Philippines Mission Report

by Billy Ray Warren

Once a year, Pacita and Hugh Walker make a detailed report of Magnolia’s efforts toward our “adopted” schools in the Philippines:  Special-Needs Student School, Pinamungajan Night National School and LUT-OD National High School.

The Walkers report that, using donated and purchased items, we have sent six boxes each to the first two schools listed above and placed a few items for the third school in some of the boxes.  Here’s how the money itself was distributed:
 
1.  To Pinamungajan National High School for sports safety equipment;
2. To Pinamungajan National High School for travel to required events and to feed  
    students on these trips;
3. To purchase ten (10) scientific calculators to lend to students whose coursework required their use;
4.  To build some necessary classroom furniture;
5.  To purchase 100 slap bracelets with embedded flash drives so students and teachers may enter the digital world in their coursework; and
6.  To build sets of steps for the LUT-OD National High School.

Item #6 probably needs some explanation.  You might recall a Sunday morning a couple of months ago when Hugh showed us a series of slides that pictured our adopted schools, along with some of the students and teachers.  He pointed out that the LUT-OD National High School is located in a deep ravine.  The Department of Education there doesn’t provide money to build steps so the ravine might be navigated more easily (and more safely!).  Money from Magnolia has funded the construction of two sets of steps.  A third set will be added later.

As you know, Pacita and Hugh visited each of the schools on their recent trip to their home in the Philippines.  They weren’t able to visit in the classrooms of the LUT-OD High School because of safety concerns related to the ravine in which the school is located.

We offer sincere thanks to the Walkers for this excellent report and for establishing a longstanding connection between Magnolia and our dear friends in the Philippines!