Dear Lady of Fatima, PraY for us!

How wonderful it is to have visited the place of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal. People from various places of the world are coming over just to pay a visit to Mama Mary. Indeed, Mary wants us to pray always the rosary for peace in the world and for the reparation of the sins of humanity. Mother Mary of Fatima, Pray for us!

The PILGRIMAGE starts!

At the end of the intensive updating of the Rogationist Fathers in Italy, they started to go and visit the memorable places of Mary in Fatima, Portugal and of St. James in Spain. In the group are Frs. Antonio, Gabby, Eric, Winny, Ed and Dexter.

St. Hannibal-Uncorrupted!!!

It is with great pleasure to have come to the tomb of St. Hannibal Mary Di Francia where his body was found uncorrupted. He is the Founder of the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus and the Daughters of Divine Zeal. He is also the father of the orphans and of the poor. His attention to the poor and love for vocations made him an outstanding witness to the immense love of God for mankind. Beside him is Fr. Dexter Prudenciano, a Rogationist priest.

WOMEN POWER!

The construction at the BPI lot continued despite the scorching heat of the sun. Beneficiaries from the areas flocked and were very enthusiastic working at the project. While most husbands work at their respective companies to earn their daily living, most of the housewives on the other hand work at the construction site and has started their “sweat equity” required by the Habitat.
Meanwhile, other women groups from the areas also extend their service cooking at the St. Hannibal Training Center in lieu of the St. Hannibal Christian Community’s feeding program.

MORE MATERIALS AND LABORERS ARE COMING

In the evening of October 4, 2006, there were additional concrete interlocking blocks (CIB), cements and steel frames delivered to the BPI lot to be used for construction of the model units. A number of beneficiaries from the areas also helped in downloading and arranging the materials in the construction site.

THANK YOU DOC!

The Habitat started already the construction at the site. Kuya Larry and some engineers and workers of Habitat for humanity started some diggings in the area. There were also people from the area present to assist and begin their sweat equity.
In the afternoon, there were some doctors coming from the UP-PGH who came and assisted in the weeklong feeding program at the St. Hannibal Training Center. There were variety of nutritious food prepared by the parents for the children. The volunteer doctors as well did some check ups to see the physical conditions of the children. Before they go to meal, the doctors taught them how to clean their hands properly.

TULOY ANG LABAN...

After the long black out, the St. Hannibal Empowerment Center was hopeful that the electricity would be restored – to their dismay. While other families in other parts of Pasay enjoyed the electricity today, October 2, 2006, people from Rodriguez still suffer from no electricity. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop the staff from doing their respective assignments. At 9:30 AM Fr. Orville called a staff meeting. Among those present were Fr. Orville, Bros. Max, Mico, Hernan, George and Kuya Larry of Habitat. They had the updates of the activities, particularly those of each committees. After the meeting, the staff went to their respective responsibilities. Bro. Max assisted Kuya Larry of Habitat as there were construction equipments already coming to the BPI lot ready for operation. Bro. Hernan and Bro. Mico attended the scholars as they get their allowances. Bro. George transfer some computers and printers to the training center to be able to continue some paper works.

HABITAT ORIENTATION

The activity at St. Hannibal Empowerment Center (SHEC) continued despite the typhoon and black out. The staff of the Habitat for Humanity gave seminars to the St. Hannibal Homeowners Association Phase II, groups A & B last September 30, 2006. There were around 200 families present. They discussed particularly the details of the housing projects, especially the cost of the unit, the sweat equity required for each family or beneficiary, the dress code of the workers, and other things related to the housing projects. Questions were also entertained particularly on things related to the beneficiaries’ sweat equity.

GARDENING AND CLEANING

Despite the bad weather and the Black out, the Environment and Health committees pushed through with their gardening activity last September 29, 2006. They have made seedbeds and planted okra, mustard and eggplants at their mini nursery at the abandoned house right at the back of the St. Hannibal Training Center in Cornejo St. Malibay Pasay City. Meanwhile, other members of the group started cleaning the surroundings of the training center. While others are sweeping the fallen leaves, others were cutting the branches of the fallen chico tree right on the compost pit in front of the training center. After three hours of cleaning, the group went to their respective houses.

MILENYO sa taga MANILENYO!

Everybody got stocked with their daily routine because of the fate brought about by the Milenyo typhoon last September 28,2006. There was the brown out experienced all through out Metro Manila. The storm “toppled power lines, uprooted trees, ripped off roof from houses, caused the collapse of billboards and shattered glasses in buildings.” The black out then was experienced all throughout manila and it lasted not only days but weeks for some.

MOVE ON!!!

After the awarding ceremony last September 21, the St. Hannibal HOA Phase II members were very busy completing their papers in compliance with the requirements of the Community Mortgage Program (CMP). The St. Hannibal Empowerment Center office particularly asked the help of volunteer typists to assist them fill up the Lease Purchase Agreement(LPA) form or an agreement between the association and the individual beneficiaries.

The Vatican City - A Holy Place!!!

To be in this place reminds me of the origin and root of our faith. It calls to mind about the holiness that we need to live in every moment of our life despite the seemingly insurmountable problems in life. Simply looking at the grandeur of the architectural design of the holy place strikes my life because every detail of the design is an imprint of the memorable events in the history of our Church which are the fruits of the martyrdom of our saints.