Highway 77 El Garaje: El Garaje Couple Sponsor Luncheon for Orphans

The circumstance of this story may be Pacquiao-inspired, but the way it turned out, I'd like to credit it to no one but the Divine Providence.

Among the attendees during the Pacquiao-Margarito viewing at El Garaje on November 14, 2010 was Sr. Merlyn, a relative of Chef Banker's wife. Out of the blue, Doc Dan had a conversation with the good sister and was able to strike an arrangement that, for Doc Agnes' coming birthday, they would celebrate it with the kids who are under the care of the congregation to which Sr. Merlyn belongs.

It all came to pass that on November 20, 2010, "official members" of Highway 77 El Garaje accompanied the Couple Doctors to Talisay City, not for their medical mission but for a more personal purpose: to spare some special time with the residents of Our Lady of Divine Providence Children's Home.

A government-accredited house for orphans, Our Lady of Divine Providence Home is located in Oldog, Talisay City, Cebu. In its 10-year presence in the province, it now accommodates 52 children with ages ranging from three to 21 years old. The orphan house is managed by five nuns from the Sisters of St. John the Baptist founded by Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco.

Statue of Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco

greeting everyone who enters the House

With funds coming from the congregation's central house and from generous benefactors, the sisters are able to send all the children to school. The pre-schoolers are studying in the congregation's own kindergarten school in Talisay City, the Ville St. John School, while those in the levels of grade school, highschool and college go to the nearby state schools and community college.

The Divine Providence Home: Well-manicured lawns, spic-and-span from the inside

In a sprawling 2,000 sq.-m. lot where the orphanage sits, we had lunch with the children and the sisters: barbecue, spaghetti, roasted chicken, ice cream, Coke and Zest-O juice, etc.

"Lord, I love you intensely. Orphans are souls that I gather for you." -- Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco

"My children, I have always loved you and I always will." -- Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco

After lunch, we had a short program with the kids doing all the singing and dancing, and with some games in between. The event culminated with a picture taking and a tour of the vicinity.

The Kids at the "Divine Home" singing, dancing, declaming for their visitors

To Doc Agnes and Doc Dan, may your kind flourish in this world! And to the sisters headed by Sr. Cora, I wish that more benefactors will fund your apostolic work. You are all God's instrument of his saving grace by giving the children another opportunity in life!

TO OUR READERS: Hope you will find some inspiration in this story. Timely enough, in this Christmas season, let us remember these kids in our celebration of Jesus' birth, and find in our hearts to partake with them the blessings we received this year. Here are more of our pictures: