Edmund Rice Brothers, Philippines Mission Diary - 30
2nd September 2009
Links: |
 REGISTERED NAME: Edmund Rice Brothers, The Philippines, Inc. CN200825020 |
Quote of the Month: “Dreams Are Whispers from the Soul” – I just love it. It is from Marcia Wieder's new book.
Hilongos News:
Dennis Sullivan writes: At times you realise how fortunate we are. As Hilongos is a fishing village on the sea the land is not much above sea level and every day the tide flows into the town finding its level, so many houses have the sea water under them or they paddle through to get in or out to higher grounds. The roads have been raised so they are generally above the high level mark, but as you walk along you notice sea water in the houses or on the paths to their homes or in any spare areas beside the road. So walking to town, the church, the school or the homes we visit, we can see the tide coming or going or covering the paths. This week we had two high tides (2.2m and 2.4m) so there was more severe flooding. (We would call them King tides) I could not get to some homes with veggies as there was 40 – 50 cm of water over the paths, between and under the houses, so I had to ask one of the older students to take the supplies to the houses. (These particular houses are immediately behind AE School, and water on one day had also flooded about 20 percent of the school yard). When I mentioned the water level to our cook, she informed me that on that morning she had water through her house up to her knees and that on three days each month the sea water will flow through her home. At the same time she smiles and tells me how smelly and dirty it is and then carries on as though you had just talked about a sporting result “Lord, we are blessed.”
Brother Carl Sherrin has returned from his six weeks annual leave and is picking up where he left off helping those children who were part of the Summer School organized by Brother Peter Thrupp some months ago. Frank is continuing the marvelous work at Saint Teresa Catholic School and informs us that the unfinished year eight classroom is now completed. Thanks to all those generous schools that sent Frank monies as without their contributions this would not have been possible. Paul Coster is enjoying his experience in Hilongos and is in his own small way making a difference in this impoverished region of the Philippines.
Photos of the newly renovated classroom for the 1st Year Matthew class; Peter T taught in this unfinished classroom for 12 months. It was finished off nicely, after being left in a bad state for 2 years with almost nothing being done to it. Most of the money for renovation this time, was raised locally, although both Shalom College, Bundaberg, and St. Peter's College, Auckland have donated funds to help get this finished. The students who use it think that it is great. There are plans to place one more classroom on the end of this one, next year so that both 1st Year classes can be upstairs. The year 8 classroom on top of the library.
Kabankalan News:
The two and a half hour journey to Bacolod Airport has seldom been such a joyful event as it was yesterday. Graeme Leach flew in to spend two weeks with us en route to a sabbatical in Ireland. He is a thoughtful, insightful man who has gone to the heart of educational problems for main-stream, disabled children and beyond disability, within PNG for the last forty years. In Bacolod we have an NGO for sight and hearing disabled persons supported by Christoffel-Blinden Mission (CBM) of Germany. CBM were one of Graeme's strongest supporters in PNG and so it was not surprising to discover he already knew a number of CMB related people in Manila - who cared for him overnight as he travelled through. Graeme had already come to know Mavis Campos, the head of the CBM subsidiary in Bacolod. She shouted us an early lunch upon Graeme's arrival.
John is energetically pursuing his informal education projects. He is now supporting over sixty children whom he has encouraged back into the classroom and the retention rate so far is good. That in itself is very worthwhile and will make a big difference to the lives of these children. His second project is supporting young adults taking up short term vocational courses. The number seeking this support was showing signs of tapering off when a request came in for support for the deaf youngsters with whom we have formed a bond. Many of these are now enrolled in such courses as dressmaking and cosmetics. They are a life-giving group to be associated with.
Ron Ure, a business man closely associated with Nudgee College in Brisbane and currently with other business men supporting the work of the Brothers, visited us last year. An outcome of that visit is he arranged for Miladdie Chia and three companions to go to Brisbane to the “Hear and Say” Centre to learn skills that will enable very early intervention for hearing disabled children here in Kabankalan. Miladdie is a teacher of the deaf and House Mother to 34 deaf children, youth and young adults, currently. The group will return to Brisbane again in October for stage two of the program.
Nudgee College have just left us after their third annual immersion program. Sixteen boys and four teachers spent six days with us. As I write they are continuing their program in Manila. It is a well thought out and well led program and very reflective. They have made a wonderful impact touching five of the diocesan schools. Late next month we will also host CBC Adelaide and Aquinas College who will visit other schools.
Laurie Collins continues to work quietly, teaching College students at Kabankalan Catholic College. After his last assignment running Beausang College in Embulbul, Kenya, it is rather low key. He is continuing the work begun by Peter Hardiman. Laurie has two classes; one is with the Religious Education Major students taking a Bachelor of Secondary Education degree. There are fifteen students now in their third year of a four year course. In another 18 months they will be ready to move into teaching positions in the 19 diocesan schools. To have that many coming through, specifically trained as Religious Education teachers will be a wonderful boost to the quality of Religious Education. Training of new teachers is one part of a three pronged approach to revitalize the evangelical aspect of the schools. In-service for existing teachers of religion which we have been arranging or conducting each year, and a review of the Religious Education curriculum are the other two. This last, the review, is a very difficult task. We are in need of assistance in this area.
Laurie's other teaching assignment is Filipino Church History, an interesting assignment for someone so new to the country. Laurie is assiduously reading very widely and talking to people such as Fr. Brian Gore who is as good an example of living history as one is likely to meet.
Joe and Anne Stynes took a little break for two weeks from their work trying to improve the quality of English in the schools, but are back at it now, very full on. Some unexpected outcomes are emerging - insights into the causes of poor quality English. Responses to these insights may include the need for in-service programs in such basics as lesson planning, year course outlines and links to curriculum. But also something far more difficult is coming to our awareness arising from the common situation of teachers returning to their alumnus after graduation from college and spending the rest of their teaching lives in the one school. They are often very proud of this but it recalls minding the "one year's experience repeated thirty times" syndrome. How to stimulate fresh ideas in such an environment is an interesting challenge.
Rod has been much involved recently in assisting schools with their budgets and then with Board meetings. The structure of the diocesan system recently established calls for Board meetings in all schools in the Month of August, making it a busy time. It is actually proving to be a very useful way of making an impact in the schools and helping them improve their administrative processes.
Finally, last February, all the schools of the diocese faced inspection for re-certification purposes by a government scholarship funding agency, to see if the quality was satisfactory for them to receive funding from this agency (not quite the way we think in Australia!). Needless to say it was a very important visit. The schools worked very hard for a full year in preparation and there are many good outcomes from the process. I am happy to inform readers that all the school passed with flying colours except one which was given six months to make key improvements. By chance Rod happened to be in that school last week when the leader of the inspection team popped in unannounced to see what had happened in the meantime. She was all smiles and happily announced to the principal the school had passed. Wonderful news for the school and for the diocese!
So, life is busy here in Kabankalan Diocese but life is also good. Best wishes to our Brothers and many supporters wherever you are.
John, Laurie, Anne, Joe and Rod.
I will be stationed in the Mt Archer Community in Queensland till Christmas then I return to Perth. My dream is to return to the Philippines one day (Hilongos).
Till next time. P X Thrupp (cfc)
