Back again in San Fernando after 18 hours of travelling from Legazpi City, Albay. I have a stiff neck and my joints and muscles are aching but the visit paid off. The children are happy and am,too! I arrived Monday, the 22nd of April, at 9:00 am and slept for 2 hours at Alicia Hotel
near the airport in Albay, visited and took lunch with my Auntie in Pawa. Andy Crisostomo, the sponsor child of Günter Schröder, is still attending school until the end of April, catching up the lost school days in November 2006, after devastating Reming. Andy, according to his teacher, will make it up to the 3rd Year in High School. His mother received the full amount of Günter's donation. In that way, they can use the rest to do small business (Puhunan). Same procedure as the last two (2) years. In 2004, Andy's mother bought a small pig and was able to double the amount of Günter's donation. In 2005, she was able to raise two (2) pigs and the family was able to do some repairs in their small nipa hut. In September 2006, she lost two (2) pigs and worst, her house and the ricefields where she and her family used to work for some kilos of rice! It is really heartbreaking to see the damages left by typhoon Reming. Now, Andy's family is starting from the very beginning since they lost everything. They are still lucky and blessed because all members of their family survived the flood. Even their two (2) cats, Putol and Tino and dog, Kevin. (By the way, these two (2) cats were mine until September 2006. I left them to Andy's family as I decided to leave Legazpi for San Fernando)
Life goes on. Andy's family is lucky because a friend from Germany, Günter, is helping the family since 2004, and pledged to help them until 2009!
Andy's sister, Joana, entering the 2nd Year High School, is also lucky to be selected as one of the child sponsors of Children International in Pawa.
After visiting Pawa, I drove to Quirangay to meet seven (7) scholars. Quirangay is about 30kms away from Legazpi. More next time....(I have to take some breakfast, my stomach is already aching!)
