icm pre-schools

Sep. 17, 2008 Newsletter by Tara C. Alverson

This is the last newsletter I’ll be writing from the Philippines. 8 months went quick. I leave in a about a week and a half<br /> back to the States, and then I’ll be working on framing the paintings. I have discussed with the ICM Board in Hong Kong and I<br /> have come to the conclusion that the paintings can make more of a profit by being sold in the States then they can in the Hong<br /> Kong fun-raiser. I’m planning on trying to find a few local churches in my area to go and talk about the purpose of the paintings,<br /> talk about what I was apart of while in the Philippines, as well the International Care Ministry Outreach Programs, and have the<br /> paintings up for sale. All profits will go towards the fun-raising of the International Care Ministries. With a bit of luck it should<br /> work out for the best. If you think your local church would like to have me come and talk and show the paintings that are up for the<br /> fun-raising, please let me know. I’d be obliged, thanks. I plan on going out to local churches when I get back in October.<br /> A little over a month ago I was able to go out with a few ICM Staff and give underwear to the young kids around the ICM<br /> Office in Dumaguete. The Office is surrounded by a small community of squatters, or a slum. The kids are intolerably cute, still<br /> running around with their ‘Superman, Spunge-Bob, and Cars underwear’, and the little girls have ‘Dora, Barbie and Strawberry<br /> Shortcake.’<br /> Just last week my family sent over 40 dresses for little girls, some toothpaste and brushes. Thanks! I was able to go with a<br /> few of the ICM Staff members to four of their preschools to hand out the items. We distributed the toothbrushes and toothpaste to<br /> two of the schools, located in Tanjay, an hours drive north of Dumaguete. The kids weren’t really in to it at first. I asked if I could<br /> have a few of them demonstrate for me so I could send a picture of them back home. ‘We already know how to brush our teeth.’ A<br /> little boy said from the back row. I still came away with a few smiles on camera.<br /> Since the last two preschools were up in the mountain areas of Bindoy, 2 hours drive north from Dumaguete we had to ride<br /> a hubble-hubble to get to them. A hubble-hubble is a motor-cycle that can carry over 6 people. Because most vehicles can’t ride<br /> the rough and rocky terrain of the mountains these hubble-hubbles have become the main mode of transport to such remote areas<br /> of the Philippines. It’s like riding a billy goat up the side of a cliff, ...except there’s 5 other people crammed on the back of billy<br /> with you, often times with only a few inches between billy and the edge. You can see a horizon of brilliant blues and distant islands<br /> scattered about, and all you can do is hang on and enjoy the beauty as it goes rushing by; coconut trees, palm leaves, and a few<br /> miscreant hogs. When we arrived on top, the students were excited to see us. ‘GOOD MORNING VISITORS!’ They greeted us as<br /> we walked into the small school house. We were able to hand out some ‘spider-man underwear’ to the boys and each girl received<br /> a new dress. They were very excited, I didn’t even have to do a demonstration.

The International Care Ministries is able to support<br /> nine preschools in each region. So far the different regions<br /> consist of Bacolod, located in Negros Occidental, Dumaguete,<br /> in Negros Orriental (Where I have been most the time), Tagabalaran<br /> on the island of Bohol and Jenson in Mindanao. Preschools<br /> are supplied with reading and writing materials, tables<br /> and chairs, uniforms, lunch and snacks. This might sound<br /> typical for a school to offer for us in the ‘western world’, but<br /> most of the population here in the Philippines cannot afford to<br /> send their children to pre-school. Elementary is supposed to be<br /> free to all children but they must know how to read and write.<br /> That’s called a ‘Catch 22’ the last time I checked. Most parents<br /> can barely afford to feed and cloth their children, let alone take<br /> the time to educate them. Most of the elder population can<br /> barely read and write themselves. And unfortunately in some<br /> places of Mindanao the poor still sell their uneducated daughters<br /> into marriage, prostitution and sometimes abroad, where<br /> they get lost in the underworld of ‘Human-Trafficking’. So by<br /> the ICM offering free preschool, they are offering not just an<br /> education to these kids but offering them and their families an<br /> opportunity for the future.<br /> Anie Tapuz is the head of the Children’s Education<br /> Program in Dumaguete, she’s been the one whose helped me<br /> distribute most of the clothing that’s been sent to me from<br /> back home. She’s become a very close friend while I’ve been<br /> here. Her mother and father, Nani Brenda and Tati Johnny are<br /> the ones who run the ICM Orphanage in Dumaguete, It’s now<br /> home to over 25 children who have been abandoned, neglected<br /> and or orphaned by their families. The Tapuz’s have a lot of<br /> compassion for the children of the Philippines and are quite an<br /> encouragement to the rest of the ICM Staff. Lot Lot, one of the<br /> children at the orgphanage began attending a resource group<br /> for children with special needs each week, and is now able to<br /> do some art and crafts with a little help. It’s quite an achievement<br /> as she struggles form Cerebral Palsy.<br /> Out of the 100 students we met distributing the dresses<br /> and toothbrushes, I only made three cry. They’re not custom<br /> to seeing a strange white lady act like an ungoy, (monkey). I’ll<br /> keep you updated on how the paintings sell. And don’t worry<br /> when I get back I plan to send a newsletter of the paintings.<br /> It’s just that my nipa hut isn’t big enough for me to bring out<br /> all the paintings to photograph and send back. Besides, I don’t<br /> trust the spiders here, they might grab one of my paintings<br /> when I’m not paying attention and scatter off with it up into<br /> a banana leaf. On my ending note, I killed the mouse, ... I’ve<br /> come quite handy with a knife while being here. I hope to see<br /> you all soon.<br /> Take care,<br /> Tara C. Alverson / T.C. Artworks<br /> Pagpipinta Sa Pulo: ICM Pre-schools<br /> September 17, 2008 | Photo: The Valentino Learning Center, Tanjay City, By the Sea

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Photos on page 6: The International Tree House Learning Center, Tanjay City

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Photos on page 8: Handog NDIOS Learning Center, Bindoy

Photos on page 9: On the hubble hubble: Joe, visitor from Australia,<br /> hubble-hubble driver, Anie Tapuz, Nene, staff of ICM.

Photos on page 10: The WTM Learning Center, Bindoy

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pagpipinta sa pulo Newsletter © 2008 Tara C. Alverson. Reprinted with permission.