Casa Bayanihan

Casa Bayanihan alum [Spring 2012] Ray Krickel, from the University of San Francisco, recently returned to the Philippines for a weeklong visit. Read his brief reflection below about the unique experience of returning to a country that he grew to call “home. 

“I am grateful I had the opportunity to return to the place I called home last spring. I often reflect and remember my experience at Casa Bayanihan…feelings and memories arose that reminded me of how Casa changed my world….the experience was still a part of me…thus, I decided to return to the Philippines. 

On my first day in Manila, I eagerly returned to my praxis site of Sitio Payong. As I opened the door into the house, Ate Fe, Ate Daisy, and the kids jumped out and threw a bunch of balloons in the air. I could not believe the excitement they had to greet me again… The whole day we told stories and caught up on what we have been up to the past year. It felt as if I was visiting family again.

As I move on to new opportunities, I am forever grateful for the new perspective on life I gained during my semester in Casa Bayanihan.” 

Casa Bayanihan celebrated the college graduation of three Bahay Kapwa students, the sister program of Casa Bayanihan, this past April. We celebrated with a special shared dinner, words of affirmation, & words of wisdom and gratitude from the three graduates—Michael, Grace & Athan. The Bahay Kapwa students are peers, cultural guides, and most of all, friends to Casa Bayanihan students during their time in the Philippines, and we couldn’t be more grateful to know them and to celebrate with them this beautiful accomplishment. 

After years of hard work, dedication, and going above and beyond their studies in their student organizations and their home communities, Grace, Athan & Michael meet the world with great hopes—hopes to give back to their communities, to be successful in the future in “building a more equitable financial architecture in the Philippines,” and hopes “to use all things learned and experienced in fighting social injustice in the Philippines.” 

Cheers to Michael, Grace & Athan on their graduation for what they have accomplished, for what they mean to their families and their communities, and for where they go from here! Casa Bayanihan is lucky to be a small part of that journey! 

“You are coming home…Are you still alone? Are you not the same as you used to be?”

The Marquette University Burke Scholars share a  b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l  video of their time in the Philippines—visiting Casa Bayanihan praxis sites, seeing the sites of Metro Manila, witnessing daily life in a rural fishing village on an overnight immersion, and reflecting with one another about the grace moving through the lives and realities of all whom they met along the way…

The delegation from Marquette was a life-giving experience for Casa Bayanihan staff and the Burke Scholars who joined us here in this stunning & mysterious country where Casa Bayanihan finds it’s home, the Philippines. We extend our deep gratitude for the time, energy, willingness, and love that they shared with us, and we thank them for this wonderful video.

New life is springing up at Alingal House, one of Casa Bayanihan’s student homes. Rows of string bean vines climb up a wire fence towards the warm sun and pots of leafy greens now adorn the side yard. And every afternoon, at least one of the Casa Bayanihan staff members can be found pruning plants and mixing organic fertilizer in the new garden.

In an effort to grow in sustainability and culinary creativity, the Casa team has dedicated much of their time this semester to creating an organic garden. Okra, tomatoes, string beans, mustard greens, ampalaya (a bitter-tasting gourd), and even a papaya tree are taking root in the Casa garden. After weeks of digging through rocky ground in order to cultivate a fresh bed of soil and diligently keeping the plants nourished in the hot Manila air, the labor of the team is finally bringing forth produce. Just this week, the team shared a delicious Filipino soup made with freshly picked okra!  

The success of the garden thus far promises future Casa Bayanihan students many opportunities to not only enjoy the fresh taste of homegrown produce but also to put their own green thumbs to the test.

Inviting us into her home and kitchen for the day, Ate Diding taught Casa Bayanihan staff how to make Puto, a delicious Filipino steamed rice dessert that comes in many shapes and colors. 

Ate Diding, resident of the praxis community Kapit Bisig, is a woman of many trades. She is a mother to two beautiful children, Justin age 7 and daughter Briana, born this past November; she loves to bake and cook, and she shares whatever she has with any and every neighbor she can find. She dreams of starting her own bakery, which her son Justin affirms would be the most popular bakery in all of the Philippines. 

Her spirit of generosity and hospitality are unparalleled, and she teaches us not only how to make delicious Filipino desserts, but how to be a neighbor, a mother, and a Filipina. 

We invite you…Come to the Philippines & meet Ate Diding! 

Youth Expression and Children’s Rights with Lingap Pangkabataan

With colorful candles made from crayon shavings lining the tables and bright finger paintings displayed, Lingap Pangkabataan gathered children last February 16 for a Child Rights Arts Festival.  Lingap, an NGO and praxis site for Casa Bayanihan, works to preserve the rights of the child, organize vulnerable communities, and strengthen small businesses through microfinance loans.  During this particular event, kids from all over Metro Manila gathered to elect children who could sit on the NGO’s board and have a voice in its decision-making process. 

The Child Rights Arts Festival also gave the children a chance to dance, learn and play in the safe and comfortable setting that Ateneo de Manila University provided.  Using colorful bits of leftover crayons, the candles the children created and sold were a form of art therapy for those who spend the majority of their time on the streets or who work illegally in markets at night, transporting vegetables or peeling garlic.  Coming from some of the most marginalized communities in Metro Manila, the Child Rights Arts Festival was a small way for the kids to feel like their opinions count and that who they are matters. 

After several diligent minutes of work, one young participant shyly shared  her self-portrait, which in the eyes of Lingap Pangkabataan, is one small step towards upholding the greater dignity of children. 

The Jewel of Barangka.

Every neighborhood has its unique personality, right? But it’s questionable how many communities boast such a vibrant personality as our neighborhood here in Barangka. From the brightly colored homes to the daily sounds of vendors selling their products door to door, Barangka is lit with cultural vitality.

However, the secret of Barangka emerges in the afternoons, when exuberant greetings and invitations to play in the park ring out in the narrow streets. The kids in the neighborhood are truly the jewels of this place. They welcome us to see life in the Philippines through their eyes, eyes that marvel at the smallest details of a tropical flower and light up at the mention of a piggyback ride. The ordinary becomes spectacular when we spend time with the kids in Barangka.

As a Casa Bayanihan community, we spend one afternoon a week facilitating games in the park with the kids and their mothers. It’s a unique opportunity to learn more about our neighbors and the culture of the neighborhood. Barangka pulses with life, and the kids in particular continue to welcome us into their realities with liveliness and imagination.

Meet Sister Marieke.              

She is a woman religious from Belgium who came to the Philippines at the age of 29 to work at Tahanang Walang Hagdanan (House Without Stairs), an NGO that provides just and meaningful employment, housing, and education for the differently abled. Sister Marieke is an astonishing woman who has made a life of giving attention and love to the marginalized, to those who have been forgotten. She is a collective memory of the stories and lives of the people whom she has encountered, and her example reminds us of the importance of each person we meet and each moment we share. “They might seem small to you,” she says, “but they aren’t. These small moments mean everything.”

Casa Bayanihan has the privilege of knowing Sister Marieke through Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, which serves as one of our praxis communities that Casa students visit twice a week during their time here (read more about TWH & Casa Bayanihan’s other praxis sites here—>http://www.scu.edu/casa/bayanihan/program/praxis/). 

You can find Sister tending to the gardens on the grounds of Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, biking around the property donning her famous tie-dyed jumpsuit and greeting everyone she meets, or sharing the unbelievable stories she has collected from working with the differently abled for more than 40 years. 

“I have so many stories,” she repeats, “so many stories…and they are unbelievable.”

We invite you to come to the Philippines. Meet Sister Marieke, and hear some of her stories.

We have much to be thankful for this week at Casa Bayanihan. Nearing the end of our semester journey, the students spent another weekend in their praxis sites, and they had a few photos and some insights to share…

Top Photo: While I am sad to be so far away from my family in the States, I’ve met a new family here in the Philippines that I am so thankful and blessed to be a part of. 

-Amber Cavarlez, praxis site: Lingap Pangkabataan

Middle right: This is a picture of me and three of my favorite people in Sitio Payong. This is Khristine, on the left, K.C., in the middle, and Ate Fe in the back. Words cannot describe how beautiful these people are. This photo was taken during a chalk session with the little kiddies. We had so much fun!

-Jules Peithman, praxis site: Sitio Payong

Bottom Photo: These are some of the children of Sitio Payong, hanging out and playing in the remaining structure of a house. That day, they were color coordinated, and as always, they put a smile on my face.

-Lauren Frank, praxis site: Sitio Payong

C A S A  B A Y A N I H A N

A week in pictures.