saying our goodbyes to the Vietnamese and Koreans, and a trip to the local festival that showcased all the regions of the Philippines where we could buy Pasalubong (food to bring home to your family after taking a trip somewhere. No translation in English).

Soccer Time

I am so grateful to have the opportunity to do one of the favorite things in the world...play soccer! Although I have to tell the children "no hands" or "walang mga kamay" almost every two minutes, they still enjoy being able to play. It is not such a popular sport in the Philippines, especially in the city where there is few places to play, but just to have a ball and someone the play with them is enjoyment enough. Many of the children are hesistant to play soccer because they would rather play basketball and volleyball, but after a while they decide to join and play with the "Americano". After getting to train with the girls team in Geneva and now with all the street children around Manila, I realize how great and blessed I am to have a chance to teach what I love. I believe education is one of the greatest gifts you can give a person, or child, but if I'm going to be honest, I would rather play games and soccer all day long than give tutorials. I feel a bit guilty for admitting that, but I cannot lie. I just hope that somehow, someway it is as much as a gift to them as teaching English grammar or spelling. Maybe it will give girls a chance to feel free to play with the boys or to open their minds to new things.

Some of the areas have a nice enclosed area to play which is perfect, but some of the sites are on busy streets and since it is still hard for them to control the ball, it is always rolling past the incoming traffic. Its a bit dangerous, but they are used to using the streets as their playground. In those places I have to just have them play simple games. In the enclosed courts we can have crazy, loud games and just hope no one gets hurt...too bad. I think after a month of practicing they will get better. I hope every kid gets the chance to try to play like an Azkal (the Philippines National Soccer Team). We will have our Sports Fest on May 2-3, so pray for safety and at least a little bit of order; I know I will not be able to totally prevent chaos during the matches.

Trip to Vigan

I was invited to go on an end-of-the-year trip with all the teachers, staff, and sisters from Don Bosco School. I had a great time getting to know the teachers more and traveling to the northern part of Luzon (island which Manila is located). It was a long ride on a freezing cold bus, but very enjoyable and nice to get out of the city for a few days. So here's where we went...

Our first night we stayed at this hotel/retreat center where we swam in the pool, relaxed, and during the night had a program with music, dancing, and acting performances by all the faculty and staff. I even sang some songs with the sisters for the teachers.

With some of the teachers and sister at the first stop in front our rooms.

Then we kept travelling north and stopped at Baluarte Zoo, which is owned by one of the richest men in the Philippines.

On a pony ride at the zoo.

I was a part of the animal show at the Zoo, and this is some kind of bear/marsupial on my back. He was quite heavy, but it was lots of fun.

We also made pit-stops at a garden and pottery-making business. Actually one of the most interesting stops was at the birthplace of a very famous painter, Juan Luna, who studied in Europe, and is a very well-known artist. He comes from a well off family and many of his siblings are also famous artists and writers. I don't have pictures of those on my camera because I had to be in so many of other people's pictures that I was too tired to take my own. Everywhere we went, the first thing I heard was "picture, picture!"

Next was a stop at a bell tower next to a church from the Spanish times. The Spanish were in control for about 300 years and many of the sites are still well preserved in the north and that is why is it such a tourist spot for many Filipinos.

With Sr. Rizma at the top of the tower.

We finally made it to Vigan City on the second day and here are pictures from the horse-drawn carriage ride with Sr. Carm, and on the European-style street in the center of town.

The Filipinos have a tradition of buying souvenirs, especially t-shirts with the city's name on it whenever they travel anywhere. They also buy one for each member of their family, so many bought 5 or 6 t-shirts that evening.

Last day we traveled up north even further to Illocos Norte, the province that Ferndinand Marcos, the ruler of the Philippines for 20 years after its independence, was born. We went to the Marcos museum, and the famous church Marcos was brought to before he died. It is called Paoay Church built in the 1704.