RMHM 2010 PAGE3
DAY 6: 31 July
Today, Saturday, a team of seventeen volunteers visited Sitio Gabihan, a relocation centre half an hour’s drive away, while the other volunteers ran the mission in Sampaloc. Two hundered and fifty families, practically all Catholic, have been living on this muddy slope since their homes were destroyed by a typhoon last September. Although they were supposed to be here only temporarily, many of them are unable to move back because they had been living on government property unlawfully and they have very little. They are living in rows of simple houses of plywood and woven bamboo attached to wooden frames, with two families per house and two small rooms per family. In fact, they were living here in tents until humanitarian organizations came to build these houses last month.
The children came out to greet us as we climbed out of our crowded vehicle and carried supplies to the school building. This building, no larger than any of the houses, served as our site for the medical mission. Two volunteers filled out forms describing patients’ problems, and two nurses measured temperatures and other vital signs. Dr. Lagare then received each patient, and gave prescriptions which were filled by our four pharmacists. Meanwhile, the sisters taught the children the Sign of the Cross and other prayers, and distributed rosaries to those who were able to make the Sign of the Cross without a mistake. Almost all of the inhabitants wanted their houses blessed, and Fr. Castel undertook the difficult task of navigating the muddy roads to bless houses. An increasing crowd of children followed him and watched the blessings. Father travelled to and blessed sixty houses by the time the doctors had finished with the patients. He also invited the families he visited to receive the Scapular, in which he periodically enrolled many of them.
When it began to rain, most of the line of patients crowded into the school. However, we were surprised to see many children still walking around in the rain, some without much clothing. Some even used a stream of water pouring from a roof in order to take a kind of shower. Although the people are careful to stay clean, many of them have skin diseases, or insect bites which have become infected.
When Dr. Lagare had seen all the patients, she trekked down the slope to visit a patient whom Father had found while blessing houses and who was unable to walk.
It is surprising how cheerful these people are, considering that they have almost nothing. They are proof that what brings happiness is not material possessions, but the reign of Christ. If only these people could better learn their Faith!
DAY 7: 01 August
Sunday was a day of much-needed rest. Being able to get a full night’s sleep was already a great help. At 10:30 AM, Fr. Marcile celebrated Sung Mass with incense, while the sisters led the Kyriale and sang the Propers. After lunch, the volunteers were free to rest or to visit the surrounding area. Some hired a jeepney (a common means of transportation, which can fit three people in front, eighteen on benches, and four hanging onto the back!) to a shrine of Our Lady one kilometer away. The Dominican Sisters who settled there last year are having a 56-foot tall statue of Our Lady built, which is almost finished. It will be the largest statue of Our Lady in the Philippines. Another group of volunteers visited a nearby waterfall, and found the cool water and spray very refreshing.
After Vespers, supper, and daily Rosary, we were refreshed and confident in the help of Providence to meet the challenges of the coming days.
Shells similar to this giant one are often used as holy water fonts.
DAY 8: 2 August
Fr. Castel, Dr. Kim, and fifteen other volunteers rose at 4:30 Monday morning to drive to Zambales, a remote Pygmy village which the medical mission visited last year. They will spend the night there and return tomorrow evening.
We were short on doctors today, as one was ill and another had pressing duties elsewhere. Dr. Lagare, our pediatrician, had to leave at noon for a special audience with the President of the country, but worked hard all morning in order to help as many children as possible. One boy came today with no eyes. Another boy had under one of his eyes a growth which one of our doctors was able to remove. Often patients come with a foot badly wounded, which one of our sisters treats and bandages.
Today was comfortably cool, but in the early afternoon it began to rain harder than ever, a real tropical rainstorm. It became difficult to work, especially as the tents were leaking and water collected under some of them. The system of drainage ditches dug last year had to be extended. After an hour or two the rain stopped, leaving the rest of the day refreshingly cool.
Meanwhile, a project was under way to create a poster to explain to the people of Sampaloc about ACIM-Asia and the SSPX, and why we give the Medical Mission. This poster is being translated into the local dialect, and will be posted at St. Philomena’s Chapel and at other frequented places in the town.
