Community of Hope Centre, Ozamis, Philippines.

Community of Hope Centre, Ozamis, Philippines.

Today is a joyful day for the Community of Hope Center, Ozamis, Philippines, as the Sisters and staff welcomed benefactors from the Immaculate Conception College (ICC) Alumni High School 1976 and the Rotary Club from South Korea in partnership with the Rotary Club of Ozamiz. The former gave a donation of 5 wheelchairs for the children with Cerebral Palsy and the latter gave a generous amount of money to enhance the facility of the center and facilitate the livelihood programs for the parents e.g. cookery, soap making, crafts, sewing, etc., to help them defray the necessary expenses of their children.

The Community of Hope Center had been under the administration of the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban since 1985.  And to date it has served more than a thousand children and young adults with autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, club foot cleft lip and palate, hearing impairment and those who are mentally challenged.

                                                  Sr. Cecilia and ICC alumni ’76 representative            

The whole atmosphere of laughter and vibrant noise was palpable as children, parents and staff welcomed the visitors, received their gifts and shared their different talents. Our very own Srs. Cecilia Cuizon and Sofia Natama together with the staff graciously welcomed everybody and made the celebration such a wonderful occasion for everybody.

I pray for all our benefactors who continue to extend their generous and creative help to enable us, missionaries to reach out to people who are less fortunate and who are often forgotten by the society.

Sr. Sofia Natama with the Rotary Club International from Ozamiz and South Korea

The celebration ended with a song entitled: Glowing Inside. And I was touched by the chorus as the children sang and I quote it below:

“Thank you for the glow,

I thank you for the joy,

Thank you for the love you gave to me”

                                                                                                         Anne Carbon, SSC

If you would like to know more about the Columban Sisters:
E-mail us : weboffice@columbansisters.org