We often see all that is hard and sad in life and know that
change needs to happen, but the task looms too large for just one person--so we
never try. Yet, there is power in doing all we can to change lives for the
better…
Saturday I had a really memorable experience of seeing how
the power of ONE can change so many lives. There are so many great people in the
world and many of them work tirelessly to share their talents and skills to
help others. I want to share how the
power of ONE person creates a blessing for many. And eventually the power of
ONE becomes the power of MANY.
My day started early to visit an island in the Pasig River
in the center of Manila city proper that is the home to Hosipicio de San Jose. I
am not quite sure how to label Hospicio...it is an orphanage, but not only
that. It is a geriatric home, but not only that…I will settle on it is a REFUGE—a
refuge for babies, orphans, sick, and the elderly. Hospicio is very familiar to
me, we discuss it regularly in our USEC board meetings. I know names, stories,
and have seen photos as it is one of the many places we donate goods and
resources; however, this is the first time I have actually GONE to Hospicio. This
is where my stories of the POWER OF ONE start.
SISTER CORRIE: Hospicio is a refuge ran primarily by
Catholic Nuns. Sister Corrie is the Head Nun there. She keeps the island area
with all its buildings and guests clean, tidy and fed. She is a short woman
with warm motherly features and a kind voice. Again, we have discussed Sister
Corrie and her goodness several times, but it was nice to meet her. She is the backbone
of Hospicio. I realized, as she was showing me a large bulletin board with
photos of children that had been adopted in the last two years, that she really makes a difference in so many
people’s lives. The hungry, the weak, the elderly, the sick and the children,
Sister Corrie truly is a Disciple of Christ. She kindly turned our group over
to another Sister to give us the tour and quietly went back to her work. She is
just one woman, but she changes the very lives of so many people on her little
island home.
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| Sister Corrie Welcoming us to Hospicio |
DYANE and BARBARA: Now, as a caveat I must say that working
with USEC I have been blessed to work with some of the most talented, selfless,
caring people who give all they have to a good cause. I could write a blog post
on each one of them, but today I am going to focus on only a few. Dyane came to
USEC earlier in the year, because Barbara (another great USEC board member)
introduced her to all that USEC is doing, and has jumped in FULL FORCE! She is dynamite
and full of endless energy. She has visited orphanages, schools, hospitals and
other charities we help. Something I am unable to do because of work. Her
excitement to serve has spread to others who are also now serving. Dyane is
recounts stories with love in her eyes and enthusiasm in her voice about talking
with the elderly or sitting in the street and reading to the homeless children.
Barbara and Dyane had visited Hospicio and one of the young women, Angie, that
lives in the Rendu wing—where the residents with special needs live—gave Barbara
a painting. Instead of keeping the painting, Barbara and Dyane came up with a
plan to have USEC and Global Printing (ran by Dyane’s Husband) make cards to
sell. Hospicio can now sell the cards to raise much needed funds for food,
clothing and other basic needs like medicine.
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| This a photo of Angie with some of the cards. The LDS missionaries are with her, Barbara and Dyane weren't there for the photo |
ANGIE: This is a perfect place to tell you how special Angie
is. I did not ask her, but I would guess she is in her 20s or early 30s. Angie
greets everyone with a shy, but infectious smile. As you talk with her she will
joke and while laughing lean into you for a hug. The hug is full of love even
though Angie has no arms. She was born with no arms and has lived at Hospicio
her whole life. At the age of 11 she discovered her talent to paint using her
feet. She loves to show off her art and is really excited to talk about the
cards they are selling now to help out at Hospicio.
SHERRI and DILLON: Now I will tell you why I was at Hospicio—we
were there to measure the residents of the Rendu wing for wheelchairs. Many of
the Rendu patients have Cerbral Palsy or other physical disabilities and need
wheelchairs. Sadly, they are only using hand-me-down wheelchairs that are adult
size. The nurses (who are, most often ,volunteering their time) use shoe laces
and material strips to tie the children into the ill-sized chairs so they do
not fall. It is heart breaking to see. Sherri is another USEC member. She is
the liaison for Hospicio. Meaning she spends her time out there a few times a
week seeing what needs they have and how USEC can help fulfill those needs. She
and her son Dillon spends several hours out there together. It was Sherri and
Dillon’s willingness to serve and request to have wheelchairs donated that
started the chain of events for us to be there.
THE STORY:
Sherri presented to the board the need for wheelchairs.
Barbara, as a medical practitioner, offered to help fit the patients for the
correct wheelchairs. We just needed to find some chairs. We put ‘feelers’ out
to all our contacts and found a few American companies that donate wheelchairs
but they said they only work the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—the
LDS Church. Sherri reported that to us on the board and I said, “Great! I am
LDS…let’s see what we can do.” Sherri
emailed the LDS executive headquarters in the Philippines. It just happened that
one of people at the Church Headquarters emailed is in mine and Lady Hiva’s congregation.
One day at Church she said, “Do you know Sherri?” And from there we planned the
day!
As I said earlier, Hospicio is on an island in the middle of
the River. To get there, you go to the apex of the bridge and turn right. The
buildings are old but well cared for. Sherri was unable to come, but Dillon
came with me. Everywhere we went people asked Dillon where his mother was. I
could feel how much the two of them were loved on the island.
We met a team of LDS senior couple missionaries and Church
leaders. The senior couples, both from the States, one set over the Church’s
Humanitarian aid in the Philippines and the other set working in the Church
Public Relations department. It was fun to meet them and see their selflessness
to leave the comfort of retirement and being with family to serve in the
Philippines on a mission. We were all in awe of how big Hospicio was and how
many people are housed there.
We stopped by and saw all the toddler orphans who were
playing in the large rooms off of their shared bedroom. They were so cute and
friendly. I wished it was not so hard to adopt from the Philippines, I would have
loved to take a few of them home.
Next we visited the nursery wing and saw all the new born
babies that will be raised at Hospicio. We stopped by and talked with the
elderly women and men that live there and finally we made it to Rendu.
All the residents were out enjoying the warm morning air. I
stopped and said hello to them. The first boy I greeted was Tiang (or at least
that is what it sounded like). Tiang is blind and while I said hello I touched
his arm. He rubbed both of my arms and patted my face to see who I was. I must
have passed the test because he then stood up and led me to the swing so I
would swing with him. He would not let go the whole time.
It was fun to spend
time with all the Rendu residents. All of them loved to hear your voice
greeting them and would smile so large with touch. They loved to have their photos taken. Their
little bodies would shake with excitement.
Dillon was a hit, a few of the guys there came running full
speed to say hello to Dillon when they saw him. One of them, Juboy is deaf and
in a wheelchair, but full of energy and excitement. He communicates with his
sign language and followed Dillon wherever he went.
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| Dillon and Juboy |
It was a great morning. A group from the University of Santo
Thomas came to measure all the residents for their new chairs while we greeted
and played with all the rest of the group. It will be a happy day when all the
children get to have their new chairs.
That is my story of how each person, the missionaries, the
staff from UST, Sherri, Sister Corrie, Dyane and Barbara and Dillon all do what
they can as ONE person but together they make a world of difference in so many
other people’s lives.
