“There is always a reason to hope,” the priest and author Henri Nouwen wrote, “even when your eyes are filled with tears.” (You Are the Beloved: Daily Meditations for Spiritual Living, p.375)
Don Bosco Youth Center-Tondo with its 50 years of presence in the midst of these poor, carrying its Salesian charismatic identity, looked at this situation with hope. The Salesian Family of DBYC-Tondo cannot be blinded and deafened of the necessities of the poor to survive day after day during Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ). God’s generosity which cannot be outdone has reached these underprivileged people through various ecclesial, public and private institutions, foundations, and individuals. The Salesians and lay volunteers tirelessly made an effort to partner with these benefactors to bring food to the table of each poor family, who have been struggling since the start of the ECQ.
One of them that is worth mentioning is Caritas Manila who provided financial assistance to families who are in dire need. Through the generosity of their partners from different private companies, Caritas Manila, extended their support to the poorest among the people under the care of the Salesians, amounting to 26 million of Pesos worth of gift cheques that were evenly distributed to each of the family regardless of religion, race, and stability.
Private individuals who desired to remain anonymous, overflowingly shared their resources with the sole purpose of assisting those who are most vulnerable during this time of the world Covid-19 pandemic, these are not just the economically poor but also our medical and security front liners. They shared numerous sacks of rice, useful stuff like diapers, milk, canned goods, frozen meats, fresh vegetables, and bottled water. All these were distributed to the 17 Barangays under the Parish of St. John Bosco and nearby barangays who are also in need of help. Especially to Brgy. 105, where hundreds of houses turned into ash last April 19, 2020.
Daily repacking, assessing, and distributing these goods manifests the family spirit among the members of the Salesian Family. To this very moment we are indebted to these silent and unknown heroes and saints who contributed financially, physically, and spiritually for the benefit of these people are remarkably and undoubtedly signs of God’s love and presence among us.
On top of the physical help that the Salesian setting is providing for the people, even in our empty church, we cannot but most of all take care of their souls and their spiritual well-being. The fact that the people are not at church doesn’t keep them from being the church. Thanks to the advancement of technology, the masses, and prayers sponsored by the parish and the Salesian community, have reached their homes through Facebook live streaming of the daily rosary, Eucharistic Adoration and Sunday Masses.
To sum it up, we have estimated to have reached half a million families of our parishioners and from other parishes, our youth and our TVET trainees. With the help of benefactors and hundreds of civil and church volunteers, this unimaginable vast outreach of Don Bosco Tondo is indeed about Grace.
At the end of the day our hearts echoed with Peter Wehner's who said “I feel like I’m handing out life.”
Source: AustraLasia
https://www.infoans.org/en/component/k2/item/10459#sigProIdc4fdf144e7
