Babies from the Heart of Mary Villa (HMV) in Malabon were
transferred to the Good Shepherd Compound in Quezon City last October 16.
The typhoon Ondoy that hit the country on September 26 flooded the six buildings at HMV: the nursery, the residence for single mothers, the Damayan Community Center, the chapel, the convent and the original old house in the property. A portion of the HMV fence collapsed and triggered more water from the streets to come in.
Sisters and staff were quick to transfer the babies, feeding bottles and other important items from the one-story nursery to the second floor of the residence. The floods destroyed the walls, doors, cabinets, appliances, furnitures, computers, several filing cabinets of the offices and the books of the community library. The single mothers also helped transfer foods items and utensils to an improvised kitchen at the second floor of the residence. Sisters and staff had to spend time to clean the buildings.
A week later, the babies were again transferred to the rooms of the convent where they were able to set up the cribs. Another room was provided for the use of the caregivers.
With the present situation and the news of more typhoons coming to the Philippines, Sr. Susan Montano RGS, coordinator of HMV community, said another transfer was necessary. The babies were brought to the Formation House in Quezon City on October 16.
Sr. Emma Marzan RGS, former HMV nursery supervisor and currently pre-novitiate directress, organized the new set up of the nursery.
Sisters and staff carrying a baby (and for several caregivers, two babies) arrived in Quezon City aboard two vans. They were met by the Sisters among them Sr. Cecilia Torres, province leader of the Good Shepherd Sisters.
Damayan Community Center (DCC)
Damayan Community Center, an outreach program of Heart of Mary Villa, was also scheduled to have Mass in celebration of its foundation day on September 27. Food items and gift bags had been readied for distribution to the member-beneficiaries from the urban poor of Malabon and Caloocan. All these were destroyed during the floods of September 26.
Sr. Susan said other damages to the center included books in the library, furnitures, musical instruments, costumes for cultural presentations, equipments like sound system, laptop and other audiovisual facilities for the use of children and adults.
Social workers and staff are currently involved in the different projects of the center, particularly in providing educational assistance to the students and in conducting formation sessions to the parents in the local areas and in the center.
With the many groups coming to the convent to give aid to the typhoon victims, the HMV community and DCC staff help in distributing relief goods to the victims.
Interesting stories
A social worker, after saving important adoption documents, was passing by the chapel on her way back to the residence when the flashflood occurred and water rose suddenly as high as eight feet. A wooden statue of St. Joseph that was floating nearby became her life-saver.
DCC social workers who visited the urban poor community near the center learned from the people that if the wall of the HMV property did not collapse they would have drowned. They were grateful that their lives were saved even if they were not able to save their properties. This story gave consolation to the sisters.
