LILO-AN (CEBU): 30th October 2007 -- Bro Mari Aberasturi
was an enthusiastic host, well-prepared to accept a couple of Aussie
Salesian visitors sight-unseen and with no warning - and cope with
their accents! He drove us to the community where he currently carries
out a labour of love, reminding us of some homely wisdom from his
mother: 'Find a job you like and you'll never really need to do a day's
work in your life'. Of course, he works all day and possibly a good
part of the night as well, but loves every minute of it. We are
speaking of his work at Don Bosco Boys Home and Training Centre,
located at Cotcot, Lilo-an some 20 or more kms north of Cebu City.
'Here we help the young help themselves in life'
is what one sees at the entrance to the property, and one gains a sense
of this from the outset. It is a home away from home for many
boys, and even a home where they would otherwise not have a home, for
some, but also a place where they can put themselves, and their
families back together again. It is a home for those in need of special
protection, and the Salesians in the Southern Philippines province
network most effectively with government and NGO structures to see that
boys in particular situations of need are correctly placed.
Certainly those who are placed at Lilo-an are amongst the lucky ones.
It does not take long to realise that DBBH/TC
Lilo-an is two operations, not one: 120 boys at elementary and high
school level live in and then go out each day to school - those in
elementary classes have a short walk; those attending high school are
bused by the Boys Town bus to the University of Cebu-Compostela where
their school is located. And while they are all away for the day,
local boys and girls come in to the vacated premises to take part in
the Training Centre offering of vocational courses. Around 30% of this
enrolment is female: the girls, along with the boys, take courses in
Mechanical, Welding, and Wood and Furniture technology.
Both aspects of this wonderful Salesian presence are
strongly supported by benefactors, particularly local people who
appreciate what is being done for their youngsters but also for other
young people who would otherwise be a problem to Filippino society. Bro
Mari told us that DBBH/TC goes through 75 kilos of rice a day - all
donated. The Training Centre goes through many tonnes of wood a
year - again all donated! But the end result is the construction of
fine, strong minds and bodies for Filippino society, who are eagerly
sought for their values and skills, and who accomplish many excellent
community engineering projects.
DBBH/TC was once a government-run juvenile
home. The Government were happy that the Salesians take it over
on new land and buildings which government provided, and that it form
part of the Task Force for street children in Cebu City. In fact
the Salesians are a strong part of this Task Force with three Boys
Homes (and possibly a fourth to be added), a Juvenile Prison Training
Centre, and a Second Chance programme with a Salesian at the helm,
which brings youngsters in trouble with the law into a process of
reintegration into society with the help of the government education
and social welfare and development departments.
We met up with Bro Berns too - Bro Berns is a
paraplegic due to an accident many years ago, but runs a slick
wheel-chair assistance across all ground floor areas! He is a treasure
and a great witness to happy service of the young and the poor at any
cost. _________________ AustraLasia is an
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