This week, all sponsor children will receive their Christmas gifts, personally handed over by the Pasuk team, who travel through the slums in groups. Seventy "mini Christmas celebrations" in three days is a big job, but well worth the effort. The children and their parents are so grateful - the joy radiates from their faces! Continue reading below the photos.
Family counseling
In Cebu City, the coronavirus currently seems to be fairly under control. However, the city is still under quarantine. Young people under 15 and the elderly over 65 are officially not allowed to leave their homes. But because there are few infections at the moment, there is no strict control and you see more and more children on the streets. Every week Russel and Nenette (Pasuk-CBC project lead) visit the families to encourage the children and their parents and pray with them. Furthermore, our mentors also keep a finger on the pulse regarding the home situation. We notice that many children miss the school structure and their teacher, and have difficulty with the homework assignments. Therefore, we plan to set up structural homework assistance after the Christmas vacations. Christmas in the slum
Normally we celebrate Christmas at the Pasuk project with the children and their parents - always a wonderful end to the calendar year. Given the circumstances, this cozy gathering is unfortunately not possible now. Therefore, this week we visit all families to briefly reflect with them on the meaning of Christmas. To tell them once again the good news, about God's love for the world and the greatest Gift, that He gave His own Son to redeem everyone who believes in Him from sin and guilt. During the home visit, each child receives a wonderful Christmas package with enough food and drink for the upcoming Christmas season. In addition, they receive a Bible journal and a Pasuk drinking cup inscribed with their own name. Each family will also receive a beautiful mini poster with the Bible text from Joshua 24:15: "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Watch a video impression of the home visits below:
Nice surprise
Completely unexpectedly, former Pasuk student Janice visited the project this week, to donate a number of Christmas packages to poorest families on behalf of her employer. How wonderful to see that a former sponsor child has developed so wonderfully. And also that Janice thinks back with appreciation to her period as sponsor child, in which she was able to get a school education with Pasuk's help. Thanks and prayer With much gratitude we look back on a challenging year in which the Lord kept us and always provided everything. To Him be all the glory! May we ask you to continue to pray for the Pasuk children and our team? That God will protect and support them during this challenging time. That the home quarantine for the children will be lifted and that we may welcome them back to the Pasuk project. Thank you so much for your support, compassion and prayers!
From our project director
Read the update below from Pasuk project director Russel Villafuerte:
Russel Villafuerte
Cebu City, December 12, 2020
A pleasant day to everyone of you there in the beautiful country of the Netherlands. We are saddened upon learning that your nation is experiencing the second wave with regards to Covid19 pandemic. But on the other hand, we are being comforted that your government is efficiently handling the situation. The cooperation and discipline of your people with regards to the observance of Covid19 protocols are of great help as well. Here in our country, Philippine authorities have announced that starting December 1, the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) has been extended in several regions of the country until at least December 31, due to a rise in Covid19 cases. The extension has been implemented in the provinces of Batangas (Calabarzon region) and Lanao del Sur (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region), as well as the cities of Davao (Davao region), Iloilo (Western Visayas region), Tacloban (Eastern Visayas region), and Iligan (Northern Mindanao region). Additionally, Davao del Norte province (Davao region) will also be placed under GCQ on December 1. Authorities announced that the rest of the country will remain under a modified GCQ. Thanks be to God, Cebu City is under Modified GCQ until December 31, 2020. Face masks remain mandatory on all public transport, including trains, busses, boats, and cabs. Additionally, Non-essential travel is now permitted between GCQ and MGCQ regions within the country. Minors and Senior citizens are still discouraged to go out of their homes. Big crowd gatherings are still not allowed. That's why our usual Saturday Learning Activity (SLA) and Christmas Party are directly affected. It's sad, but for this year the possibility of doing it is not really possible. However, we praise God that we were able to make and implement a plan in order to maintain our contact with our dear PASUK scholars and their families. We as Pasuk team have decided to do weekly home visitations to each of our scholar's house. We have this goal of visiting 12 Pasuk scholars with their families every week. By God's grace, we are able to do it. Every Home Visit is being done with this goal in mind, that we can really know the real situation and present problems of our scholar and their family, especially in the midst of this pandemic. So, every home visit takes adequate time (about 15 to 20 minutes). Usually, after the in-depth talk, we took pictures and end the visit with a prayer for the family. Regularly, it is me and my wife Nenette who always do the weekly visits. Sometimes, some of our staff will accompany us. We have assigned each of our scholars to be under the supervision of a mentor, which is also our Pasuk Staff. Due to this pandemic, usually, our staff/mentor will just contact or connect with their mentees thru Messenger. But with this new Weekly Home Visitation, we have agreed to encourage each of our staff/mentors to go with us in the home visitation, especially if the scholars to visit are under their supervision. This is a way of developing the closeness of our scholars to their mentors. And then, it is also a way of training and equipping our staff in effectively doing home visitation by themselves in the future.
We are also in the pace of creating a Homework Support Program (HSP). This is a new program that will help our dear scholars in their modular classes. During our home visits, we found out that many of our scholars, together with their parents/guardians, are having difficulty answering their modules. Even more difficult for parents/guardians who were not schooled and could hardly read and write. We are still finalizing this new program, HSP. We can do this thru Messenger, but doing this in the house of every scholar would be more effective. So, please help us in praying that our staff will commit and do an extra mile of going out and help their mentees in doing their modules. After almost visiting all our Pasuk Scholars in their respective homes, I have the impression that this is one of the best ways where we can establish a close relationship with our scholars and their families. Seeing and hearing their present situations and their struggles made me realize how blessed we are, and that includes all of you as sponsors and donors of PASUK. Every time we visit, we always hear them saying 'Thank you for supporting us'. They are forever grateful to all sponsors, who are continuously giving your financial support to them. Your regular and generous giving has greatly changed their lives for the better. Your support really matters in the life of each of our PASUK scholars. Truly, we are giving them HOPE and Education. Thank you so much for our beautiful partnership. On behalf of the whole congregation of Cebu Bible Church, I would like to extend to all of you sponsors and donors of PASUK Foundation, our heartfelt and warm Christmas Greetings.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
To God be all the glory! Praying with you all, Pastor Russel Villafuerte
