Dear Benefactors, Friends and Helpers

Peace be with you.  Christmas is approaching very quickly.  Christmas time is particularly a time when we reflect and look back and appreciate all the support we have received from your side throughout 2017.  You are the main source of providence, serving as tools in God’s hands, helping us to never feel alone throughout our journey.  We are very much aware of all your love, dedication and sacrifices through which our projects can keep going.  For all this we wish to show our appreciation and gratitude.

Through this letter, we wish to share with you what happens at a less known side of our music ministry, education sponsorship, technical trades and formation programs in our parish.  Our central target is to uplift the dignity of each person that comes to us and ask for help.  Many parishioners are tired and discouraged because of the many unkept promises coming from politicians or other entities.  The people living around our compound feel neglected because of corruption dominating in several government departments.  This, together with other social problems encountered in this community, makes people really feel alone and live unhappy incomplete lives.

Each time there is a typhoon many houses end up flooded and many experience evacuations ending up asking the Centre (i.e.  our place) for support.  This has been going on for years; it was through our efforts that a dyke and a central road were built.  We asked the Local water company to provide potable water to the many families that are part of our area community.  Furthermore, we are currently working to provide better street lights for the roads of our neighbouring houses.  As the sun goes down the roads get very dark and this leads to many unpleasant and unsafe social problems.

As from 2018 we plan to start with the construction of a number of houses for people and parishioners who do not have a house.  There are several families who after moving to our area, just rent or just work as caretakers without any salary for the job while they can live in a particular house which is not their own.  This leads to various social problems and this has motivated us to start looking to buy an area where this project can be initiated.

Some months ago we have also initiated a certified dress making program supporting mothers who wished to provide the uniforms and/or clothes for their children.  Some 25 mothers have attended the course and after sitting for an exam they received an official certificate issued by the government.  Some of the mothers have subsequently formed a group which is currently trying to produce some income for their families by doing different cloth-production works for the other people.  These are currently working on a big order of clothes requested by the local government.

The parish is spread in different zones.  It consists of mountains and areas along the river.  Some areas cannot be reached by car and because of these remote areas we ask the children to leave their homes and come themselves to the Centre.  This increases drastically the number of children accommodated at the Centre.  We are getting children at our Centre for the different programs like prayer meetings, formation programs and others.  We provide them with meals and others stay at our place for the weekend.  These are also provided with breakfasts and dinners.  Lunch is also provided to several other children who attend the centre on Saturdays, Sundays and on holiday.  This helps us reach our aim to prevent children from being in unsheltered environments spending time in unsafe streets and keeping them away from forming clans.

Medical and hospital bills and funerals are expensive for many families with a low income.  We wish to get the services of a social welfare to attend the various cases and try to respond to the different needs of the people.  Very often we help the people to pay these bills which include the payment of coffins.  Unfortunately, presently, due to the expenses we have, it is difficult to employ a social welfare official to assist us in this.

These are few of the many projects we provide and the challenges we encounter on a daily basis.  On behalf of the people benefitting from all this ministry and thanks to your generosity we would like to thank you wholeheartedly and wish you and your family God’s blessings.  May these festivities of Christmas and New Year bring you joy, love and peace.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon

Joseph Cremona mssp

Look at the photos: they are of the rented houses of the families benefitting from the housing scheme.