Abba Outing

Completion of Wall

On August 20, 2009, 3 p.m. the gate for the orphanage site has finally been installed. The entire perimeter is now secured and is ready for the construction of the children’s home.

The Abba Kids (former rugby users) at the Drop-in Centre are eagerly awaiting for their transfer to a family-structured and more permanent home. A place where they can take shelter 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Currently, the drop-in centre is only open Monday to Friday since the Government lent this space to us and it is closed on the weekends.

Once the children have finished their assignments at the drop in centre they still have to sleep on the streets at night. We can only do so much with limited space and facility. The intervention we are giving now could have been more intensive and broadened if we could take care of the children especially at night.
As much as possible, we don’t want these kids back on the streets especially at night. It’s such a great risk to prostitution, robbery, and rugby (solvent) or drug addiction.
Because we know, that if only they are given a choice, A HOME IS WHAT THEY’RE LONGING FOR. With the gate now installed, we are already a step closer.

Drop-in Center, Talisay

Bunso

House Building

Living in a 4 Meter-Square House

Can you imagine living and sleeping in a 4 meter square house? …where your kitchen or living room literally becomes your bedroom at night? Can you bear feeling the breath of the person next to you while you sleep because it is so constricted? Can you live without closets and cabinets to keep your clothes neat?

Well, this has been the condition of four people for almost 13 years. The family of Rodrigo Sabequil, 36 years old, wife Alma 36 and two children Russendy (13 years old) and Sharalyn (aged 12). The family lives in Tapul and has been the recent beneficiary of the Mercy in Action Housing Program. The Sabequil family were very happy to move into their 20 square meter new & semi-concrete home on July 25, 2009.

They say that now, they can sleep in better sleeping positions, not just one. Their life is much, much better now. They can now sit down properly at a table when eating. They can now walk around their house without hitting their heads on the ceiling. Indeed, as poor people are able to live in better homes, they see life better and are more hopeful that good things can indeed happen even when it’s beyond your resources.

Mass Wedding

The Committee on Women, Family and Minors of the Talisay City Government held its annual (for three successive years now) Free Mass Wedding for its local residents last June 26, 2009. Headed by City Councilor and Committee Chairperson Shirley Belleza, the objective of this event is to straighten out the records of schoolchildren whose parents lack the legal marriage rites.

Mercy In Action has always been its partner in providing wine for the ceremony.
This year, our gappers- Max Hennings and Amy Shakeshaft led the toast for the 53 newly-weds during the reception at the City Hall Grounds. The youngest couple were on their twenties and the eldest around fifty. Amazingly, there were13 pregnant brides. Among the many good things we can do for others, one of the noblest would be to equip them for the future, both parents and children.

MIA - House Dedication

A Family of 12

Synonymous to human existence is the provision of shelter or abode.
As defined by science, man’s basic needs include food, clothing and shelter.
In the Philippines however, particularly in the remote and slum areas of Cebu, there are some families who don’t have homes. If they are lucky enough to have one , it is most likely in a very poor condition.

In Talisay City, a Barangay/Community in Tapul where Mercy in Action sponsors 38 Environmental scholars, there are families who have very small and dilapidated houses. Understandably so, if people here are barely finding enough daily food, repairing their homes would not be their priority.

By the grace of God, Mercy In Action has faithfully and progressively been attending to this need.

On June 6, 2009 a short thanksgiving and turn-over activity was done as gappers Max Hemmings and Joss Goulding in partnership with Mercy in Action were able to build a new house in Tapul.

The family of twelve used to live in a house with a holed roof; and very old bamboo flooring and walls. The entire house was about 15 square meters with only 1 room and a very small kitchen that was about to collapse. Alejandro Ebo is the father. He is 52 years old and his wife is 46. They have 10 children with the eldest now aging 25 and the youngest 3 years old. Alejandro makes a living by gathering coconut wine, giving him a very meagre income of 3500 pesos or £ 40 a month.

They have been in this condition for more than 25 years. But now, they have been given a new home, double the size. It has concrete floors, galvanized iron roofing, stable walls, two rooms, a decent living room and much better kitchen.

As typhoons happen in the Philippines several times a year, they don’t have to worry anymore about getting wet due to the leaks in the ceiling. The new house is giving them more space to breathe and move.

Thank you to our partners. Without your help, making a difference to the lives of these people wouldn’t be as achievable.