The Community of Hope Special Education Center is a religious and charitable organization run by the Columban Sisters. It delivers services to children and youngsters with disabilities in Ozamiz City, Philippines, and its neighboring towns in Misamis Occidental aimed at making a difference to their lives. The love of God becomes a reality for them as they see their own transformation. At present the Center is providing services to 125 children and young adults with disabilities. They receive physiotherapy and other rehabilitation services.
Leslie is a youngster with autism and an intellectual disability. In addition, she also has a potassium deficiency. Eating bananas and more exposure to the sun are not enough anymore. The medication she gets at the Center strengthens her muscles to enable her to stand and walk. She was only 10 years old when she was referred to the Community of Hope Special Education Center by the principal of her school.
She was defiant and disobedient with her teachers as she hated school. She was being bullied both in school and in the community for being perceived as different.
Her mother wanted to give her a good education in preparation for her future. She worked hard selling cakes to add to her husband’s meagre income. He was an alcoholic and had no regular job. Later he died of depression. Her older children got married and had families of their own. She herself was sickly and died when Leslie was only 13 years old. Leslie was the youngest in the family of four.
With her parent’s dead, she suffered intensely. She was moved from one relative to another. At one time she stayed with her married older sister who has three children and whose husband does not have a steady income. It did not work. Leslie was back to her old problematic behavior. God, who is rich in mercy and compassion, touched the heart of her paternal married aunt who decided to take her as part of her family. At present she is living with them. Her aunt has become her legal guardian, and it is with Leslie’s aunt that we are carrying out the rehabilitation process.
The Community of Hope’s social worker drew up a rehabilitation plan for Leslie. The intervention includes pre-academic one-to-one intervention and activities for daily living (ADL) which covers simple, practical and appropriate livelihood skills training. Socialization among her peer group has helped her develop her self-confidence.
Every year, the Community of Hope organizes a Youth Summer Camp. Leslie always looks forward to it. It is the one time of the year that she experiences psychological and emotional security. During this event, there are young people from the community who volunteer to accompany our young people with disabilities. Each one gets a friend/ companion for the duration of the summer camp. The volunteer accompanies the young person and shows care and appreciation for their gifts and talents. Our youngsters feel that they are loved and appreciated. Their whole experience is one of empowerment.
Their smiles and simplicity reflect the compassionate love of God for all people without distinction. Sr. Cecilia says, “Our call and challenge is to love them as they are and to act according to what is appropriate.”
Over the years since it was opened the Community of Hope has lived up to its name. It has served more than 1,000 children and young adults who suffer from autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s Syndrome, club foot, cleft palate, hearing impairment, as well as those with intellectual disabilities.
Thanks to the programs at the center, some have been able to find work in the local community. In the opinion of Sr. Sophia, who manages the livelihood skills training program, “With faith and trust in God, we are very grateful that we are able to continue to offer these serv ices. Thank you, God, for choosing and giving us the privilege to love, cherish and journey with these youngsters. God is indeed good!”
The Columban Sisters in the Philippines provided this article.