Palo Uno...Christmas Outreach Mission day

In San Julian, a municipality about a half hour north of Borongan, there is a barrio called Palo Uno.  It is located in the hills of San Julian.  On December 29, 2016, the Oikos Mission brought Christmas to the people there.  It turned out to be more of an adventure than we planned on...and there is no way any of us could have foreseen the amazing effect it had on all of us.





Our adventure really began back in November when Sister Minerva had the idea of a Good Wish Christmas Tree with the names and ages of children on it from a barrio.  Everyone involved with the Oikos Mission, including the children who are educationally sponsored by the Poor Household of God, had the opportunity to pick a name or two (some chose 3!) and buy a gift for that child.  So we found a good branch and painted it white, then made some stars and placed on each star the name  and age of a child from Palo Uno and a neighboring barrio.  The sponsored kids, Oikos co-workers, people in the community of Borongan, even some foreigners picked names and bought gifts for the kids.  In the days before and after Christmas, we were planning our trip and preparing for the adventure.





Actually, in the Oikos Community, most of the scholars go home to their families after Christmas for the New Year celebrations.  It becomes very quiet here!!!  But this year, I would say at least half of the scholars, if not more, went home to their families on December 26th, came back on the 28th to help prepare and go to Palo Uno, and then returned to their families on the 30th. 

There are only a few times a year that the scholars return home...after school is out in March (although for how long they stay home, I don't know...yet!), for All Souls and All Saints Days, and after Christmas.  So, this was a sacrifice for them, giving up some of their vacation time, time with their families, to give to others.  They really are great kids!!





So, we had one gift for every child...149 in all!!  We also prepared for food...fried chicken, spaghetti, rice and a sweet treat, we brought calendars for the mothers, shoes and sandals for the kids (the shoes were donated by a local store here, Grand Mart, one of the benefactors of the Oikos Mission).  We also planned games for the kids and brought prizes.  So, on December 29th, we embarked from Borongan around 5 in the morning and drove to San Julian.  There, we picked up Msgr. Lope and some of the youth of his parish.  We then drove to the closest barrio we could get to Palo Uno, and there we prepared to hike up the mountain.

We were told it was a 40 minute hike up to Palo Uno...in reality, it took us 2 hours to get there!!!  We climbed up rock formations,

muddy "stairs" made of mud and branches, we crossed what the locals, quite humorously I think, call a bridge...but I never would call it that.  I would call it a fallen tree over a great abyss.  It was just like out of a scene from Indiana Jones or Romancing the Stone!! 

I just couldn't believe it...but I crossed it!! 






Along the way, we were greeted by many people from Palo Uno going down the mountain carrying huge bags of charcoal or rice on their backs or hauling large pieces of lumber to sell at the market.  They were walking up and down the mountain like they were walking on clouds!!

My jaw was practically bruised from the number of times it fell to the rocks out of shock!!  (not really!)  I could hardly believe the ease with which they walked, though.  They do it every day, twice a day...hard to imagine when I barely made it up at all!!  But I have to say, after 2 hours...the trip was worth it.  And not just in terms of the view from the top, although that was quite beautiful, but the people...their smiles and anticipation for what we were bringing...that totally made it worth it!!


When everyone reached the top and we all caught our breath...and I got a new nickname, "pinkie" because my face was all pink...we began the day with mass.  This was especially special to the people as, because of their location and the number of barrios in San Julian (with only one priest) mass is only said there once a year.  It was the cutest thing when, after the bell was rung for mass, it was the children who hurriedly entered the church (with gusto, I might add!) to sit, and they stayed and listened and participated when they could for the entire mass.  Totally sweet!!


After mass, the Oikos Angels led the kids in some praise and worship action songs.  The kids loved it and caught on quick to the moves!

Then we organized some games and had prizes.  The kids had such a fun time, and all of the parents and grandparents were there looking on and seemed to be enjoying the time as much as the kids.  Lunch was served next...spaghetti, fried chicken, rice and a sweet treat.  For many of the kids, this was their first time eating spaghetti and fried chicken!  They loved it, and the rest of their families did too!!  What a joy it is to see people enjoying a meal.  A harsh reality hits when you realize that, most days, these

people only eat once a day...and that meal is not a feast.  Even for one day, to give them something delicious and nourishing, it felt good.  I wish I could go there and feed those people every day, but I am really learning to accept what I can do, and be grateful to God for putting me here in this place for this day.  Tomorrow He will most likely put me somewhere else, but that's ok...more than ok...the important thing, I think, is to really see where He puts me today, at this moment, and to help the person in front of me as much as I can with what I have.

After lunch was the gift giving.  We called out each child's name, and when the child came forward, he or she was given their gift.  For many of them, most of them, this is their only Christmas present. What a joy to have been  able to be there and experience the wonderful gift giving!!  To see the excitement on the faces of the kids, and to know that I had a small hand in making that smile appear...thanks be to God!! 

 

 

After giving out sandals and sneakers to the kids and playing a sneaky game with them...Sister Clarissa made a fun game out of cleaning up!!...it was time to say goodbye and head back down the mountain.

One thing is for sure...I will never forget our amazing Christmas with the people of Palo Uno, and I don't think I will ever see Christmas in the same way again.  All of the work, all of the struggle, all of the sweat, all of the climbing, all of the cooking, all of the planning...it was all worth it, to bring  the love and the joy of the Lord to those people, who because of their location are rarely helped by charity organizations.  And you know what... I would definitely do it again!!!!!





Views from Palo Uno:  A house...

see how close we are to the clouds?

Imagine waking up each day to this view!!!




Getting ready to feed 149children and their families!!

xoxxo