By Gigo Alampay - Executive Director, CANVAS
Just a few weeks ago, we had the privilege of hosting two GlobalGiving representatives - Sandra Dickison and Ana Calvo Langdon - who flew in to meet with various partners from the Philippines.
The timing was fortuituous, as we were scheduled to give away more than 600 books to a public school in the rural town of San Antonio some 4 hours north of Manila. In San Antonio, we partnered with Casa San Miguel, a non-profit artists' haven that also trains children in the local community in music and the arts.
Meanwhile, more books were also given away through Rock-Ed, a volunteer group working to provide venues and events for alternative education in the Philippines in another public school in the cool city of Baguio.
As we've said in our past report, In the coming weeks and months, we are now pursuing a dream, however difficult and improbable, of giving away one million books in the next five to ten years. We do hope that you will continue to support and join us in this pursuit.
Again from the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all of you for making it possible for us to continue getting our books into the hands of Filipino children in disadvantaged communities throughout the country!
To donate, please click Give Books to 3000 Children in the Philippines.
Moderator's note: GlobalGiving & CANVAS are separate entities from Spring of Marah Library [SOML]. From time to time we share articles that are similar to and consonant to our aims of literacy & making books available; especially to children. The link to the donation and the donation themselves does not financially benefit SOML or anyone connected to SOML directly or indirectly.
Spring of Marah Library
Liningwan, Ma-abay,Sibunag, Guimaras, Philippines - "...our wants and disappointments in the creature may drive us to the Creator, in whose favour alone true comfort is to be had."
Friday, August 2, 2013
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Keep them coming
Our most sincere thanks to Bro. Rich Storto of El Jaala Grotto, MOVPERS, for his generous donation of 11 boxes of books for the Spring of Marah Library.
Thank you brother....
c/o Mrs. Eleanor Gange
1785 Jo Ann Lane, Addison, IL 60101
630-932-9385 (landline)
630-709-1049 (cell)
Thank you,
Rolly Gange
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
SOM: The Beginnings
THE SPRING OF MARAH MISSION (SOM) | ||
I. THE PURPOSE OF THE SOM: | ||
Guimaras is an island group comprising of five municipalities; Jordan (its capital), | ||
Buenavista, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo, and Sibunag. The main livelihood are | ||
fishing and farming. With the exception of a few controlled and more affluent aquaculture, | ||
the fishing industry is just for daily survival, and unable to raise the standard of living | ||
to a comfortable level. The agriculture on the same level consist of coconuts, mangoes, | ||
and rice are of the upland type, unirrigated and dependent on the availability of rainfall. | ||
Drought is common. Life is hard and laborious and low yielding. | ||
The school system consists mainly of Primary and Elementary Schools located in | ||
each of the more than 100 barangays (barrios), a few high schools, and one industrial | ||
college, a mango institute, and a school in aqua-culture as an adjunct of the University | ||
of the Philippines. | ||
Guimaras' population is approximately 150,000 as of the census of 2000; But not a | ||
single public library as a means of information and to enhance literacy. | ||
SOM aims to provide in a limited way a bridge across this chasm of ignorance in the | ||
places where it could reach as far as its resources shall permit. | ||
II. BOUNDARIES OF ENGAGEMENT OF THE SOM: | ||
The SOM's operation shall be in the Barangay of Liningwan, Municipality of Sibunag | ||
(and its included island group). The main beneficiary are the students of the only | ||
Public High School in the municipality, the "Desiderio C. Gange High School", named | ||
after the province's first Vice-Lieutenant Governor and the donor of the lot where the | ||
school now stands. This high school has a student population of approximately 900 | ||
students. The other main beneficiary are the students of a primary to elementary school, | ||
Grades 1 through 6, with a combined population of approximately 600 students. The | ||
services of the SOM may be extended to the entire student population of Sibunag | ||
from primary to college. The literacy objective of the SOM will be extended further to the | ||
entire population of the Municipality. | ||
III. SCOPES OF ENGAGEMENT: | |
A. LITERACY OBJECTIVE: | |
1. The All-Purpose Library and Reading Center: | |
A two hectare (6 acres) land is already allocated and available. The ground-breaking | |
for a two-classroom size building was on January 5, 2010. Over 3,000 volumes of | |
multi-discipline books are already warehoused in Sibunag. We hope that we can begin | |
serving the student when classes begin in June of 2010. | |
2. The Tutorial program: | |
This will be a continuous program to assist those who have difficulty in reading | |
comprehension, and other reading disabilities. This task will be performed by needy | |
local high-achieving high school and college students in return for limited incentive | |
scholarships, such as school fees, books, uniforms, etc. | |
3. Primary Books Gift Program: | |
This program aims to provide the students in the First and Second grades | |
with a reading book suitable for their grade level. These books shall be provided free | |
as a gift for each student, and hopes to inspire them to love reading. | |
B. HEALTH AND LIVELIHOOD CENTER: | |
1. The Health Center: | |
The SOM will provide a venue for medical service for non-trauma cases, such as | |
band-aid cases, first-aid, and non-serious maladies. In some instances, it shall welcome | |
transient mission medical workers, provide the space, assist in calling and gathering those | |
needing medical attention. | |
2. Livelihood Center: | |
The SOM shall serve as the venue to provide information about planting methods, | |
disease control, soil care, improved specie, etc. The SOM will also provide job | |
availability information should occasions arise. | |
C. YOUTH AND RECREATION CENTER: (Later). Since this scope requires more space | |
and budget, there is no plan of engagement have been formulated. | |
IV. TESTIMONIAL HISTORY: (LITERACY FOCUS) | |
When I was growing up in Guimaras, I can remember very clearly that there | |
were only three reading materials in the house; the Philippines Free Press which informed | |
us (though vaguely) about the events in government, the Reader's Digest which quietly | |
helped in forming our world view, and the Holy Bible as the basis of our faith and | |
informed of our moral responsibility. Comic books were taboo, and besides there was not | |
much reading materials to be obtained during those days, especially in the rural areas. | |
I began my first grade of school with only one little primer handbook which I | |
memorized in a little more than a month. Later on it was just used by my parents to show | |
me off as being smart, but my thirst for reading increased. From then on, I read every | |
printed material I can get hold of. In the later part of elementary school, I was | |
transferred to a bigger school in the city, but the library books were all kept in locked | |
glass cabinets and we did not even bother to ask for them because no one taught us how, | |
and besides, we thought they were heirlooms as they were kept like precious items only | |
to be looked upon. | |
I got my break in high school because of a very understanding librarian, who | |
perhaps got tired of my constantly bothering her for a book from the locked cabinets, | |
as she would rise from her comfortable chair and went to the cabinet, opened it with her | |
key, and gave me the book after recording it back at her table. Later on, she would just | |
place the key on a receptacle in front of her desk and told me that whenever I need a book | |
I knew what it was, I was just to pick up the key, open the cabinet myself, and return it; | |
or I could bring it home if I wanted to but just to return it when I was finished. I clearly | |
remember the first series of books that I read was that of Zane Grey, with "The Thundering | |
Herd," as the first one I read. To make a very long story short, I love to read and reading | |
gave me great pleasure as I travelled with my imagination to places I like to go someday. | |
I do not believe that not being able to read is the main problem or even the issue. | |
The people in the community can read very well. The problem is the lack of worthwhile | |
reading materials. When one is able to and there is nothing to read, the mind can get rusty, | |
and just like any part of the body that has no exercise, sooner or later it becomes | |
atrophied, and the ability of reciprocal communication is impaired. | |
The reading center, will provide a limited remedy to this disconnect, and somehow | |
help to alleviate the problem and help in the person's productivity, enhance their lives, | |
make better decisions, and participate more and partake in the civic responsibility. | |
V. BIBLICAL RATIONALE OF SOM: | |
EXODUS 15: 22-25 (The Old Testament) | |
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and went into the Desert of Shur. For three days | |
they travelled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could | |
not drink its water because it was bitter. So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, | |
"What are we to drink?" | |
Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw | |
it into the water, and the water became sweet. | |
The model for this activity is informed by the story of the journey of the Children of | |
Israel when they were liberated by Moses from their indentured lives in Egypt. On this | |
journey, hard and difficult it might have been, but from time to time the God of Israel did | |
not abandon them. God always intervened when situations went out of hand and the | |
ability of Moses to control them. The people always got some reprieve and rest so that | |
they might continue on their journey to the Promised Land. In one of these occasions the | |
Israelites came to the Spring Of Marah, but they could not drink the water there because | |
it was bitter and not fit to drink; but God's intervention made the water sweet and fit for | |
drinking. | |
Most of the inhabitants of the engagement area of the SOM are poor. When one is | |
poor, the ability to engage in the bigger aspect of community life is also limited, the | |
information they receive is also limited, their education is little, and as such their ability to | |
digest the educational nutrients is insufficient. In a sense, in their life's journey, they have | |
to drink from the spring of bitterness. The SOM aims to sweeten their experience, if only | |
in a limited way, so that they may proceed on their journey, and enable them to be not | |
only consumers, but in hope will become co-producers for the common good. | |
II CORINTHIANS 8:13-15 (The New Testament) | |
Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there | |
might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that | |
in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is | |
written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did | |
not have too little." | |
The preceding was an exhortation of the Apostle Paul to the affluent Jewish Churches | |
at Corinth and Macedonia to give generously to the Christian Church at Jerusalem which | |
was hard pressed and in need of much help in ministering to its constituents. Historical | |
events have indicated that during those times, Jerusalem was at the cross-roads of many | |
warring civilizations and therefore suffered from the in-flux of refugees. It was more likely | |
that the congregation at Jerusalem were mostly poor refugees who needed much help. | |
They were the unwilling participants in the greater conflict between superpowers, and | |
have to drink from the cup of life's bitterness. | |
The SOM makes this appeal, especially to the Filipino expatriates, to assist in its work | |
for the release from the ruthless hands of ignorance, those who will be affected much by | |
the works of the SOM, to enable them to coexist with others in dignity, and participate as | |
equal owners of God's blessings, and hence enable them to not only pray for themselves | |
but also to pray for others in joy and gratitude. | |
II CORINTHIANS 9:10-11 (The New Testament) | |
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase | |
your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made | |
rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your | |
generosity will result in thanksgiving to God, | |
The recipients of the goodness of the "Partners & Enablers, (see Sec. VIII), may not be | |
able to reciprocate directly or even in kind. The P & E, because in them were planted the | |
seeds of righteousness, do this, because it is the right thing to do, against which there is | |
no law. The ministry of the SOM is a concept of thanksgiving to what Ely & I have become, | |
not great persons of stature, but in our lives, we have not experienced deprivation or | |
hunger but enough to be able to see, how fortunate we are. There is planted in us the | |
attitude of gratitude, a good feeling which we like…and in prayer shares this feeling…and | |
hoping, this attitude. | |
As implied in the preceding exhortation of Paul, there is an exceedingly abundant | |
source of righteousness and this good feeling in our Good God, that there is much more | |
than enough of it to go around and beyond. And it is a delight to the Heart of God. It is an | |
encouragement and offers comfort for those who are hopeful, and an inspiration to the | |
laborers in God's Vineyard. | |
VI. THE FUTURE OF SOM: (LATER) | |
As the story of the event at the Spring of Marah depicts the temporariness of the | |
situation, to strengthen the discouraged and hungry Israelites, and be encouraged for the | |
more challenging journey ahead for the next forty years, the SOM shall aim to provide | |
vision, hope and encouragement for the tougher and real challenges of life. | |
It is hoped that the future of the SOM shall be in the capable hands of those whom she | |
have nurtured who in turn will steer her into the intricacies and sophistication of the future, | |
in matters of technology and contextual methodologies. Which means that SOM will | |
be self-supporting and self propagating or her ideals to those whose life she touches. | |
VII. MISSION PARTNERS & ENABLERS: | |
The SOM relies solely for its ministry on the prayers and generosity of charitable | |
minded persons and organizations. These individuals and organizations are listed as | |
follows: | |
1 | Abas, Elizabeth |
2 | WB Abrigo, Napoleon & Susan |
3 | WB Alban, Dennis & Gody |
4 | WB Alcantara, Jim & Toni |
5 | WB Alhambra Carmelito |
6 | Bro. Almoradie, Dutch & Elenita |
7 | WB Aragon, Roger |
8 | Association of Filipino Freemason in Illinois, Inc. (AFFI) |
9 | Banguit, Artemio |
10 | Bro. Bannapradist, Hon & Bee |
11 | Bro. Bannapradist, Nick |
12 | Bro. Barquez, Mark & Yoly |
13 | Bro. Basco, Ernie & Connie |
14 | Batiller, Josefina & Jose |
15 | WB Bautista, Jojo |
16 | Bayan, Marvee |
17 | WB Blackburn, Chris |
18 | WB Brown, Bill & Dorothy |
19 | RWB Cabrera, Vince & Maria |
20 | Bro. Cadiz, Jay & Goring |
21 | Bro. Cadiz, Tony & Rebecca |
22 | Callejo, Nancy |
23 | WB Catequista, Kiks (Philippines) |
24 | Bro. Cochon, Poncing |
25 | Bro. Cuevo, Chris & Imelda |
26 | Bro. Davis, Concelor & Rasa |
27 | Debuque, Gabriel & Ligaya (Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada) |
28 | de Guzman, Joel & Nida |
29 | IB Derupe, Erlindo |
30 | Diomampo, Ethel & Clod |
31 | Distajo, Ric & Rose |
32 | Domalina, Zaldy (Philippines) |
33 | Bro. Erandio, Dado |
34 | Bro. Escalante, Aldin & Annie |
35 | Bro. Espiritu, Rhay & Karla |
36 | Gange, Christine Faith (Philippines) |
37 | Gange, David |
38 | Gange, Desiderio II (Philippines) |
39 | Gange, George (San Jose, California) |
40 | Gange, Wilmer & Ane |
41 | Gavilan, Derrick & Yumi |
42 | Bro. Gazmen, Bert & Lourdes |
43 | Gonzales, Fil & Auring |
44 | Gonzales, Lawrence & Charlene |
45 | Guevarra Agnes & Family |
46 | RWB Graff, Howard & Luisita |
47 | Gumban, Julie |
48 | Gumban, Lamberto |
49 | Bro. Hall, Charles |
50 | RWB Hernal, Gary & Jean |
51 | WB Jacobsen, John |
52 | Janicki, Rich & Aileen |
53 | WB Lacuesta, Rudy & Evelyn |
54 | Liebman, Gale |
55 | Lumbuan, Chit |
56 | Bro. Maas, Joseph & Samantha |
57 | WB Magnan, John |
58 | RWB Magsino, Frederick & Rose |
59 | Manners, Gere |
60 | Manners, Keith & Aimee |
61 | Bro. Mante, Ed & Linda |
62 | McCord, Joe |
63 | WB Mendoza, Ben & Linda |
64 | EC Mesa, Gonzalo |
65 | Bro. Michiels, Marty |
66 | Bro. Michiels, Roy |
67 | Molitas, Sam & Winnie |
68 | WB Musni, Jerome |
69 | Bro. Musni, Reiner |
70 | Bro. Natividad, Willy & Babes |
71 | Northwest Lodge No. 271 |
72 | WB Oliveros, Henry & Lita |
73 | Bro. Paclibare, Toy & Lina |
74 | Panganiban, Marlo & Tess |
75 | Pedrosa, Corazon |
76 | Perlas, Ike & Gilda |
77 | Ravenswood Lodge No. 777 |
78 | Rea, Janet |
79 | Bro. Sanchez, Chris |
80 | Sapnu Family |
81 | Schieberly, Laura & Jerry |
82 | WB Shaffer, Rich |
83 | Shauf, Carol & Family |
84 | Simone, Cynthia |
85 | Suarez, Bob & Joliet |
86 | MWB Sullins, Charles & Jo |
87 | WB Sumulong, Jim & Ofelia |
88 | Vergara, Audie & Rina |
89 | Viray, Tony & Gene |
90 | WB Zamora, Nestor & Catalina |
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