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On the activities of JASH RESSEI COMMITTEE Do you remember our last report The Newsletter of June and Oct.1998? Those reports were about the Japanese Language Summer Program. Today's topic is about the Project of Ormoc Community Center in the Philippines. Sr.Iraida Sua-Ann who lives in Ormoc now, told this story when she visited Japan in Oct. 1998. Sr. IRAIDA used the money which JASH (Japan Association of Sacred Heart) earned from the charity concert to build a Leaning Center, where children can learn to read and write and adults can learn about their rights and their duty towards society. While people were working to build this center, they had an income. It was a very valuable experience, Sr.IRAIDA told us. Both Sr.IRAIDA and JASH think that this project has to be continued from now on. Now we are trying to find the best way to keep this bridge between the Philippines and Japan. The second step of this project February 14th to 21st, 8 students of Sacred Heart Senmon Gakko（Sacred Heart Junior college） aged 19 and 20 attended the working camp at Ormoc. Two professors went with them from Japan, and one Japanese RSCJ who has been working in the Philippine stayed with them during this time. They stayed at Ormoc about a week. They were the first visitors who stayed at the Learning center that was built with the donation of Japanese alumnae. I have asked the young students themselves to write a report about what they felt about this project. I hope they will be ready for the next newsletter. Refer the following NEWS FROM JASH the Newsletter October, 1998 REPORT ON A CHARITY CONCERT E-mail: fwih6354@mb.infoweb.ne.jp |
The tragedy happened in 1990. 50000 people lost everything but their lives by the heavy blow of the flood and the most tragic district was Ormoc. Before the flood, the people in Ormoc did not know how to read nor write, and they had no idea of how to work and earn money to get some food and daily supplies. Maybe it will take more than several generations to stand on their own feet but RSCJs in the Philippines decided to take the first step. At first when the RSCJs gave money to the children, who were poor but eager to learn, sometimes their parents used the money to buy material to repair the roof. But now Sr.IRAIDA lives with them and always takes care of the children very carefully. When necessary she orders the parents "Bring me the receipt of the school fee otherwise you cannot get the money next semester."
Of course, this project would not be succeeded without the special effort of Sr. Iraida herself. Moreover, a big decision of the young students their parents and professors of the senmon gakko.