Believing in Miracles

Had she not been offered an education by a priest who spotted her while selling sampaguita leis, Joyce would have been among the millions of Filipino out-of-school-youth who are out on the streets instead of in classrooms. Now 20, Joyce, who hails from Pampanga, had to quit school because of poverty when she was only seven years old.

Among the 20 residents of Bahay Mapagmahal in Sta. Lucia, Novaliches, Joyce, like the other children residents, found more than just a roof over her head in the home which provides them with meals and lodging, medical care and an education.

Bahay Mapagmahal is a satellite home for disabled and underprivileged children who cannot be accommodated by other institutions. Founded in 1987, the Bahay Mapagmahal building is a donation from the Quezon City government. It is composed of an old barangay hall and a day-care center which serve as the residents’ dormitories and living quarters.

At the helm of the institution is Ma. Teresa de Castro, or Mommy Terry as she is fondly called by her 20 "sons" and "daughters". She is helped by a couple, Gerardo and Marlyn Montecillo, who serve as house parents. The couple overseas the care of the home, but it is the residents who keep the home running.

"Despite their handicap, the children have been taught to be self-sufficient, to do most of the household chores, and to take care of each other, " Mommy Terry proudly claims. "They do the budgeting and the cooking, and even maintain the cleanliness of their rooms," she adds.

Residents of the special home have diverse backgrounds, coming from far-off Benguet all the way down to Jolo. Jenny, 22, who comes from Quezon, has a great thirst for knowledge. She has been with Bahay Mapagmahal since she was eight and is now a sophomore in college, taking up Computer Science.

Another resident, Jefsky, 8, from the Mountain Province, suffers from muscular dystrophy, an ailment which has no cure. He was endorsed to the home by the icm sisters. "Jefsky is a loving and affectionate child who is very eager to learn," Terry says.

The residents study in a school located behind Bahay Mapagmahal which offers elementary and high school education. The school is staffed with special teachers provided by the Department of Education.

Three years ago, when the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office decided to cut off its annual subsidy of P400,000, the home was confronted with a crisis that threatened its continued existence.

"I started praying for miracles because I don’t know what would happen to the children if Bahay Mapagmahal closed down," says Mommy Terry.

Her prayers were answered when donations from friends and benefactors started coming in, helping her to manage the home’s expenses. Among the many donors, Manulife Philippines, a Canadian-based insurance company, gave a sum to the institution that covered the costs of a wheelchair, the children’s food allowance and other basic needs. Recently, Manulife also treated the children to the delights of the Enchanted Kingdom.

"Manulife’s financial assistance will go a long way in supporting the needs of the children in Bahay Mapagmahal," Mommy Terry says. For her, feeling alive is about sharing and believing in goodness. "The children of Bahay Mapagmahal are living witnesses to the true miracle of love and sharing," she concludes.