Update on the Charity Village!!!

Quite a long time ago, the Oikos Sisters began dreaming about building a village where the poor people of Eastern Samar could live, those without land or a home of their own.  One of the philosophies of the Oikos Sisters is that all things happen in God's time.  We cannot demand or rush God...we simply have to trust.
Well, it was just about one year ago that things began rolling for the Charity Village, and now we are in "full swing" mode!  It seems like every month there is a new development, a new accomplishment or a new challenge making itself known in the dream land of the Oikos Sisters.

The Charity Village, just to remind you, is on land donated to the Oikos Sisters...1.5 hectors, in fact.  It is located in a central part of Borongan, away from the river and a little bit higher than the surrounding areas.  This makes the Oikos Sisters quite happy...basically being on land that is not prone to flooding.  The land is rich in flora and fauna, having many coconut trees, fruit trees, avocado trees, and beautiful plants.  The Sisters plan to add to the bounty coming from the earth with a community garden where all of the residents of the Charity Village will learn how to grow vegetables and be responsible for the garden's care.  The plan right now is to have 25 homes built, along with a chapel, an evacuation center and a medical clinic.  The evacuation center will be three stories and will house the Oikos convent, rooms for scholars, a large meeting area and plenty of room for many people to find refuge in times of need.  And the medical clinic will include rooms for OB/Gyn care, ambulatory care, a dental clinic, beds for overnight care should that be necessary and the Oikos charity pharmacy.  There are local doctors who donate their time to clinics such as the one the Oikos Sisters are planning.  Right now, the Sisters have funding for 21 out of the 25 homes and, the awesome news is...they have begun building the homes!!!

The first two homes were built during the Diocese of Joliet Partnership in Mission Medical Mission that was in Borongan during the first two weeks of February 2017.  Along with the medical team, a construction team also donates their time, talent and treasure to the poor people of Borongan.  Together with local community volunteers, the mission team made first homes of the Charity Village a reality for the Oikos Sisters!!

   Working long hours in the sun and the rain, the construction team did an absolutely amazing job building the homes that are sure to be the answer to many prayers here in the poorest region in the Philippines.  For certain, the team of missionaries and volunteers have answered the prayers of the Oikos Sisters!

So...without further ado... (drum roll, please...) here are                                                                   THE FIRST TWO HOMES IN THE CHARITY VILLAGE:

 

We give praise and thanks to God for His generosity and His providence.

And we thank the many people who have been praying for the Oikos Sisters and their endeavors.

What is up next for the Charity Village?  A road will be built for easy access to the land and construction on more houses will begin.
What is still needed for the Charity Village?  Funding for a few more homes (the cost to build one home is $2500.00 for labor and supplies) and funding is also needed for the evacuation center, a few more homes and the medical clinic.  If you want to help financially, you can donate here.  And your prayers are always needed and appreciated. xxoo

When Jesus Sighs

Sometimes when I am listening to the readings at mass, one phrase jumps out at me and either stuns me, makes me laugh, makes me cringe or shudder.  And, as the daily readings in the Catholic liturgy rotate every three years, its not like I haven't heard all of these things before.  At times, I think God allows us to hear something for the first time, even though we've listened to it many times before.  For some reason, at a certain time, our hearts are more ready to explore thoughts and ideas that can help us become closer to God than at other times.  God, who knows us better than we even know ourselves, can pinpoint the moments we are ready to really hear Him.

So, the phrase that caught my attention the other day was this: "With a sigh from the depths of His spirit..." taken from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 8.  In the gospel, Jesus was addressing the Pharisees who were asking Him for a sign, trying to test Him. 

I know that I have sighed like that before.  As a teacher with my first or fourth grade students, when trying, for the 80th time, to explain something to someone, many times at myself!!  A sigh from the depths of your being.  I know I have heard that kind of sigh before, sometimes directed at me!!  A sigh felt throughout your entire body.  It says more than one thousand words can, you know? 

I never thought about Jesus sighing like that before.  I have talked about my experiences with religious education before...even though I had gone to a Catholic school, my education of the faith could be described as "fluffinutter catechesis."  Even though I know my teachers were doing what they were told to do, and were very hard working, I think they fell short on passing on our Catholic Faith.  Jesus loves me...I love Jesus...I love others.  So, even though I have learned more on my own and have grown quite a lot in my faith, I still see Jesus as always patient, loving, and kind.  Even though there are places in the gospels where He calls people fools, turns over selling tables in the temple, and seems to have a difficult time getting through to his apostles, my early catechesis causes me to glaze over such parts when I hear them.  But sometimes, like the other day, it gets through my thick skull and pierces my heart, makes me think.

A sigh like that usually isn't in anger... maybe frustration, losing patience, longing for understanding.  It makes me think of the times I may have caused Jesus to sigh like that... like all the times I didn't hear Him asking me to become a missionary!!   The Filipinos have a phrase they say, and actually it is just 2 words, but when they say it, I can feel a sigh like that.  Usually it is said tinged with humor, but sometimes it seems like a sigh like the one Jesus had in today's reading.  They say to me,  "Ayyye Sarah."  It always makes me laugh.  But now I think sometimes Jesus is up in heaven, watching us, trying His hardest to help us, and sometimes blowing out His breath, saying "Ayyye Sarah," or Bob or Jennifer or Peter...whoever. 

In the missions, I can see many things that might cause Jesus to sigh from the depths of His spirit, thinking when will they finally love each other, when will they finally open their eyes and see who it is that is in front of them?  And in our world... oh my, His spirit must be hurting I think.  At the many times we turn on each other, the many times we fail to love one another, the many times we put ourselves first, the many times we are not patient, kind, understanding and caring. 

If you put everything else aside... finances, societal pressures, politics, economic classes, skin color, all the things that the devil has constructed to divide us and just see who God created each of us to be, maybe we can save Jesus some of His breath, and live much happier lives.  But we can't wait for someone else to start.  Gotta start now, just me, just you...and others will see the good works we do and want to be included.

The greatest need of our generation is for God's Word to be taught clearly and undiluted, and for Christians to demonstrate that it works.  After all, we are the walking, talking evidence before the world that God's Word is true.

There!  That's a lot of thinking from 9 words in the bible!!  When Jesus is looking at me and says, "Ayyye Sarah," I want it to be with a twinkle in His eye and a smirk on His lips!!  😉

xxoo

Mission!!

I think that it is quite amazing that people take time out of their lives, away from their families, give of their time, talent and treasure to come to a mission to work.

Now, you may think that is a ridiculous statement for me to make... or that I am puffing myself up with pride, but neither is true.  My mission trip is different from that of missioners who come for short mission trips.  I am discerning my vocation for the rest of my life, considering making this mission my life.  Missioners who come for short mission trips are a totally different breed of missionary.  Many of them are parents and grandparents who are still in the process of raising their children or caring for their grandchildren.  Many of them come without their spouses, leaving them for a few weeks, which sometimes is a good thing :) ...you know what they say about distance and the heart!!   Most of them are still working and had to take vacation time, some paid, some unpaid time off, to come on this trip.  They put their lives on pause, and gave up a lot to come.  All of them had to pay for their plane tickets, hotel room and food while they are here.  That is a lot!!!

But I think most of them would say that the work they do here on mission is worth the effort and sacrifice to get here.  I know that was true for me when I took my first mission trip to Africa just three years ago.  One look at those children and the needs they had and my heart was sunk!!  Any worries I had about money, vacation time, what I was giving up to be there, in fact, any thought about myself quickly fizzled out in the hot African desert.  I discovered my mission heart.

The mission from the Diocese of Joliet, Partnership in Mission just spent two weeks here in Borongan.  What started out 13 years ago as a medical mission has branched off to include a construction mission and an outreach mission as well.  48 people came to Borongan from all over the world... doctors, nurses, dentists, artists, handymen, people with huge, caring hearts took time out of their daily lives to lend a helping hand to the poor people here in Eastern Samar, the poorest region in the Philippines. 

The doctors and nurses, anesthesiologists and surgeons worked so hard in the hospital, trying to see all the people they could while making sure they gave the time and care needed to the patient right in front of them.  Many poor people who thought there was no hope for them were given a second chance, a new lease on life, because of the care and time given by the medical missionaries.  People who are truly poor don't have a lot of options, they don't have a lot of help coming their way.  You know, I walked through the hospital a couple of times during the mission, and the many, many people waiting to be seen all looked at me with the same look in their eyes... a look of hope.  Hope that they or their family member could be cured, hope that they will be able to live a life without the pain currently strangling them, and a look of gratitude.  I didn't stop to explain that I wasn't a doctor or nurse, I just drank in the looks and said a prayer of thanks for all of the medical staff that came!!

Along with the medical staff, there were 3 dentists and a dental hygienist that came to Borongan.  Not only did the dental team work in the hospital caring for the people there, but they also worked in two barrios.  They know that there are many people who need dental care, and children who need preventative care and education that live in the barrios and have no way of traveling to the hospital for care.  A trip to and from the hospital can cost as much money as food for the entire day for a family.  They are just unable to afford that.  So, bringing their dental chairs, equipment, tools, medicine and sanitizing station on tow, they go off to the barrios to bring care to the people who cannot come to them.  Working with Sister Michelle, a licensed dentist, the team of 5 saw more patients than any other mission they had ever done!! 

The construction team was just as awesome!!!  Working in the Charity Village, they built two houses!!  They first two houses in the Charity Village, in fact!!  In case you do not know, the Charity Village is a long-time dream of the Oikos Sisters' come true.  On land that was donated to them, the Oikos Sisters will offer homes to families with no home or land of their own.  It will include a chapel, an evacuation center and a medical clinic with dental care and the Oikos charity pharmacy where any poor person can come and receive free medication.  Currently, the Charity Village is totally fenced in, has permission from the neighbors for a road, which is already marked off, and now has 2 homes built!  21 of the 25 homes the Sisters will build are already fully funded.  And, on the last day of the mission, the two homes were blessed!!  The construction crew was really awesome!!  Not only did some of the construction crew come with the advanced team who sets up in the hospital to help them and built some tables the doctors needed, some of them also spent one of the two days off they have making puzzles for the Oikos kids!! 

The outreach team had many projects going on this year.  One of the missioners in this team is an artist and worked on a mural in one of our homes.  She did such an amazing job!  A few more worked with the kids on making cards and other creative projects.  All of the outreach team went into the barrios to feed the children there.  Most of the people in the barrios eat only one meal a day, many times that includes the children as well.  They were so happy for the hot meal, sweet dessert and the songs and games we taught them.  This year we also visited an infirmary and orphanage run by the Sisters of the Visitation and brought Valentines to make with the kids and served them ice cream!  The outreach team also spends a lot of time with the kids who live with the Oikos Sisters.  The kids just soak up the love and attention they get from these sweet ladies!!

I happen to have privileged, insider information that is not accessible to the missioners.  Having been here for 6 months last year and well into my 4th month now, I have a special relationship with the people here in the Oikos Mission.  And I can say with 100% accuracy that the people working in the Oikos Mission, the children in the Oikos Family and the beneficiaries of the Oikos and Joliet Missions have so, so, so much love for the missioners who come.  Even if they tried, the missioners could never imagine the amount of love these people have for them, how often during the year the kids and Sisters mention them, and how much they all look forward to the time of year when their friends from around the world come to visit and help them.  And the prayers... the thoughts... the love they have for the missioners, it is immeasurable. 

I cannot begin to express my gratitude for all the missioners who came to Borongan just last week.  For your sacrifices, your time away from family and friends, your generosity, smiles and hugs... I thank you... and my thanks is just a pebble in the mountain of gratitude all of the people here have for you.  You will never know on this earth what you mean to the people here.  Thank you!

If you are reading this and are interested in coming on mission to the Philippines, check out this website:  http://www.PoorHouseholdofGod.org.  On the home page is a link to the Diocese of Joliet, Partnership in Mission website.  You don't have to belong to the Diocese of Joliet to come...missioners from all over the world come with the missioners from Joliet.  And you don't have to be Catholic, either... you just have to be courageous and willing to explore a new world, help those in the most need and have a desire to crack open your missionary heart.  Believe me... what you give/give up in order to come on mission is nothing compared to what you receive in return!!

I'm having trouble with my computer and uploading pictures, but hopefully some mission pics are coming soon!!!  xxoo