STEVEN BLACK AND BETHANY

In the summer of this year Steven Black who is a professional photographer in Scotland and the son of a dear friend of mine Don Black held an exhibition of the photographs in Scotland's capital Edinburgh that he took on a visit to Cebu in late 2009. Steven generously promised to donate part of the voluntary donations collected from those who viewed his exhibition to Bethany. Last month his father Don returned to Cagayan de Oro and handed over the magnificent sum of PHP 14,000.00 from Steven to be put towards the expansion of the Rubber Plantation Project.


A big thank you to Steven for a wonderful gesture and its hoped that your photographic career brings you back to the Philippines one day to see the Rubber Plantation Project through your camera lens. http://www.stevenblackphotography.co.uk/

FESTIVE GREETINGS TO ONE AND ALL

Well it’s getting near that time of the year when Christmas is almost upon us and the New Year beckons. Just where has the year gone to?


I don’t know if it’s an age thing but time is flying especially now I’m retired from full time working. To be honest I’ve never been busier than I have been since coming to reside in the Philippines and I thought retirement was just a long vacation.

Never mind I have enjoyed ever minute of helping Bethany as well as helping out my wife Marilou in the other charity work that she is involved in.

So it leaves me to say I hope all my readers have a very merry Christmas and a prosperous and happy New Year for 2011. I would also like to say a big thank you to everyone who has helped the children of Bethany financially and those that gave their moral and spiritual support as without your help Bethany could not exist.

God Bless you all.

Thanksgiving Celebration at Bethany

Today Bethany Christian School celebrated Thanksgiving with a musical presentation of Joseph the Dreamer. It was a joy to watch the presentation of the students performed with so much “gusto”. It was good to see a biblical story portrayed with a modern twist. Blending the dialogue with rap music was artistically created that it appealed to both the young and mature audience. I was very impressed indeed and can honestly confirm that “Bethany Has Got Talent”.

Well done to all the cast and the staff who worked hard to entertain us. Thank you.

  

 

MARY JOY GOES TO COLLEGE.

                                                        Mary Joy in her college uniform.

As a result of the kindness of Mr Michael & Mrs Mary Beth Soignet from Charlotte, North Carolina USA, Mary Joy Radam one of our Bethany children or should I say young ladies has now enrolled at Bukidnon State College Talakag Campus. Incidentally Mr & Mrs Soignet have already a son adopted from Bethany called Darvy.

Mary Joy has elected to take a course leading to obtaining a BSc in Elementary Education. Mary Joy’s ambition is to teach at Elementary School on completion of her studies. The degree course is of 5 years duration and runs Monday to Friday from 4pm to 9pm and Saturday from 8am till 12 Noon and 1pm till 4pm. Due to the course being part time in structure it’s very demanding as Mary Joy also works as a carer at Bethany. I spoke with Mary Joy today Friday 19th November and asked her how she was finding going back to school so to speak. She told me although the college schedule is demanding she is enjoying the challenge and is determined to do well and not let her sponsors down.

I will keep you all updated on Mary Joy’s progress as she travels along the road of academic enlightenment.

Once again a big personal thank you to the Soignet’s for your kindness from myself and Marilou on behalf of Bethany.

REQUESTING ASSISTANCE

Since I started this blog, but particularly over the last two years, I have had many requests from former Bethany children regarding tracing their biological parents and/or relatives. It is always a pleasure to try and assist in this endeavour but I would like to inform those requesting this help from Bethany that it does take time and sometimes cost money. I’m not talking about a fortune but please allow for telephone calls and visits to be made to the Dept of Social Welfare to follow up information along with fuel or transport cost and, depending on how long it takes, maybe a snack or lunch etc. For an organisation like Bethany which relies on donations, every peso is a prisoner. I don’t wish to discourage anyone from asking for assistance but please kindly make a little donation to Bethany to help with your enquiry.

Australia's Best in Talakag Native Costume

Rachel 1

Rachel 2

Amy 1

Amy 2

Last month I wrote about two former Bethany Children who returned to Bethany from their home in Australia. Sisters Amy and Rachel, whilst visiting Bethany, were persuaded on their last day in Talakag to wear traditional native costumes for a photograph as a souvenir of their visit.

I shall let my readers decide if the photographs were worthwhile.

VISITORS FROM FLORIDA

Welcoming Banner For our Guests

L to R Mike Gowens, Jim C, Pastor Todd Jones and Dr Alan Floyd

Some of our children welcome our visitors from Florida

Following a chance contact via my blog Mike Gowens wrote to me asking if it was possible for him and some people from his church First Baptist of Middleburg in Florida http://www.fbcmiddleburg.com/ to visit Bethany.

I immediately put him in direct contact with our Chairperson, Atty Chemene Nacua to arrange a possible visit. To cut a long story short a visit was soon set up and Mike along with the church pastor Dr Alan Floyd and senior associate pastor Todd Jones arrived in Talakag on the 23rd September.

A special welcome was arranged for our guests in the form of a cultural history of the Philippines depicting the origin of the Filipino people and there association with the Spanish as well as the Americans over the years. Our guests were a bit taken a back by the show and I might add pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm of the children. Mrs Heidi Cansancio, School Principal, provided the welcome address explaining the work of the school within the complex that is Bethany.

Since the visit for pastors Floyd and Jones was brief they immediately went on a fact finding tour of the Bethany facilities culminating with a meeting the following morning with the members of the Board of Trustees as they were returning to Manila that afternoon. Mike Gowens however remained until the 5th October to carry out an indepth study of the Bethany Organisation in order to determine where his church maybe able to assist most.

At this stage I don’t want to go into too much detail as talks are at a preliminary stage but I’m confident that both the First Baptist of Middleburg and Bethany will go on to work together in the not too distant future. What I can say is Mike Gowens had an instant rapport with children as well as the Bethany staff and his enthusiasm just radiated from him.

I will keep my readers updated on future activities between the two organisations.