| Our world today is beset by so many problems - ALL of which we can be a part of the solution. |  Streetkids
A Story Child Sponsorship How to help Some Streetkids Things We Learned From Helping Streetkids Building Homes for the Poor |
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 Streetkids Once while travelling in Australia, I met a woman who asked me about the Philippine streetchildren. Feeling the compassion and sense of urgency in her voice to get help to these kids, I felt ashamed at my being so insensitive to them, being exposed to them all my life. I realized how my being a Christian in the only Christian nation in Asia and it being one of the poorest didn't go together since Christians are supposed to provide for each others' needs - seeing as we are all brothers and sisters. The Philippines is said to have a population wherein 65% live in substandard conditions -this means they don't always have 3 meals a day, or don't have secure housing or don't have jobs.
He picks up the leftover food from a leading restaurant at 11 o'clock at night everyday for the meal the following morning. Then he cooks it for the kids the next day. All this he does by himself since his wife has to take care of their two kids. This Christmas, a few of my friends and I formed a team called Heart and Bowl and we went over and helped him out to have a good time with the 40 or so kids who look at him now as an older brother figure. We had some games, they danced for us, we sang for them and ate with them. It was a good time to be with these kids who really had no one to turn to for security and for love. (For things we learned from this experience, click here.) Still, every day, they spend 80% of their time on the streets - and only 15% at that caring center. Most of their time is spent begging, selling Sampaguita, fighting for the lives at home because of abusive parents and trying to ward off the temptation of sniffing Rugby, or prostitution. I guess helping the streetkids has to be a way of life for all Christians - like the woman I met on the train and the man who made this his life's work - we have to make a conscious effort to do our part in raising the standard of living for these kids. I believe in the saying that to help the poor, you don't just give them fish but make them fishermen. Education is one of the major solutions to the problem of poverty. Because, the children are the ones who suffer the most and who can benefit the most from the changes we can effect.
They help people help others by providing livelihood projects through community-based development programs, and through a child sponsorship program. Here you can get to know your 'child' through correspondence, and you won't feel as if you're helping a stranger to finish school. If you want to know more about them, you can email: ruffy_bondoc@wvi.org or visit their office at #55
Maginhawa St., UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City, PHILIPPINES Telephone #s (632)9270676 to
79 Nationwide Toll-free no. 1-800-1-888-0901
Things
We Learned From Serving the Kids I learned that....
1. From Angie: 2. From Ken: 3. RIA's side 0=).... 4. Tweet learned that:
6. from Sharee: 7. from Flor Sy: 8. yeh says: Email us today to be a part of Heart and Bowl.
This March 1999, I was blessed to be part of Habitat for Humanity's 1999 Work Project. This is the program supported by ex-president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn, where volunteers from all over the world, help to build houses for the poor. Here in the Philippines, just last week, around 10,000 volunteers signed up to build 250 houses simultaneously in 6 sites around the country. 3,000 came from abroad and around 7,000 were Filipino volunteers. I was assigned to help build in the Maragondon, Cavite site called "Isaiah Ville" where 130 houses were built in the week. I was working in house numbers 129 and 130. Along with me was were my 2 sisters, brother-in-law, and my dad. I could say it was one of the most fulfilling experiences in my life. Initially I thought I might be more of a nuisance rather than a help, being unskilled in construction work and all, besides, I look quite frail and haven't been regularly exercising so I was a bit fearful I'd be in the way. But surprisingly and quite miraculously really, I was energized beyond words to do the work! With only a small sandwich for breakfast, and lots of water (it was soooo hot), I had all I needed to lift hollow blocks, 2x4x14 planks of wood back and forth from the houses to the supplies area, ... real masonry work! Everybody had a smile for you despite the hard work that had to be done all in a week's time. Total strangers would talk to you and encourage and help you with your work too. It was really a wonderfully enriching time for everyone there. The special memories I have of the time I spent at the site wouldn't be complete without my mentioning the new friends I made on the spot - the Singaporean Baptist church group - who were so hardworking and dedicated in their work. I'm sure they weren't the type who were used to this kind of work but they gave it their all, really doing their best, even if they had to spend for their accomodations and got really tired during the trip. Mike and Joy too, were very inspiring in how they worked and shared their lives with us during that short time. Mike, an American, has been in 6 Habitat projects and sponsors 14 children for Christian Children's Fund and Children International. And more than that, he has a personal relationship with them and makes it a point to help people in need. It was heartwarming to know these good people, who didn't have to do what they were doing, but were doing it, and doing it joyfully and with big hearts full of love for these people. We also met the future owners of the house and they were able to express their joy at receiving a beautiful home which they also helped build. If you would like to take part in an ongoing build, visit
Habitat's Home page - http://www.habitat.org to
learn more about their local and worldwide projects.
I am looking for ideas to put here - basically some ways to
make someone smile like -pay the toll of the person behind you or send a bouquet of
flowers to someone who deserves it, examples like that. If you have a suggestion,
e-mail me at
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A year
after I met this woman, I met another man back here at home who did something to ease the
life of the streetchild. He stopped working despite having a family of his own, got
support from people, and started a feeding center - actually better called a 'caring
center' for these kids right in front of his own apartment. For the past 2
years, the kids would come every 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to get a meal a day. Since that's
all he could afford at the moment.
5. Tina wrote:
and I'll post it up here. If you
don't want me to mention your name, just say so. Thanks.