I.T. TENDER MINISTRY
NIGHTLIFE MINISTRY “IMMERSION”
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The area where we gather children in Alabang |
I.T. Tender “Nightlife” Ministry focuses on reaching out to street children in the Alabang area here in the Philippines. Children who are cast away and live in the streets because of poverty, broken families, abuse and socio-economic problems that endanger their lives are engaged in such activities as scavenging, begging, and prostitution for survival. Many of them are also addicted to sniffing solvents called “Rugby” to help ease the hunger and pains of life. These children are often seen within the area of Alabang sleeping under the bridge of the viaduct, in flea-market area, and on the footbridge.
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A street youth trying to hide his plastic of solvent |
As this month of January, 2012 begins, our workers have been searching around the Alabang area every Tuesday, Wednesday afternoon and Thursday until evening reaching out to these children scattered around the area and doing their activities for survival. Workers immersed in the streets will know these children more, their lifestyle, culture and different upbringings, by observing how hard life is being independent in their young age. Workers visit the footbridge where there is a second-hand clothes shop where children used to hang out in the evening (around 7:00pm onwards) to play, check their scavenged scraps, and most of the time to gather sniffing solvent. During the day they are scattered around different areas to get their sleep.
Hardships and frustrations are sometimes a hindrance faced by the workers, but we are thankful to the Lord who started this work in us and for these children entrusted to us, and how the Lord will move in their lives, sharing love and helping find their value as a normal child.
FOOD FOR LIFE!
The Food for Life participants who finish the 6 months feeding program last year has follow up program to be done through referral to them to church and to other organization for the enhancement of their physical and spiritual aspect. In which the 13 children will be part of the Sunday school activity to church and 4 of them that still in the stage of malnutrition need to undergo for another feeding program.
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Children who were referred for t he feeding program |
Through this a set of meeting was done in regard of the referring to the children for them to enhance and continue to have healthy physical and spiritual aspect of them. On this that been conducted first to church and have a short conversation with the in charge Sunday school head which is Sis Merlie and kindly inform her about the said follow up activity to the children. A willingly respond on the side of her about the said referring activity to the children. The 4 children ( Jericho, Janet, John Lawrence, Richard) who’s still in the stage of malnutrition, visitation was conducted to City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) in Muntinlupa and seek some advice through referral to malnourish children for other program that they can involved with, as informing her about each child situation especially the child who’s in the severely stage and need to be rehabilitate, a suggestion was came up to Ms. Venus Padua, assign social worker refer the child for a in house rehabilitation for proper treatment and medication, for this she contact Verlanie Foundation and inquire a vacant slot for the child. On their conversation there’s no available slot and need to wait for their confirmation on April. As of these waiting process, the children was refer the children to their daily feeding program that will be held in Barangay Hall of Alabang.
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A child enjoying his nutritious meal |
At the start of the program, the facilitator need to complete the number of children that will participate on their daily feeding activity. In which for this month they not able to conduct the height and weight of the children to know their status and progress. Due of some conflict with the health center and feeding area that they cater, they need to have their monitoring of each child progress by next month.
On these set of referral, each parents of the child was been inform and brought out to them the contingency activity to their children and explain to them about the positive outcome to their child.
A follow up monitoring through visitation to the children in their house and in the Feeding program that they have. To monitor them, need to continue communicating with the CSWD feeding coordinator of the program.
As of now the feeding was continually done and it’s nice to know that the parents and child are participating well to the activity through attending regularly and helping do helping preparing food for their children.
ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM @ 2012
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Learners in their new classroom |
Year 2012 enters with excitement for the workers as the class starts last January 11, with a new classroom with much peaceful room that somehow, away from noisy vehicles outside the Learning Center. This room was before only for guest missionaries at the second floor of the Center beside the ministry office, but from the idea of improving a much better place for the learners to have more peaceful room to focus on their studies and other activities, the room was transformed into a classroom type that may give space for learners. The mobile teacher was glad when she saw the room and the learners as well. Now we observed learners enjoying their lessons in a more quiet room and they are very thankful to it. However, it is not done yet, there is still more to improve from the classroom and we continue praying for the renovation of the room like having armchairs and new whiteboard that they can use for much a comfortable and better facilities of the classroom. We know that the Lord will continue his good works to this ministry and provide all the needs for dreams these learners lived in their new life with hope of a good future.
“ GRADUATION”
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Learners in their pose after the graduation. |
“At last!...i finally stepped into the stage!” as one of the learners are joyfully sharing the experience he has and the other learners as well from their Alternative Learning System Graduation held last January 28, 2012 at the ALS Center in Muntinlupa City. This is yearly done to give recognition to learners who undergone the program, for the Accreditation and Equivalency Exam takers and new learners as well. We are blessed the these learners experience the feeling of stepping on the stage to graduate that did not happen before as when they stopped studying. May the Lord bless more these learners wisdom in life and strength to continue living their lives with a new direction. To God be all the glory!
1. Fund for our 6 months feeding program, vitamins, hygiene kit for Tiaong, Quezon P30,000 ( $ 714 USD )
2. Fund for Food For Life Feeding, hygiene kit and vitamins P 25,000 ( $ 595 USD )
3. Fund for existing program ALS P 15,000 ( $ 357 USD, Night Life P 15,000
4. Allowance of Workers ( July—Dec ) P 96,000 ( $ 2285 USD )
5. Two ( 2 ) Laptop Computer for report , documentation and monitoring P 35,000 ( $ 853 USD )
6. Monthly Salary for Registered Social Worker P 15,000 ( $ 366 USD )
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
- Isaiah 58:10 NIV
