RAZZLE DAZZLE

 "If someone listens, or stretches out a hand,

 or whispers a kind word or encouragement,

or attempts to understand, 

extraordinary things begin to happen..."

--Loretta Girzartis 

Last month I posted a list of names that belong to friends who were (and still are) founding supporters of One Candle Schoolhouse. For the past thirty days I have been sorting through reams of photographs, stacks of CD's, and wallowing through ancient folders from long-defunct laptops, determined to find one special picture I have of Jim and Jamie Richter. That photo, taken in January 2004, was of them standing amidst the happy hoard of students who'd planned a going-away party for them, in the still-under construction rooms where OCS had seriously begun Saturday school. I have given up on locating that picture, but the two faces above have exactly the same joyful radiance they had then, almost ten years ago. Jim and Jamie truly were with us from the start, arriving in Port Bonbonon aboard their s/y RAZZLE DAZZLE, the same year (2002) that Saturday classes had casually begun as summer school for a few local children. At that time, we didn't even have a name, or a building of our own, or even knew we'd soon be needing one! During the time that the Richters still lived aboard their boat, they participated as teachers to the children while Bill and I were in the States, providing them with their first exposure to professional photography lessons and giving them 'throw-away' cameras afterwards. Their next project was to solicit the donation of TWO Macintosh computers, a printer, and about a hundred educational CD's!

click here to read Jim's Journal

The list of their donations goes on and on--books, tools, art supplies, mounds of dried foodstuffs, household goods, (recently, two MORE cameras, with lenses--professional quality, too!)--but undoubtedly the most significant were the funding of two college scholarships.

Roy, Cornelia (widow), Ivy

Roy, a recent high school graduate, became One Candle Schoolhouse's first recipient of the opportunity to attend College. Roy wasn't able to complete a full course in law enforcement, but does now have a respectable position as a Security Guard, and responsibly supports his young family.

The following year, when Ivy graduated from high school, the Richters again offered to sponsor a college education, but this time for Ivy. And, because they "stretched out their hands,"extraordinary things have happened...

Jamie congratulates Cornelia

2009 Graduation

Ivy elected to major in Secretarial Science, finalizing her last year's requirement of On The Job Training (OJT) at Great Physician Rehabilitation Foundation, for Children with Disabilities, in Dumaguete. Immediately hired to work full time as a bookkeeper and librarian after graduating, she soon began assisting the physical, occupational, and educational therapists. 



Ivy with Gabrielle

 As GP Rehab's funding began to wind down last year, Analou Suan, Founder/Director, arranged for continuity of services for their client families through local municipalities while Ivy secured for herself another place of employment.  Her dream, however, was to bring those same services back to her own rural community...

 (from a recent email: )

     "...I've just spent the morning talking with one of my former students, IVY, who is so dedicated to helping the Special Needs families in our area that I am continually re-inspired to hang in there with the community work. She has asthma, which is aggravated by not only working in an air-conditioned environment, but living in Dumaguete, too. Bad air. She works at a call center, rotating her shifts weekly, 6am-2pm/2pm-10pm/10pm-6am, and then on her one day off, Sundays, she comes back here to tromp around the back-bush finding families of Children with Disability. 

     Today she told me she's asked her mother to donate some of their land so she can build a Center where livelihood skills can be taught to those capable of it, train locals to be Physical Therapists to teach parents how to give proper exercises, as well as be a resource for education/diagnosis for the locals who are in need of help with their children. I had visited her in order to get a photo of of Jim and Jamie Richter, who'd funded her college education, because I had planned to FINALLY give them their long-overdue Thank You blog posting...but in checking emails quickly, I looked at a Grants Newsletter I subscribe to, I was thrilled to find something I think we can apply for, for her! It's a thousand dollars, not as much as she is going to need but that goes such a very long way here it could possibly be enough to begin the basic building ...certainly it would be enough to begin getting medical help for some of the kids..."

 Since last December, Ivy has steadily pursued her project,

 
methodically using the skills she gained at GP Rehab to interview and assess families, 

while listening carefully to the dreams the parents want for their children's future.

 Her project has a name:  

OPEN DOOR HABILITATION

Last Sunday, May 12, 2013, Ivy's first classes were held in Siit and Bonbonon, at the two Bright Lights Community Learning Centers.

...and there is much more to come!

Jim and Jamie, daghang salamat for all that you helped make possible.

Halelujah!

 Many of us think we are different. 

But few believe they can make a difference.  

 --Suhasini Paul

Every year since the first Christmas was celebrated by One Candle Schoolhouse students, Patricia and Alan Lucas have sent gifts for the children, gifts selected over the previous months as Patricia came upon items she felt were right for each of the students she'd come to know through emails and this blog. When OCS evolved into the two Bright Lights Community Learning Centers, and the enrollment grew beyond those children she knew, other ways of supporting us were found.  Last year their financial donation made possible a feast for the student's Christmas Party.  This year, learning of the Livelihood Program of Hand-Painted T-shirts that had begun (2TKTees), Patricia ordered fifteen, individually designed, Philippine Flora and Fauna shirts for every member of her family: 

Oh Diane,
We arrived in Point Clare late yesterday and Kevin appeared almost straight away with your/our parcel! It was a wild moment to open the glory box and exclaim as I took each one out! They are beautiful each and every one, she (and you) have excelled in producing such gifts for all our family. I can't praise you enough I am so excited and can't wait to hear how they are received. I will try and include a photo I took of the quote from your email with a photo of Shane Mae which I will include with the shirts when I wrap them.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
My love overflows,
Patricia

2 sent to Italy

7 of the 15 in Australia

Piglets!

"I want pig because very nice except the meat. My favorite color of the pig is a white and I want to care of it if it is small. I want to make a food for it so that it is not getting hungry. "

This is part of a story, written by Reynalyn, that Mizzy read while visiting the Philippines from England, which inspired her family's (and our guest teacher, Sue James') generous donation of piglets for our three youngest students.


Hi, my name is Mizzy. I’m a visitor of the One Candle Schoolhouse because I’m on holiday at KooKoo's Nest. Nearly every night me and my parents and friends all sit in the sea and have a pineapple juice while watching the sunset. This is my favorite time of day. It is very funny watching Barnie, our friend’s dog trying to fish. He tries every day but has never caught anything!

This is a painting of what I saw where we are staying.

Here are the stories of Reynalyn, Roselyn and Jayfer's experience:

The Time That We Get The Pig In Antulang

By: Richel, Ryan and Reynalyn Jandog

On Sunday afternoon me, Roselyn and Richel, ride on Jaid’s motorbike to Tambobo, One Candle Schoolhouse. When we arrive Ma’am Diane said to us, “We go to Antulang to get a piglet”. We all ride on the dinghy from school to Kookoo’s Nest. Reynalyn told me, “I felt so nervous when I rode the dinghy of Ma’am Diane!”

We are now in Kookoo’s Nest and seated on the bamboo chair. Ma’am Diane ordered us soft drinks. Then we drink it. It makes my thirst vanish away. We rest a few minutes then after that it is time to go. Nikki and Jamie go with us to get the piglet in Antulang.

We walked together until we arrived at our main destination, the house of Marie Fe. Then we saw her feeding the piglets in a bamboo cage. Ma’am Diane and Nikki were taking a picture of the piglets. “Are those four piglets the ones we are going to choose?” Roselyn asked. “I think so,” I answered her. Marie Fe asked Jayfer if he likes the Dalmatian one, but the rope that Allan brought was too big to tie the neck of the piglet, and he did not bring a sack. So that’s why Roselyn got the Dalmatian one, Reynalyn got the black one, and Jayfer got the color brown one that has a spots. Marie Fe put the piglet into the sacks for her. Allan borrowed another sack to Marie Fe. Every pig that Marie Fe put into the sack for us Ma’am Diane takes a picture of it.

The three of us are ready to go home happily, but first Ma’am Diane is going to pay the piglets. I help Reynalyn and Roselyn to carry their piglets to Kookoo’s Nest. When we arrived at Kookoo’s Nest we rested a few seconds on the beach, waiting for Nikki and Jamie. They will use their big dinghy to give us a ride to NE-AR-NE. We are very thankful to both of them for giving time to us to get the piglets and bring us home. Ma’am Diane tied the rope of her dinghy to Jamie's boat. And she gives us 100 pesos each for the feed of the piglets.

When we are going home she let me handle her camera to take pictures of Roselyn and Reynalyn’s piglet. Ma’am Diane cannot go with us because there were people waiting her in our school.

We are so lucky to have this opportunity to have a free piglet.

“THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MIZZY WHO GAVE MONEY TO BUY TWO PIGLETS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MA’AM DIANE FOR HELPING US TO GET THE PIG! TO SUE WHO BUY ONE PIGLET FOR JAYFER IN THE NAME OF HER NEPHEWS, AND THANK YOU TO NIKKI AND JAMIE FOR HELPING US TO GET THE PIGLETS AND SEND US HOME SAFELY!”

The Story About Piglet

By: Roselyn G. Tubato

February 20,2007 I went to Reynalyn and Richel’s house and to ride a motorbike with Jaid to Tambobo. We are going to One Candle Schoolhouse. Ma’am Diane and my company ride in a dinghy to Antulang to got the piglet in Mariefe’s house with Jayfer. Before going to Mariefe’s house we rest and drink cokes in restaurant of KooKoo’s Nest. Then we walk. When I see piglet I happy.

Now I feed booster every morning, noon and afternoon to my piglet, I pitch water to take a bath and also to clean the cage. My piglet name is Dayana. This piglet come from my classmate in One Candle Schoolhouse name Missy, she is a foreigner I’m very thankful to her. Missy, I am very happy the piglet you give me and the piglet you give, is so fast to eat, any kind of food I feed.

Jayfer’s New Pig

By: Allan Lajot

Last February 24, 2007, before the day he received the pig, Jayfer was feeling excited to have his own. He wasn’t interested before but now, when Sue’s nephews, Jim and Sam, gave him a pig, he likes to have one.

At night, he always asks me “Kuya, unsa ka dako nang baktin?” (“Brother, how big is the pig?”) Then I answered, “Wala ko kabalo.” (“I don’t know”). He went to the kitchen where my mother is and said “Naa na ko’y baktin” (“I have a pig”). “Naa bitaw, pero bantay ug dili ka molalog” (“You have, but I hope you will feed it”), my Mother replies. Later, Mother asked me if Sue’s nephews supported the feeds then I said, “I don’t know.” Then we go to sleep.

Sunday morning of February 25, Father and Jayfer repaired the pig’s house while my Mother asks me to go to Siaton to buy some feeds. But before I leave, Jayfer asked me, “Kuya, pagdali ug palit ug lalog kay hapit na ta mogikan.” (“Brother, hurry up in buying some feeds because we’re nearly to leave”).

When I return, I brought a 20-kilo of tahop, which I think will last up to 1 month. Jayfer is joyful, “Kuya, lantawa!” (“Brother, look!”), pointing to the small pig’s house. The pig’s house was very nice and no bigger holes that can let the pig out, which make me smile. Then I said, “Dia na ning lalog” (“Here are the feeds”) “Mao ni lalog sa akong baboy kuya?” (“Is this the feed for my pig, brother?”) He ask me then I said “O…Mao na” (“Yes, that is it”)

After our short conversation, because Jayfer walk slowly when we go together, I ask Jayfer to go ahead to wait at the Boslot Bay, near Kookoos Nest, and I will take him to there. And then he does it. I take my lunch after Jayfer leave.

I follow him after 15 minutes or so and see him waiting impatiently while watching the dinghy of Ma’am Diane to reach the beach. He saw me coming so he shouted, “Kuya, naa na silang Ma’am Diane!” (“Brother, Ma’am Diane is here already”) when he saw the dinghy of Ma’am Diane reaching the bay. So, both of us walk towards Kookoos Nest. The tide is high so I let Jayfer ride in my back until we reach the beach. There, Renalyn, Roselyn and Ritchel sitting in a bamboo chair with Ma’am Diane, smiling when we arrived. We drink a soft drink while they are talking.

After a while, we started to move. We walk the dusty road until we reach the buying place (the house of Marife, employee in Kookoos Nest). Marife was feeding them when we arrived. Jayfer watch them and he pointed the ‘Dalmatian pig’ because he likes it and he wants it. But, unfortunately, he received the brown one. He feels sad because his pig is not the one that he likes best. So I try to comfort him so that he will not get angry. I said, “sagdai ra.” (“It’s ok”). After he receives his pig, which is the brown one, he felt ok.

We walk to our house first with our companies. Jayfer and I put the pig in a new house we repaired. The pig was running around in her new home and I think she was scared because its friends were far away.

Because it is so hot, our companies went home. Jayfer guided them to the road. When he returns, I ask Jayfer what will be the name for the pig because she’s a girl. He doesn’t have any idea, so I said to him, “Unsa kaha ug Mrs. Dotty?” (“What if Mrs. Dotty?”) So we both named her “Mrs. Dotty” because her color is brown with some black dots.

Until now, the pig is growing bigger and bigger. We both feed her every breakfast, lunch and supper. Not only Jayfer feels happy with his own ‘Mrs. Dotty’ but also the rest of the family.

This album is powered by BubbleShare - Add to my blog

Candle in the Park

"No ray of sunshine is ever lost,
but the green which it wakes into existence
needs time to sprout, and it is
not always given to the sower
to live to see the harvest.
All work that is worth anything is done in faith."
--Albert Schweitzer

Sunday, December 3rd, the fruits from a chance encounter were shared when the students of One Candle Schoolhouse left Tambobo to assist the students of GP Rehabilitation Foundation, Dumaguete, create Art in Quezon Park. Though it was only three weeks prior when Director Analou Suan called to ask that we help add to their special day, our ability to participate can be traced to an event that happened more than a year ago…

It began in Octobor of 2005, with the tired impulse of a woman with a too-long list of tasks, who entered Dumaguete's Spanish Heritage Building, climbed its winding stairs and sought rejuvenation from Art displayed along the corridor. Through the open doors to the patio, her steps were enticed further, leading to an encounter with Pam Galvez--herself pouring over a list of details for the Young Art Competition an anonymous donor had sponsored. Kindly, she took time to show me the stacked canvases, the conversation about them easy and lively. Together we expounded upon the hidden benefits of, and the need for, incorporating a greater arts education program into children’s lives.

Soon, we were sitting on a low wall while I enthused about the twenty-three students of One Candle Schoolhouse, how they were developing their talents every Saturday (and public school holidays), by integrating them with computers. Slowly smiling at something only Pam could see, she suddenly interrupted and said, “I'm coordinating a wedding for a Filipino couple who will return to Dumagute, from California, next year, to renew their marriage vows. They don’t want gifts but will ask for donations, instead. They want me to look for an organization where the money would go directly to children, not to someone’s salary, and hearing about what these kids are doing, I’m going to recommend One Candle Schoolhouse!” Stunned, I stammered my thanks and with bursting heart, quickly raced about town to reproduce a small booklet we’d made for the school, for Pam to send and introduce us to these anonymous angels. It would be a while before anything further was heard, but...

...in July 2006, a small family group wandered into our Tambobo backyard. It was Thursday, laundry and window-washing day, and husband Bill and I were in our raggediest clothes. The schoolhouse and workshop were in total upheaval, a poor first impression. Undeterred, Tony and Marilou Navarro introduced themselves, then spent two hours avidly exploring and discussing all aspects of the students’ work. They warmed our hearts with their praise and comprehension of what the kids were accomplishing. When they left, they handed us 15,000 pesos to continue our project. We walked on air for weeks after.

Until recently, the students had not been able to decide the best way to use their money…the list had included a school bus-banka (most walk a long distance when family bankas can’t be spared), UNIFORMS (nearly unanimous but what to do with the remainder of the money?), a set of Encyclopedias, and/or a trip to a real restaurant with tablecloths and waiters. However, when Analou Suan called to ask us to teach Art during their upcoming event, it finally seemed the perfect way to share Tony and Marilou’s desire to benefit even more Filipino children from their love.

Last December 3rd, the students of One Candle Schoolhouse finally recieved their wish for uniforms, but as with all our projects, it became multi-faceted.

Their individual tee-shirts, designed and crafted by each student, became examples for the techniques they would teach the differently-abled students of GP Rehabilitation, in Quezon Park.

Tony and Marilou were not there to witness the “green” their bit of sunshine awakened into existence, nor were our other sponsors whose donations also contributed towards this event, but we gratefully take this opportunity, our first blog entry, to “grant the sowers” a chance to know their acts of faith have found fertile ground.