mission kapote

friends and family - near and far:

i present to you, MISSION KAPOTE:

i am looking to distribute the coats by June, so hopefully i will have raised enough money by late May to have everything all organized and ready to go for the rainy season here in Baguio City. i am hoping to get donors from here in the Philippines, as well as from the States. every penny, every peso will make a difference and these children will appreciate it :) let me know if you would be able to help!

Check out the Article (and to make a donation): http://cabrinifoundation.org/2012/04/18/mission-kapotehelp-bring-raincoats-to-the-children-of-the-philippines/

By: Crystal Catalan
Cabrini Mission Corps

Approximately thirty minutes outside of the heart of Baguio City, Philippines, is a small elementary school set in a rural community called Yagyagan.

 I first stepped foot into this community in January 2011, after Sr. Terezinha Lumbieri, MSC heard that the school was in need of catechists for their students. Enthusiastic, Sr. Terezinha and I ventured off to Yagyagan Elementary School, which we discovered was located off the main road at the bottom of a 200-meter hill. Uh oh! As our taxi was driving us down, I was thinking two things: “wow, the view of the mountains is beautiful from up here!” and “oh my goodness, this means, we are going to have to walk back UP
this hill?”

Now, fourteen months later, we have been making this weekly trip ever since, with Sr. Terezinha teaching grades 1-3 and me handling grades 4-6. With the strong support of parents, the continual welcome and hospitality of the Yagyagan staff, and the joyful smiles of the kids, it makes it easy for us to return week after week. After spending time with the kids for over a year, I realized I wanted to visit their homes and meet the rest of their families.

In February 2012, I spent the whole day trekking up and down the hills of Yagyagan, visiting some of the families, and around 2pm, it started to rain, as I was told, it normally does.

As I was making my trek back to the main road (still forty minutes away) in what seemed like another rainstorm, I saw some of the kids running home, wrapped in large plastic bags where they either poked a hole for their head or tied their large garbage bag in such a creative way that their head would be sheltered from the rain. I had never seen anything like it – at least in a large mass of students! I could not believe it.  Every time it rains? Just like this?

As I finally got to the main road and waited for my jeepney to return home, I realized that I wanted to help out these kids. These kids had become my younger brothers and sisters and after seeing this, there was no way I could not do anything. The teachers told me that many of the students end up getting sick because of their trek to and from school, especially when weather conditions are pretty bad. Because most of the parents/guardians of these children are either low-wage farmers, vendors in the local community, or
unemployed, they don’t have the means to purchase rain protection for their children.

Knowing this, I had to act. With love, I present to you “Mission Kapote” which is an initiative to raise funds to provide raincoats for the entire school of Yagyagan Elementary School, which is approximately 132
students. With the rainy season heavily approaching in June, I am seeking both local and international donors to assist in this Mission and to keep our students dry! Any donation is greatly appreciated. Salamat po!