AAAA-SC
Assumption Alumnae Association Abroad of Southern California
Spirituality ~ Charity ~ Social Responsibility ~ Support ~ Fun & Camaraderie ~ Education ~ Noblesse Oblige
Helping Victims of OndoyAssumption Alumnae, Friends,& Family help flood victims by providing financial support, donating, and packing relief goods! Photos
Donation Check Instructions:Pay to the order of: Religious of the Assumption, NAP
Memo: ONDOY Address to Mail checks to: c/o Sr. Nuala Cotter, RA Assumption Sisters 11 Old English Road Worcester, MA 01609 Additional Contact Information: Sr. Nuala Cotter ph (508) 767-7575 [email protected] Sr. Cecilia, Sr. Loretto (215) 368-4427 [email protected] Personals Experiences by Sr. Regina of the Unprecedented DelugeDay 5, Oct. 1 There are many reading this daily account and I was asked to continue. IFRS formation accompaniment program resumes tomorrow. The very first thing I heard over the radio this morning is the request of the inmates of the biggest city jail of Manila to be served only twice a day. As they cannot go out to help, they asked that their third meal be given to evacuees. Suffering can indeed bring out what is beautiful in us. This is what I contemplate each day right here in our land. Our volunteers who went to Marikina yesterday in Air Force trucks were able to go home only past midnight. Everywhere they went, people were crying for food and they pursued relief operations till way past sunset through dark streets as electricity has not yet been restored in these areas. Today, they went back again, this time with the same trucks & more vans filled with clothes and bottled water. Mud water level is still very high. We don’t know if classes can really resume on Monday, especially in Pasig & Marikina. Malibay (San Juan Nepomuceno School) immediate relief operations finished today. Yesterday 1, 278 families were served. Today the 500 family sacks were given to the worst hit families in an orderly way. The Sisters and lay staff started with the Gospel of the day: “…and they went out 2 by 2…” so did they, visiting homes as far as they could go, coming home at the end of the day to rest & be still before Jesus in Adoration. There must have been many things that took place in deep silent prayer. Our LSA sisters accepted to host the medical mission in Malibay and we forwarded all medicines & pharmaceutical tools to them. SJNS can now start cleaning up and try to be ready for the opening of classes on Monday, hoping & praying that super-typhoon Peping will not hit us again. There is a lot to repair, reconstruct, but the teachers know how to resume classes in limited space. Creativity & resiliency are God’s gifts to us. Today, too, my e-mail inbox was full of letters expressing solidarity in many ways. We are receiving more help from our big Assumption family. Sisters Fe & Ana Maria, Pinky Valdes and Milette O.Recto spoke with each other to delineate roles & tasks in the next stage of rehabilitation. Starting tomorrow we continue to receive donations at the College Lobby. Packaging will continue in smaller scale, but deliveries might wait for a few days. We are aware that big TV stations & politicians are now reaching needy areas with more relief goods. Our San Lorenzo school staff needs time to clean-up and prepare for the opening of classes on Monday. Monday and the days to come will have many stories to share. I think we need time to reflect on these true stories and hear what God wants to tell. At the same time live day to day for we don’t know what Peping will bring. All we know is that God is with us. Day 4, Sept. 30 Today e-letters and calls from many friends & alumnae outside Manila abound. We are very touched with the great sense of solidarity. Some “old girls” in other parts of MetroManila & neighboring provinces tell me about their touching experiences as they help through their parish-based organizations or with local government units and television stations. I’ve not heard yet of anyone who is not doing something for others. There are staff members of San Lorenzo who have been badly hit by Ondoy. It is only today that they start attending to their own needs after 3 days of generous service. So are our own Sisters of Malibay. There was time today for much-needed medical care and to buy sisters’ supplies as their basic commodities and footwear were swept away, too. Fe and Ana Maria are attending to them. Medical missions are ready to serve now to attend to secondary needs in Malibay. At the same time the Alumnae Association is organizing for the rehabilitation phase that will come soon. We are grateful for all those who offered to help in terms of cash. Should you know of friends who want to do bank-to-bank transactions, just let me know because we have $, Euro and Peso Acct. Numbers. Meanwhile relief service continues in Antipolo (helping Angono & nearby areas), San Simon (helping Arayat) and San Lorenzo. Today the overflowing numbers of volunteers & donors continue in San Lorenzo. A house helper brought her own piggy bank coins worth 1,000 pesos! We were able to deliver the 500 family sacks (kitchen ware, mats, blankets, pillows, etc.) for the 500 worst hit families of Malibay. Chiqui Violago was able to borrow 2 army trucks to help her & some Sisters bring goods to critical areas of Marikina & Pasig. Neil & other College staff were able to reach San Mateo, Rizal. These areas have not been reached by any group as they had to take rubber boats & wade through muddy waters still reaching the thighs. Many said, “Thank you! It has been 3 days that we have not taken rice. We can take hunger, but our children cannot take it anymore.” In Marikina & Pasig, the goods were delivered house to house by Sr. M.Ignatius and High School teachers. Families were so grateful that they have food for 2 days now without lining up in distribution centers for hours and end up not having anything left. These things make me imagine how much God labors to give us life. We feel privileged to labor with God. As we serve our own people, we also think and pray for those who are now being hit by Ondoy in Vietnam and by a terrible earthquake & tidal waves in Samoa & Tongga. This might be my last chronicle for the week as I go back to work at IFRS. I shall try to resume next week. Love from Sr. Regivi Day 3: September 30 Classes are cancelled for the whole week in MetroManila.More bodies are discovered as the water-level goes down.Death toll all over the country as of 4 p.m. today is at 282, more than half from Metro Manila.Status reports on damages are beyond our imagination. I’ve been asked to give status reports, on our Assumption Operation Tulong.I can’t believe that classes are suspended because of traffic jam outside our gates and along our driveway. Today I realized that indeed AC is school of life.The Assumption family comes to school this week because like Jesus we want to save and give life.I met a very young child who told me how happy she is to work like a cow for those who lost so much. Pinky V. was able to take some pictures yesterday and today.These will be sent by installment to Sr. Marjo who will surely share with all of you. Some shots look dark as tents have been put up in the open space of Malibay to be able to do our daily work.But they are enough to give you an idea of post-Ondoy activities here. Today, with more donations, we were able reach out beyond sister-communities.Chiqui Violago and Sr. Sheryl ventured to visit evacuation areas in Pasig, one of the worst-hit areas of MManila. The site gripped their hearts and Chiqui is now back in Pasig to bring a small truck-load of bottled water. Rescue help has not yet reached some areas of Pasig and people haven’t eaten for more than 48 hours. We’ve decided extend our help to some evacuation areas especially this week when we have more than enough food to share. Sisters Roshni and Junalyn in Sonjie Trillana’s vehicle were able to visit San Simon. Our school is in good shape and classes resumed today.But all along the highway to San Simon was like a sea and there will be no rice harvest in many parts. Tomorrow the high school students & faculty will visit worst-hit areas of Arayat and share the 350 food packages our Sisters brought. In Malibay our Assumptionist fathers & brothers came to help us minister to 926 families who came for their food packages.Luli A.Bernas (1st daughter) sent Malaca nang kitchen staff to serve a hefty afternoon merienda for these families. Sr. Fe brought a group of Ambassadors’ wives to our LSA sisters who were overwhelmed by the outpouring of help. The Ambassador of Chile sent us a sack of rice for them, too. A new typhoon is entering our area of responsibility tomorrow. As we brace for the new threat, we all beg God to spare us further damage. Please join us in this prayer.Meanwhile people, especially the young, are inspired by an 18-year old construction worker who saved 31 lives at the peak of the raging floods and then died of fatigue.Today, the nation is thanking him and the 6 soldiers who also lost their lives saving as many people as possible in dangerous areas last Saturday. We have new martyrs of charity to inspire us in the forthcoming days. Day 2 , Sept. 28 Today, San Lorenzo was a sea of solidarity. Hundreds of families came to bring goods, lend vehicles to assure that these goods reach as many as possible in Malibay. All gave themselves in great generosity to assure that packages were enough for the day’s needs. By early afternoon, we had more than expected so that we are able to share with Antipolo and San Simon who are also ministering to their neighboring villages. This evening the Ayala-Zobels brought kitchen packages (gas stove and utensils) that will be given to the 500 most hit-families of Malibay. Really, I can say I’ve seen a glimpse of the Kingdom today! Pinky Valdes “presided” the whole operation: students, parents, alumnae, friends, personnel and sisters who worked in a very organized and joyful manner. The same atmosphere reigned in Malibay the whole day. In Malibay many of us really cried to sea a mountain of books and school materials go to the garbage heap. Our sister Silvia couldn’t stop crying as more things went to the damp truck because we can no longer restore them. But the good news is our children and their families are alive and they have the will and the hope to recover soon. I know God is here and will see them through because there are people who care. Today around 650 families were served and tomorrow we expect around 800. I had time to visit our LSA sisters in the other side of Malibay. They are well and Margaret has access to the internet around the corner already, so she can communicate to her sisters. Sisters Mercedes and Michaela called me last night as they couldn’t reach their sisters by phone. Tonight they will be finally relieved to hear from their sisters. But “Isla” where they work is really in bad condition. They lost one of the schoolchildren in the flood. Please pray for them, too. We share what we have with them and so are the Assumption Fathers helping them. Pag-Asa, our weather bureau just announced 2 incoming typhoons within the week. Please help us storm heaven. Hope with us that they will not fall, and if they do, that they will not bring more damage. Tonight Ondoy’s death toll is at 106 with thousands still missing only in Metro Manila. I don’t have the figures of other provinces. God must have something in store for our nation in this great purification. There, dear Sisters…I hope this helps give you a picture when you pray for us. Love from Regivic ************************************************ From: regina victoria <[email protected]> Subject: Typhoon Ondoy To: Date: Sunday, September 27, 2009, 9:53 PM DAY 1 - September 27, 2009 I’d like to share briefly my personal experience of this unprecedented deluge all over Metro Manila that turned our city into an ocean in less than 6 hours of heavy rainfall. The weather station says that what happened in 1969 in 24 hours happened yesterday in 6 hours! I left IFRS (where I help facilitate the Formators’ Accompaniment Program) at noon with Fr. Ely Cruz, SDB Provincial, in his car at noon and we tried to navigate Aurora Blvd and practically all alternate routes to Makati for 4 hours. Water level in most roads were knee high, in others up to the thighs. Both Don Bosco & San Lorenzo were already up to the neck because the creek overflowed. Through text, my own family in Magallanes described the same situation. Mommy sent home driver home at 3 p.m. and this morning I learned that Cesar swam from Magallanes bridge to Ecology village as the water was up to the neck and there were no vehicles at all up to Mckinley. Mary Francis texted that the Nova moved to the 3rd floor as the water already destroyed the gate and got into the first floor. Our Antipolo sisters were stranded in Cainta, stayed overnight in Burger King and reached Antipolo only this afternoon! They’ve started relief operations right away. Today Fe, Junalyn, Diane (Filipino postulant) & 2 caregivers gave all their physical and moral support to the Nova. The sight was painfully devastating and they will describe that in their letters. Our sisters are safe, but the ground floor will need some restoration. Trinidad, Roshni, the 2 Vietnamese postulants and I went to Malibay. Our alumnae started the water and food brigade so we were able to deliver emergency goods to around 300 families. Everywhere, people were cleaning up muddy houses, so were we in our compound. Anyone’s heart will break at the sight of the damage in the school: books, computers, etc. floating in mud. We just decided to discard a lot and build up the library ground floor again. No water, no telephone line, no electricity, but no complaints. All worked in joy even with background music from transistor radios. The same situation in Magallanes. This typhoon attacked all sectors of the city. From chaos to blessing is what I call this day. Shared experience of material loss, of mutual care and help, of lightheartedness run through everywhere. Malibay & Magallanes had no mass today, Sunday, as the churches had to be cleaned up from layers of mud as well. But the music & laughter everywhere are just as present. I felt that the people were celebrating the Eucharist in the streets and in their neighborhood all day. I am sure their Eucharistic celebrations in church will be more meaningful in the days to come. We started to receive local & international calls; Family Councils & Alumnae are coming tomorrow. So we’ve organized ourselves in San Lorenzo for better coordination with our sister communities and other Makati-based schools for the relief operations this week. It is so touching to know so many care and we want that care to reach as many as possible. On the long-term, we will ask the alumnae to help San Juan Nepumoceno school. San Simon is all right, so is Boni. If you’re interested, there’s quite a wide video coverage on You Tube and on abs-cbn.com of the deluge. 25 provinces are in a state of calamity. Please excuse abrupt ending & typographical errors. My fingers are still numb though the pain is much less with physical therapy. Dr. Cabatan told me I can expect healing after one month therapy. Love from Sr. Regivic Email from Filomena "Nena" Legazpi-Rosales
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DROP OFF SITESAssumption San Lorenzo, Makati
Please register/Check in with Pinky Valdez They welcome volunteers. Calling all AAA members. Top of the list are: blankets, banig, tents, canned goods, water, rice, and old clothes. Dasmarina Village, Makati - Barangay Office Contact Nena Legazpi-Rosales [email protected] Other helpful links: Helpful Links - http://tonofhope.org/relief-links/ Donation Drop Off Sites - http://tonofhope.org/drop-off-sites/ A way to submit additional drop off information - http://tonofhope.org/drop-off-information/ Appeals by Mothers Marjo, Mary Ann Azanza, and LorettoFrom: Mother Marjo
The outpouring of concern from so many give me an experience of real communion and solidarity. Yes, I have been in touch with each community in Luzon, round the clock, even if I am here in Thabom... The Novitiate Ground floor was completely underwater. The sisters stayed at the 3rd floor. And of course everything is destroyed. Malibay was also completely underwater. For a while what worried us was how to get the sisters transported to the 3rd floor for the school...now the situation there is dismal...thick mud that destroyed all records, computers, everything... San Simon had knee deep..so this time the school was spared of greater damage, thanks be to God. But Maxima and Charlita were stranded in Bulacan..and some of their students were stranded after taking the entrance exam in San Lo. Isable and Lydia Margarita were stranded also in Bulacan. They were on their way to Manila from Baguio for the Bazaar...they are now finally back in Baguio.. Sheryl was stuck in Paco after bringing the Thai students to NAIA after some days in San Lo under the exchange program with St. John's. And Irene Cecile, Ma. Estela, Pilar and Luz Emmanuel were more than 24 hours stranded in the second floor of Burger King Cainta because the water was more than 7 feet high... But, the last word is always LIFE...people are helping each other...it is communion and solidarity at its best... Malibay will have to begin from scratch, as it were...but the AAA are committed to see this through. FROM Mother Provincial Mary Ann Azanza September 27, 2009 My dear alumnae and friends of Assumption alumnae, News of the devastation that Typhoon Ondoy wrought in the Philippines reached me this morning. It’s always difficult to be away from home in moments like these. We all share the same concern for our families and kababayans and pray for their safety and well-being. We also are moved to act on their behalf in some way and look for ways to be in solidarity with them in their time of great need. In the past, many of you have mobilized to send financial help to the victims through the Sisters. We’ve tried to facilitate that as best we could by issuing letters of acknowledgment that could be used for tax deduction purposes and sending the money directly to the Sisters in the Philippines for their use in relief and rehabilitation work. I imagine that some of you may have the same thought this time. I’m leaving today for a month-long meeting of our congregational leadership in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Sr. Marjo, Philippine Provincial, will also be there. While I’m away, Sr. Nuala (Provincial Councilor) can receive donations and issue letters of acknowledgment. Her contact information: Sr. Nuala Cotter, RA Assumption Sisters 11 Old English Road Worcester, MA 01609 508 767 7575 [email protected] You may also contact Sr. Lory or Sr. Cecilia if you have any questions: 215 368 4427. If any donations are received before the end of October, we can deposit them here in Worcester and I can give Sr. Marjo a check for that amount before we end our meeting on October 29th. She will hand carry it to the Philippines. May God bless our country and our people. St. Marie Eugenie, pray for us. Many thanks, Sr. Mary Ann Azanza, RA Provincial Personal Appeal from Mother Loretto----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 10:16 AM Subject: Fwd: Typhoon Ondoy Nid - we are being requested to spread the word around... SOS from alumnae and friends abroad... those who would like to respond can send checks / and can be channeled to: Religious of the assumption, NAP (North Amer. Prov.) and in memo: ONDOY and we can send all to Fe. Eml. .... Regivic is the communications person right now.... Mary Ann is in Paris on her way to Africa where the CGP will take place whole month of oct. She and Marjo will be together! love NangL/ Mother Loretto
From Sr. Fe Emmanuel "Salamat Gid"From Fe Emmanuel
Thank you for your concern. Indeed the flood yesterday took us all by surprise! More than 8o% of Metro Manila and 25 provinces of Luzon got affected by what the weather bureau says was a month's worth of rainfall dump on us for a period of only 6 hours! Confounded with high tide and choked drainage system the water rose to neck deep within two hours catching us unaware. many were trapped in their home, cars, buses, places of work. In the case of San lorenzo, we had more than a thousand people on that day on campus. 300 of them had to sleep here in school. Yes, Malibay is the worst hit of our communities. Our sisters had to go to the 3rd floor of the school. They lost their entire library, the school office, their records and equipment. Aside from water, it is the mud that made everything unredeemable. We began the massive cleanup this morning and the AAA have started a campaign to help not just the school but also the larger community with food and drinking water. We will address the rehabilitation after we have restored some amount of normalcy. We were also at the Nova today. As you well know, Alpha is the catch basin of that area. And sure enough, the water rose to 4 feet high within an hour. The sisters could hardly save anything exempt some important papers. The water easily carried huge and heavy furnitures like piano and an antique heavy and long cupboard. we were only able to remove some of the mud this afternoon. But as always it is in times like these, when the Filipino spirit of "pagtutulungan " sa kapwa (spirit of helping one another) comes to the fore. Alam mo naman ang Pinoy (You know the Pilipino): resilient, and joy filled inspite of such setbacks. It is in worst moments that the best in us surfaces. Please thank the sisters for their concern. By the way, San Simon's flooding was not as bad. Water flooded only the oval garden. PTL. Will keep you updated on developments but thank you again for the care. Salamat gid, AAAASC Christmas Spirit includes Family and FriendsThe AAAASC Christmas Committee, co-chaired by Maricel Domingo and Baby Mendoza is gearing up for a fun-filled, magical, and spiritual day with Family and Friends. The Kickoff meeting was held at Sandra Manzano's home, Sept 12. There will be dancing, singing, fellowship, prizes, and MASS. When is the luncheon? December 13, 2009. Mark your calendars! Details to follow.
Click Play to view Fr. Allender's youtube video.Support
Blog: "Burdens or Blessings: It's All About Perspective" by Marlen Meer-Forbes. If you've just lost your job, have health issues, or all of the above and need a little support, love, and advice do read and post in Marlen's BLOG. To access and read please click HERE. Fund and Member Raising
At AAAASC we rely on the generosity of all our members. Most of our events are geared towards fund-raising so as to support our chapter's charitable organizations. Fundraising efforts include the sales of t-shirts, caps, signature Assumption bags, selling ads in event souvenir programs,mini-bazaars. We also rely on our members to annually pay their membership fees and to invite new members. Cost of membership is only $20.00. For details email Baby Mendoza at [email protected] Fun and Camaraderie
We love to have fun and socialize with fellow Assumptionistas, friends, and families. We have fun meetings and get togethers and we're in need of your participation in various fun committees including: 2009 Christmas Party, Choir group; Dance Group ( how about helping choreograph the Assumption dance (AAAASC slide?)
If you wish to sign up for one or more committees please email Josie Harris at [email protected]. Indicate either Fun, Spiritual, Fund Raising, Educational or Support. |
