Building Sites...

"What good is a life unless you give it away

...bring your grain of sand to the building site?"

 Three years ago One Candle Schoolhouse began the process of evolving from  a single, individually supported project into TWO Community-based Learning Centers.  The path has not been either straight, clear, or simple, but in the Barangays of Siit and Bonbonon, Saturday classes are now being held in newly-erected buildings under the name:

BRIGHT LIGHTS COMMUNITY

LEARNING CENTERS

There is much to catch up on in this blog, and a recent video made by one of our two German Volunteers, Lilith Kugler, with the students of Bonbonon's Learning Center is the perfect place to begin:

Christmases - Past and Paster

Be assured that any worthwhile action
will create change and attract support.

--Philip Marvin

2010 was the second year Dumaguete's MetroPost publishers, Alex and Irma Pal, donated clothing to One Candle Schoolhouse, enabling families along the Bondo Road to have a merrier Christmas. Adding considerably to the Pal Family's gift, was the generous donation from John and Genelyn Carson.  The Carson's donation enabled the purchase of 75 kilos of rice, a monster sack (nine cubic feet) of used clothing purchased from local ukay ukay proprietress, Virginia Espina, at a discount, and numerous bags of semi-healthy snacks for the children.

Christmas 2009 was only three months after Bill died, and though there was much to be grateful for, posting any of it was beyond my abilities at that time.  However, there was a multitude of events that were captured in not only a newspaper article, but a slide show made of all the related activities and presented to the over twenty donors that made all of it possible. Here is the story that was published in the Metro Post:

THE MANY FACES OF CHRISTMAS, 2009

Not often visible are the ripple-effects of spontaneous acts by those who help the less-fortunate.  Nor can we imagine beforehand how significant our efforts might be when we simply “finish the job.” This Christmas I was privileged to witness individual events that became a chain which led to an unexpected blessing for a family in need.  I offer this story as a gift for everyone, but particularly those who made it possible...

It began when Irma Pal, offering condolences and desiring to support the work Bill and I had begun at One Candle Schoolhouse, asked if she and Alex could donate clothing to the rural students of our evolving Bright Lights Community Learning Center in Siit.  When an enthusiastic affirmative was texted back, Irma opened her address book and within days was inundated with huge amounts of nearly-new clothing, shoes, books and toys from twenty-two generous families of Dumaguete.

In the meantime, after attending a recognition ceremony for International Volunteer’s Day, it was decided to deliver an excess of cooked rice to the thirty-seven abandoned and orphaned children of Sto. Neno.  Though also a member of ONCAN (Oriental Negros Children Advocacy Network), it was my first visit to their premises.  While the rice was being delivered inside, a swarm of curious children plied those waiting in the car with excited questions.  My heart was particularly taken with a girl who, through a painfully misshapen face, radiated the largest smile.  “These children have good house parents,” reported Karen Gados, Peace Corps volunteer for Casa Esperanza as we drove away, “but they’re struggling; the kids need more vitamins.”

“Maybe a Christmas Party with gifts would be nice, too?” I wondered, thinking of the one planned for the students at Siit, and brought the question back to Irma and to Siit’s BLCLC director, Evelyn Bucad. 

 “Yes!  There’s more than enough clothing!” said Irma; “Yes! The students can bring their entertainment” said Evelyn and, upon seeing the vast amount delivered by the Pal family to Tambobo, Evelyn and her two volunteer assistants (Gina and Annabel Jandog) plus five former OCS students (Regine Cuevas, Jandie Palarpalar, Jilly Mae Palallos, Honey Antonio and Phebe Joy Palamos) immediately began sorting and wrapping everything.  But not just for the Siit and Sto. Neno children--which now included the fourteen residing at Casa Esperanza and the nearly forty Special Needs children of GP Rehabilitation--but also for the sister-students of Bonbonon’s Bright Lights Community Learning Center as well as the indigent families along Bondo’s old Spanish road!

A week later, listening to a proud recounting of how the Siit students were participating in sensitivity training exercises so they could assist the GP Rehab children with games during the December 26th party, John Carson pulled out his wallet and handed over four thousand pesos to help feed everyone and buy gifts.  (In addition, he and his wife Genelyn, arrived at the party with even more toys.)

The Dec. 22nd & 23rd Christmas Parties of the two Learning Centers were every child’s dream come true when the multitude of gifts passed into their hands.  For Bonbonon’s BLCLC  it was especially significant, as it also celebrated the success of a year-long struggle to finance construction of their building with a blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

December 26th’s Christmas Party, staged with games and performances by the students of Siit for the children of three ONCAN organizations, was joyful beyond imagination.  To open the festivities, Siit students asked all the other children face them--whether standing, being held or in wheelchairs--then everyone danced and sang in unison to “Nobody But YOU!”  Games of competition were played between more songs and dances, then the abundance of gifts were distributed and opened.  While plates of spaghetti were devoured (prepared by Casa Esperanza’s Linda Gesim), Vanessa Teves and her son Vito rounded out the day’s events with individual bags of sweets for the children. 

Now comes the confession:  Dec.24th had found me exhausted and resisting the drive into Dumaguete to pick up the last box of clothing that the Pals had not been able to cram into their car with all the others.  I’ll even admit to thinking, “Bondo people don’t know I was planning to deliver those things tomorrow; I could do it Sunday, after the Sto. Neno field trip...”  But I remembered last year when Bill had been so insistent and excited about bringing food and clothing to them, so--grudgingly--at three o’clock Phebe Joy and I climbed in the car and made a whirlwind trip to get the box.  It actually wasn’t as hard as imagined, which surprised me. 

Christmas Day.  Morning steps were again slow and deliberate, paced to minimize returning stress, so it was noon before the car was loaded and the drive down Bondo Road begun.  I had no companion and was concerned about my limited language skills. Thus, when an articulate young woman appeared within the first group to receive gifts, I asked if she would accompany me.  Her name was Jing.  She was from Cebu, visiting her husband’s family for the holidays. 

Walking alongside the road as we approached the next house was a woman and two children.  The mother was carrying a small bag of seed corn in her arms.  The daughter, perhaps seven, carried her baby brother on her back.  As I got out of the car I noted how dirty and ragged-looking they were.  The little girl talked animatedly to Jing, the mother remaining silent throughout the encounter.  Translating, Jing told me their older brother had gone crazy.  “Then he burned down their house.” she said, “They have nothing left but what they are wearing.”   We gave extra gifts of clothing, books for the boy and girl, plus money to help with other needs.

As I watched them continue the short distance to where they would stay, I was stunned and shamed to think how narrowly this family almost missed receiving so many people’s generosity by my tired wish to postpone gift giving until after Christmas.

This experience has been humbling and inspiring, impressing me deeply with the realization that we never know what the results of simple acts of conscience might be. 

I offer this story as a public gesture of appreciation:  if Irma and Alex Pal had not been moved to donate clothing, if the families Antonio, Bigay, Ponce de Leon, Dato, Miciano, Sanglay, Adriano, Siao, Tomimbang, Arbon, Veloso-Antoino, Uy, Academia, Mascardo, Regalado, Lim, Rodriquez (Southdale School), Diaz, Gravador, Raymond (Villacora, Bautista, Martinez), Renacia and Mendietta had been too busy, if the Carsons and every other man, woman and child who participated in the series of linked events leading up to the sharing of so much goodwill had all been too tired...then how much duller, smaller and unconnected, the lives touched by their gifts would have been.