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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