a huge loss, a big opportunity

8/10/2019 A Huge Loss, A Big Opportunity

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A HUGE LOSS, A BIG OPPORTUNITYTO GIVE, CARE, REBUILD AND DREAM TOGETHER

An update from

RESOURCES FOR PHILIPPINE RURAL COMMUNITIES CORPORATION

UNCOVERING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE PEOPLE AND THEIR LAND

November, 2014


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I. A relief team of 8 responded to the massive devastation left by super typhoon

Haiyan

They come from various fields: Agriculture, Veterinary, Medicine, Construction, Business,Science, Media and Missions. They were prepared for any dire situations. Within a few days, residents

in rural communities were treated medically, farmers received training on natural farming and goat-

raising, and a church building was constructed.

From L to R: Celeste Horein (Business) from Michigan; David Horein (Construction) from Michigan; Charlita Rosal-Kwasniowski

(Science) from Nevada; Sarah Rutchik (Nursing) from Michigan; Dr. Helen Noble (Veterinary) from Massachusetts; Caleb

Noble (Media) from Massachusetts. Not in the picture are: Bing Brackeen (Agriculture) from Arizona, and Cora Carter

(Missions) from Georgia.

From L to R: Celeste Horein, Flor Magsalay, Dr. Helen Noble, Charlita Rosal-Kwasniowski, Cora Carter, Bing Brackeen, David

Horein, Jun Magsalay, and Caleb Noble. Jun and Flor Magsalay are retired civil engineer and teacher who are devoted to

working with the rural poor. They founded a church years ago and they have started several rural satellite churches.


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a. Caring through medical outreaches:

The team set up for medical outreach.

Lives of mother and child saved as medical treatments were administered from one community to the next.


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b. Giving basic needs:

Cora Carter coordinated the unloading and distribution of 44 huge boxes of relief goods.

Relief goods distribution began.

Loading the material blessings into a tricycle.


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c. Rebuilding:

The men looked on with amazement as David Horein opened his suitcase full of building tools from the US. Without

these tools it would have taken three to four months to build the same structure that David and

Caleb along with local volunteers built in a week.

David began constructing the building.

A few days after the construction started, the people were together again under one roof.


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d. Restoring and expanding sources of livelihood:

The team hiked up the mountain to do natural farming demo.

Residents patiently waited for seed ration so they can start planting again.

Dr. Helen Noble taught the local people how to milk and properly care for the goat. Many were surprised to know that

they can drink milk freshly extracted from the goat. Several tasted the fresh milk.


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e. Encouraging and ministering to the spiritual needs:

Caleb Noble rendered songs and gave encouragement to the typhoon victims.

The people thanked the Lord for His faithfulness.


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f. Discussions about library and college scholarships as necessary components of rural

community development:

During the relief work, the team and the local leadership started discussing how important

education is to give a chance to rural people get out of poverty. Everyone was convinced that library

and scholarship programs must be in the pipeline soon. Dr. Noble gave her book, Where There is

No Animal Doctor, and Cora Carter left books on library designs. These are the first donated books

to go into the future community library.

II. Progress since the team left: relief work created a domino effect

a.

The establishment of the pilot farm:

Few weeks after the team left, fermented products from the natural farming demos were used in the pilot farm.


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Tropical long beans and bitter gourds are bigger and healthier even without the use of conventional fertilizers,

pesticides and/or insecticides.

L: A farmer pumped water from the well to water the plants in the pilot farm. R: A buck and a doe were acquired

to start breeding in the pilot farm. They were named after the team members: Davca after David and Caleb; Celen after

Celeste and Helen.

First goat house built with indigenous materials: Nipa leaves for roofing, bamboo tree for posts and roof support,

milled fallen coconut tree for flooring and ladder. Goats cannot survive without their own shelter. RPRCC bought a

huge chainsaw to mill lumber.


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b. The construction improvements:

Less than two months after the team left, momentum continued. The floors were cemented, two bathrooms were

built, a water well was dug, and bamboo wallings were installed. The building became a favorite place for meetings,

trainings, church services, social functions, and seminars conducted by several local groups and even speakers from

abroad.

c. College Opportunity Project:

There are now four qualified students who are in school with scholarships.

d. Library Project:

L: Several volunteers from New Life Community Church and from Ipswich Country Club in Massachusetts collected,

packed, and shipped these boxes. There are many more volunteers who are not in this photo. R: Volunteers in Ormoc,

Leyte posed after a busy and fun day of sorting books and actually reading at the same time as sixteen (16) huge boxes

of books arrived from Massachusetts. The books are temporarily displayed on the shelves inside the same building

that the relief team built.


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e. Groundbreaking of the future site of the library building:

In June, 2014, Engineer Jun Magsalay broke the ground for the site of the library. The site is at the back of the

church building constructed by the relief team.

III. Dreaming and moving forward with our goals

a. Clear more areas for the pilot farm:

Typhoon-damaged trees need to be cut, gathered and burned to prevent long term damage of agricultural lands.

Majority of the local people do not have chainsaws nor the know-how to use them.


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b. Establish pasture lands:

Ideal design for pasture land modelled at a state university.

c. Equip the farmers with practical and appropriate farming tools:

These are the farm tools that local farmers use in the rural communities. Nobody uses tractors or other more

sophisticated tools. They can be trained to use chainsaws and other appropriate tools.


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d. Acquire more goats for the breeding ground:

Crossbreeds and native goats in the pilot farm. We plan to add several more.

e.

Rebuild the small community center near the pilot farm:

There used to be a building on this site used for church services, meetings and social gathering. The

typhoon completely wiped it out. Our goal is to rebuild so that there will be a venue for medical outreaches,

trainings, church services, and storage for pilot farm supplies and tools.

f. Finish the library building by May, 2015:

Please check out and click the library design below and give us your opinion.

Proposed Library Design.pdf

Thank you so much for your time talent and treasure.

May God continue to shower blessings upon you and your family.
https://www.scribd.com/doc/246153790/Proposed-Library-Design?secret_password=sy5Y6CnxgWO9a4OtDSlmhttps://www.scribd.com/doc/246153790/Proposed-Library-Design?secret_password=sy5Y6CnxgWO9a4OtDSlm

a huge loss, a big opportunity

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