Well, the mission from the Joliet Diocese is here in Borongan. 51 people from America, Spain, Mexico and probably more places have come to help the people here with the assistance of the Oikos Sisters, the Diocese of Borongan and the government here in the Philippines. Everyone I have met has been so very nice, and I am so happy to say that Mary Jane is back, this time with her husband, Vic. There is so much excitement in the air here!!
The doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, gynecologists, surgeons, neurologists and pediatricians are busy in the hospital. I see them every day at 8am mass in the hospital. They are so dedicated and very, very busy!! They come to mass dressed in their scrubs and work clothes ready to get right to work right after mass. We also have 2 dentists and a dental hygienist here, but I will tell you more about them later.
The construction team is made up of 5 strong, caring men who have worked many days in the rain, unfortunately!! They are building 2 homes for poor families who are in desperate need of a well built, safe and comfortable dwelling. These men, after morning mass, head out to the construction site each day and work tirelessly making dreams come true for these families.
The community service team, which I am a part of, is made up of 7 women: Rita, Erin, Mary, Marcia, Lydia, Kathy, and Mary Jane. Our first two days we went to a barrio called Caisawan. It is about an hour away. We went there two days and brought lunch for all of the children living in the barrio. There are 187 children there!! Usually in the barrios the people only really eat one meal a day. They are too busy working and do not have the money or resources for more. It is very sad. The children were so happy to have a good, hot meal both days with a few sweets after the meal and a bunch of songs lead by my team. It was great to see all the smiles on the children's faces!! The dental team also came with us and worked their dental magic on the people of Caisawan and the neighboring barrios both days as well.
On the second day, I worked with the dental team. I helped to sanitize the instruments they used while working. What a dedicated and caring group of people these dentists are!! Together with Sister Michelle, who is a dentist as well, they saw about 115 patients over 2 days!!! The smiles of the people as they rose from the dental chairs, even if they were in pain, were thanks enough for these amazing missionaries. They kept a joyful and prayerful atmosphere throughout the entire day and let these poor people know that they are as worthy of our love and time as anyone else on the planet. How amazing is that??
Also on the second day, Father Burke, the vocations director from the Diocese of Joliet, joined us as well. I got a chance to speak with him on the way to Caisawan. He played minor league baseball with dreams of getting into the majors when he felt God calling him to something more. What an amazing priest he is. He reminds me a lot of my brother. Father Burke led the song, "Father Abraham Had Many Sons" for the children... what a fun song that is to do!! And after giving the blessing over the food, he helped to pass out lunch and engaged the kids in conversation. It was indeed a pleasure to work with him and get to know him a little.
On day three, the community service team went to Tacla-on and Santa Cruz to see the livelihood programs in action. It was so rewarding to be able to show them the work we have done to restore dignity and hope to these people by helping them provide for their families. I have been involved with the Piglet Recycling Program since almost it's beginning and now, to see how big the piggy's are getting and how proud the people are of them, well... it's a really great feeling! The livelihood team will continue monitoring the pigs and by March the pigs will be ready to be impregnated. Then it is 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days till the birth of the piglets. I don't think it is that exact, but around that time, those two barrios will be crawling with piglets!! The people have been given money to build pigpens, piglets, 3 rounds of feedings and 2 seminars on how to raise pigs and how to care for a pregnant sow and then her piglets. In return, the people give the Oikos Sisters 2 piglets when they arrive. Those piglets are then given to people in a new barrio to continue giving people all over Eastern Samar dignity, hope and a new livelihood. It was indeed a pleasure and an honor to be involved with such a noble, if smelly, project. The community service team was so happy to learn of the great work the sisters are doing and proud to be here, helping out these sisters with amazingly huge hearts.
It has been great, I have to say, to be working with Mary Jane again!! She has such a huge heart as well, along with a great sense of humor and has become such a great friend. I am so spoiled by God!!!
So, tomorrow we are doing prep work for Saturday. On Saturday and Sunday, the construction team and medical team takes off from their work on their respective sites and spends the day with the Oikos family. Saturday we are going to a barrio called Balacdas where we will feed the people, give out packs of food, sing songs and play games with them and pray with them. It is like a mini-immersion. For those of us on the community service team, we will be old pros at entertaining and feeding people, but for the medical staff and construction workers it is a new experience, and a meaningful one. One of the doctors told me that is the highlight of her trip here. Then, in the evening, we all have mass together and then we have something of a talent show and dinner. It should be a fun day!! But before the fun, we have to prepare. Tomorrow we will pack 140 packs of food... rice, sugar, coffee, canned goods and hot chocolate. Also, I have been asked to make spaghetti and meatballs and breaded chicken for dinner on Saturday, but with the busy, busy day on Saturday, I will also prepare my food tomorrow as well.
Saturday evening will be fun, no doubt, but for me, it will be the last time I will be with the whole Oikos family for this mission trip. It will be bittersweet. I will be sure to enjoy each moment and hold it all in my heart.
Please keep all of the missioners and the people they serve in your prayers. Oh, and if you have room for one more, say one for me too!! Thanks!! xxoo
