Children at lunch time in front of school
Children following Elders Lowry and Crespo
Aloguinsan children gather for photos
We continued on to Aloguinsan and visited the large elementary school to assess it for a humanitarian project also. When we arrived at the school, it was lunch time and children were everywhere. It is a big school with 990 children, 24 teachers, a principle, a secretary and the District office on site. The maintenance of the buildings and yard is deplorable – clean but very unkempt. I met with the District Chairman and the Principal and explained that I wanted to apply for a project to give them school supplies. They were quite suspicious – what was I selling – and the District Chairman finally asked, “What is required from us?” When I told him that what was required was to use these things to further the education of the children, he grinned from ear to ear and said, “That we can do.” I went over the form with them. It seems they need the practical arts equipment the most – they have a practical arts building, but it is totally empty. They teach the use of tools and sewing from pictures in a manual – no hands on experience at all. The same with science – so the science unit supplies would be great for them too. The Elders came in to the office and they talked in Visayan a bit; Elder Lowry made a joke which amazed them and then wanted to know how he could speak so well in their language. The District Chairman told us of Mormons he knew and of seeing missionaries in Balamban and
Then the principal took me to see some of the classrooms. Flocks of children fluttered around us. The rooms seemed fairly well supplied with materials. Again, however, many of the children cannot afford to bring pencils, pens and paper which they are required to supply. This school has uniforms, but less than ¼ of the children can buy them. Fortunately uniforms are not required! Most of the parents are either farmers – much rice is grown in this area – or fishermen.
While I visited the classrooms and took pictures, Elders Crespo and Lowry played with the children. They tried to teach them ‘Duck Duck Goose’ but when Elder Lowry tapped Elder Crespo on the head and he jumped up to chase Elder Lowry, all the children jumped up too and began chasing. Literally hundreds of children were running across the fields with the Elders. Others were watching and clapping with delight. We hated to leave. As we climbed back in to the truck the children began clapping and clapping and then waving. What fun!
