MISSION AWARENESS TRIP TO THE PHILIPPINES
Good to have a base
As always, it is a pleasure to be in touch with you. I thank God for the home base at our Hermano Pedro project in Guatemala. Realities surround me each day that help me stay focused on the core values of CFCA. Families seek us out who are hungry for nourishment, security and personal attention.
A sick mother, Candelaria, and her five affectionate children ages 2 to 15 came to CFCA yesterday. They have separated from the abusive father. Their mother at 33 years old is too sick to work. No one wants to hire the eldest girl, Marta. Like her mother, she has never had the chance to go to school, and she can’t read the list of items to buy in the market.
On the hopeful side, we now have one of the little boys sponsored. Three of the children (Veronica, Humberto and Juan Carlos) are now enrolled in the San Lucas parish school.
Arrival in Manila
Filipino friendliness surrounded us as we stepped off the KLM jet that had begun to feel like our home. We were met by Mercy, coordinator of CFCA’s Quezon project, Veron, coordinator of our Manila project, Maribel, coordinator of our Zamboanga project and the entire CFCA team from Zamboanga. The five CFCA projects in the Philippines work very well together to give maximum personal attention to each sponsor and sponsored family. On our way through heavy traffic to our folksy hotel in Quezon City, we experience immediately the diesel fumes and bumper-to-bumper driving of Manila.
An excellent orientation
Shining through this afternoon’s activities was the native pride of the more than 7,000 islands hosting 86 million Filipinos. As part of this wonderful introduction to the Philippines, each of the five project coordinators prepared a presentation on a particular aspect of the country and the 20-plus years of CFCA presence here. 48,073 children, youth, aging and seminarians are currently sponsored in the Philippines.
Together our five subproject coordinators have a combined tenure of more than 71 years of faithful leadership and service to their people through CFCA. Paul Pearce, director of International Programs at CFCA-Kansas, and I teamed up for a few songs after supper and then bid an early good night — knowing the 3:00 a.m. wake-up call would come soon enough.
40 minutes by air, 12 hours by bus
We were at the airport early for our flight to Legazpi. However, a Category 1 typhoon named Agaton caused the cancellation of our flight – with no guarantee of a flight for tomorrow. After several hours of waiting, calling and negotiating, the coordinators were able to hire a freshly-painted red and black bus to take us south to Luzon and Legazpi.
Under a light rain, it took the better part of two hours just to leave the Manila metropolitan area. With the hours our group has been keeping, things quieted down pretty quickly inside the bus. Rain came down all the way to Legazpi, sometimes accompanied by strong gusts of wind, especially along the ocean. How refreshing to take in all this green while back in Guatemala we are experiencing our dry season and the U.S. an especially dry winter. The sponsors were really good sports about this spontaneous adventure. Twelve hours later, we pulled into the puddles outside our hotel in Legazpi. A warm welcome by Legazpi staff, a chance to clean up, a fast connection to the internet, a few hours rest and we are good to go.
Sunshine and tropical colors
After breakfast, we organized into groups in order to visit the sponsored families and staff in as many subprojects as possible. Today it will be ten subprojects visited. The small parking lot at the hotel looked like the center of a wheel in motion with the spokes headed joyfully in ten directions, spurred on by loving momentum.
My wife, Cristina, and I, together with a group of sponsors accompany coordinator Tita Almonte for a visit to the 231 children and families of subproject OLM. Jim Croce songs on the radio kept us mellow and thoughtful en route. Tita described some of the livelihood programs of the Legazpi project. Parents make all of the school uniforms (over 8,000) and other clothing for the sponsored children. Parents also cater the birthday celebrations and other special gatherings.
Songs by the riverside
In the subproject, children, youth, parents and aging were all waiting for us at the office within a stone’s throw of a fast-flowing river. The children, staff and parents had prepared an enjoyable program. Sponsored child Aina masterfully conducted the Philippine national anthem. Subproject coordinator Elizabeth welcomed everyone and did a fine job organizing the day.
After lunch, we spent about an hour examining and appreciating the careful organization and extensive documentation of benefits by this subproject office. We helped distribute heavy-duty plastic storage boxes for each family — a very useful addition to each humble home, considering the high humidity of this area.
Go with the flow
Considering typhoon Agaton, it’s amazing how the CFCA teams were able to reschedule the gathering for some 3,500 sponsored children, youth, aging and seminarians. Our day started with a motorcade through Legazpi. Some of us rode on the back of motorcycles, others in vans. The children’s marching band played from the back of a large truck. We were treated to an exciting variety of dances, songs, speeches, skits — all in celebration of the sponsors’ visit and the silver jubilee of CFCA.
New friends in a CFCA space
As a part of our visit to the Quezon Project, Cristina and I were able to spend a morning among 200 sponsored children at a Day of Recollection. This is a sponsorship benefit related to Christian formation and value formation. The retreat center used for this gathering is a spacious, verdant oasis within the hustle and bustle of Manila. The children are grouped and instructed according to age and grade in school. Each child receives an identifying CFCA t-shirt. The families of many of these children live in very congested, urban areas of Manila. They express great joy in spending this day with their CFCA companions and in such a pleasant setting.
After supper, we had an open forum and sharing where sponsors spoke about the tremendous impact the relationship with their sponsored friend has on their own life and the life of their own family.
Antipolo project’s Friendship Day celebration
We had another very early start this Sunday morning, Jan.29. We were given a beautiful morning to celebrate the Eucharist outside with several thousand children, and to witness the great talents and enthusiasm of the Antipolo children, youth and aging. Again the theme was 25 years of CFCA. Paul and I were invited to cut the ribbon on a cluster of balloons, which bore the wishes of the children to the high heavens. Must be somewhere over the South China Sea by now. Literally thousands of children participated artistically in Friendship Day 2006. The excellent performance of Filipino folk dances helps these children develop their talents and self-confidence. A group of sponsored deaf children marched in the parade and “signed” their joy. Sponsor Becky was able to communicate with them through sign language.
The wonderful people of Zamboanga
It’s an hour and 20 minute flight from Manila to Zamboanga. Hundreds of children, teens and parents were at the airport to give us their warm bienvenidos (welcome). The Chavacano language here is close enough to Spanish as to facilitate our communication. We are well-protected with the presence of a contingent of the Filipino National Guard.
Our group makes the half-hour drive through the countryside out to the CFCA center. The children, aging, youth, families built this center. They own it; they take care of it; they enjoy it. The place also brings loving memories of my sister Lorene, who contributed to its construction. Lorene was a country girl at heart. From heaven, I’m sure she appreciates the fact that with funds remaining after construction, the team here purchased a good-looking young heifer for the children which they named “Lorena”. Another huge welcome lines the winding dirt road as we near the center.
A magical evening
“Magical” is the word which comes to mind to describe this evening. Sure, it was hot but even warmer are the hearts of these children, teens and parents. Even the ornately decorated carabao (water buffalo) contributed to the ambiente (ambience), pulling us on carts for the final few blocks.
Cristina rode in the cart, while I shared the back of the carabao with 12-year-old Rocky. There was a moment of concern when one rambunctious carabao made a sudden move. One sponsor ended up patas arriba (feet in the air). She was a good sport and brushed off the dust.
Former sponsored child (and now co-worker) Julius very articulately mastered the outdoor ceremony. We had so much security, it would have gone badly for anyone who tried to harm us. The tight security is just another demonstration of the love and appreciation the people have for the CFCA community and the CFCA commitment to personal outreach. Children, teens and moms offered us colorful swirling dances on the lawn. Sponsors also swing into the spirit with the impromptu dances. Sponsors and staff harmonized on ‘How Beautiful is Christ the Lord.”
Paul and I try to express our love and appreciation in song and a bit of craziness. We knew we had a party on our hands when they brought out a lechon (roasted pig) — snout and all, for supper. A few hours at a cool hotel felt mighty good.
CFCA scholars serving God’s people in the Zamboanga city dump
 The Zamboanga dump processes the garbage from 98 neighborhoods of this city of 80,000. This process involves hundreds of scavengers of all ages who “work” the garbage, using a steel probe, searching out anything of recyclable value. The scavenger families have many lovely children. When sponsors can be found, these will be the next children sponsored through the Zamboanga project. On weekends, CFCA scholars, who are students themselves, tutor these children. The children also receive food as a part of these sessions. The gathering place for these session is in the dump, the building constructed from recycled pieces of cardboard, old tin roofing and bamboo.
Each year when the sponsors visit on the yearly mission awareness trip, CFCA Zamboanga celebrates its annual Talent Festival, where maximum participation is the rule. We spent several hours in the kinetic presence of several thousand CFCA children, youth and aging, enjoying performances of outstanding quality. Zamboanga CFCA staff as well as Kansas-based CFCA staff shared their joy in song, dance and an improvised skit by Paul.
Headed home
We all welcomed the coolness of the plane on the way back up to Manila. There, we’ll have a short night as we prepare for an early morning departure for home. Thanks for traveling with us. Please know of our love and prayers.
Bob Hentzen
Manila
Jan. 31, 2006
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