An Unforgettable Experience – Part 3

A sponsor of seven children, Steve Krumholz recently traveled to the Philippines as a volunteer on a surgical mission trip sponsored by the Society of Philippine Surgeons in America. While in the Philippines, he had the opportunity to visit not only his sponsored children, but also the children and their families that he has helped support with generous contributions since becoming a friend to Children International in 2006.

Part 3

At the community center, Cynthia Tiotuyco introduced me to 10-year-old sponsored child Rachel Labayo, who also lives in Bagbag Cemetery. Rachel felt bad that her mom works so hard to provide for the family. Rachel found a small piece of open dirt, in the midst of a sea of cement graves, and planted vegetables so her family had additional food. I was taken so much by this story of ingenuity and motivation that I asked to sponsor one of her siblings and was introduced to 8-year-old Marjorie, who became my 7th sponsored child.

On the following Monday, Cynthia Tiotuyco and her staff took me to two special locations. The first stop was at Santo Nino Elementary School in Caloocan City. This school had a new classroom built through the fundraising efforts of Aura’s House. When I entered the compound that contains Santo Nino School, I was greeted by a group of majorettes doing a dance routine, while dozens of 1st graders waved flags for me. In the background I could see the nine classes share an open classroom area. Not very conducive to a good learning environment, but they were making the most of limited classroom space (due to overcrowding in schools, there are three shifts of students, from 6 AM until 10 AM, 10 AM until 2 PM and 2 PM until 6 PM).

After completion of the choreographed dance routine by the majorettes, I was led to the classroom of Christian Capin, whose classroom was funded by Kristen Palana, the founder of Aura’s House.


Upon entering, I was loudly greeted by a sea of smiling faces. Christian, a tiny 9-year-old boy, presented me with a drawing of his classroom and a handwritten letter thanking me, Aura’s House and Children International for the construction of this special classroom. Then an upper classman, a third grader sang “Hero” to me – though I think the words are more appropriate for the Aura’s House team who helped make this classroom a reality: “So when you feel like hope is gone, look inside you and be strong and you’ll finally see the truth, that a hero lies in you.”

Our final stop was at Bagbag Cemetery, where Eduardo Garcia and his family formerly lived. Rachel and Marjorie Labayo and their siblings still call it home. After stopping at Eduardo’s former home, which is now occupied by his paternal grandmother, I climbed over dozens of graves, almost one on top of the other, to reach the Labayo home. A tarpaulin stretched over several pieces of wood covering three graves was home to this family of eight. An extension cord powered a fan and a single light bulb. I sat for photographs with Rachel, Marjorie and the Garcias and realized how fragile their lives are, nestled among the dead who rested here. I resolved to find a home for Rachel and Marjorie so they can also escape from the isolation of living here.

I realized that, as sponsors, we are heroes to our sponsored children. I know that not everyone has the means or ability to visit their sponsored children, but hopefully you will take comfort in knowing that your sponsorship is making a world of difference in the lives of others – children you may never meet, but who will think of you as their heroes.

On my trip to the Philippines I met many who I consider heroes. The surgeons who give freely of their time and talents to bring world class surgical care to their impoverished countrymen. The Children International field staff in Legazpi City and Manila/Quezon City, and the many staffers and executives in Kansas City who paved the way for a very successful visit. They made me feel like their best friend and they went to great lengths to make me feel welcome, to help me see the big picture and understand how sponsors fit into the global community of helping others.

To the sponsored children and families I met – the Maninangs, the Garcias, the Beltrans, and the Labayos – I owe a great deal of affection and admiration for their strength amidst seemingly overwhelming odds against them. As sponsors you can make a difference in the lives of others. Perhaps you will never meet your sponsored children, but please know that you are a hero to them…. “It’s a long road when you face the world alone”, but you are reaching out a hand for them to hold.

An Unforgettable Experience – Part 2

A sponsor of seven children, Steve Krumholz recently traveled to the Philippines as a volunteer on a surgical mission trip sponsored by the Society of Philippine Surgeons in America. While in the Philippines, he had the opportunity to visit not only his sponsored children, but also the children and their families that he has helped support with generous contributions since becoming a friend to Children International in 2006.

Part 2

After completing the surgical mission, I returned to Manila where I was to meet my sponsored child Eduardo Garcia, an 11 year old boy, and the Beltran sisters Lovely Sophia, age 7 and Richelle Joy, age 9. I first came to learn about the Garcia family when they were featured in the sponsorship magazine, Journeys. I was stricken with concern about how these families could live among the dead in Bagbag Cemetery. At the time, I sponsored two children in Colombia and Ecuador and was looking to add two more. However, time passed and the Garcia family slipped my mind until the March 15th blog post. There were Remy Garcia’s hollow eyes staring at me once again. I knew I couldn’t wait for others to do something. I contacted Children International to sponsor one of the Garcia children and to also explore finding a new home for the family, somewhere out of the cemetery.

"Real help, real hope for the New Year. Mr. Steve Krumholz, a sponsor of Children International – Manila, visited recently his sponsored child Eduardo Garcia. Together with Mr. Ron Neal, he literally dug out Eduardo and his family from the grave and from poverty of living in Bagbag Cemetery and given them a new house and a new life."

When a house was found, the cost was a bit beyond my reach. However, Vickie Wiedenmann at CI headquarters in Kansas City, continued to search for other sponsors who might help with funding. She found sponsor Ron Neal. Together, we were able to purchase a home for the Garcias, and Children International CEO Jim Cook had the enviable job of delivering the good news to the family upon his visit to June 2007. To Ron Neal, whom I’ve never met, I want to extend my sincere thanks for helping make a dream come true for the Garcia family.

I was able to meet Eduardo Garcia and his family in the house he refers to as a “palace.” Eduardo’s “palace” is small, but offers two bedrooms, a bathroom and a combined kitchen and living room. An adjacent apartment consisting of two rooms is rented out and helps bring the family much needed income. Compared to the small tarpaulin covered shanty the family called home for almost 20 years, the Garcias’ new home is a treasure.

Lovely Sophia and Richelle Joy Beltran were two girls I became acquainted with in the “Easter Shoes” blog post. These two young girls were still coping with the death of their mother four years earlier, as their father, Rio, struggled to provide for his family.

Although I am not their sponsor, I wanted to help them because it saddened me that at the ages of 7 and 8 they were receiving their first pair of new shoes. These two little girls treasure this one pair of new shoes provided by their generous sponsor. I wanted to do something more to help the family out. Over the course of a few months, I was able to help their father, Rio, make improvements to their home, including adding two new walls, a new bed to replace the rickety one where the girls used to sleep, and installing electricity. Rio was also able to start a small business selling frozen meats to neighbors.

I was greeted by a large banner welcoming me to their community when I entered the Beltran home. Amid many tears, Rio hugged me and I felt as though he was a long lost brother. I was encouraged that I had made the right decision to help this family by the happy smiles of Lovely Sophia and Richelle Joy.

We collected both the Garcia and the Beltran families and went to one of the largest shopping malls in the Philippines. The mall has partnered with Children International to provide an extra 10% to each sponsored child’s visit. Eduardo Garcia and the Beltran girls were presented with stuffed pillows in the shape of animals by mall representatives. Eduardo’s wish was for a bicycle. With a helmet, knee and elbow pads and a lock, he is now ready to ride to school. The Beltran girls settled for clothes, but the look in Lovely Sophia’s eyes as she tried on a new dress spoke volumes about her happiness. Richelle Joy is more reserved, but still, when she picked out an Elmo T-shirt, she was a very happy girl.

After shopping, we returned to the Community Center, where a holiday party was in progress. I was stunned by the warm reception provided by Agency Director Cynthia Tiotuyco and her staff. Their greetings made me feel like a celebrity! The sponsored teens at the Manila field office made me feel special as well when I praised their efforts to notify and educate their friends about dengue fever and parasitic diseases. There were so many intelligent and sincere teens that I met there. Just looking into their eyes made me see that their future holds great promise.

Check the blog again tomorrow to read how Steve was inspired to sponsor yet another child.

In The Tondo

If you are a reader of Journeys, Children International’s magazine about sponsorship and the changes it is making around the world, no doubt you’re familiar with Scott Cotter. Scott is a long-time writer for Children International and has traveled around the world covering the work we do and the children and families we serve. One of Scott’s most notable pieces in recent issues dealt with the plight of families living in the Bagbag cemetery in Manila, Philippines.

On that same trip, Scott visited a neighborhood called The Tondo. The impact it made on him will forever remain etched in his mind…and heart. In a slideshow he put together shortly after his return, Scott narrates what it felt like to stand in this community where overcrowding, disease and poverty compete with hope…a hope that, in some cases, only sponsorship provides.

Cramped quarters: Scott sits on the floor of a tiny home in The Tondo as he conducts an interview.

Click here to visit Children International’s video and slideshow archive, where you may select “Life on the Line” and experience The Tondo with Scott as he shares his thoughts in a compelling slideshow.