More than 100 girls, their families, Good Shepherd partners
and friends gathered on Sunday, December 18, 2016 at the newly-renovated
building in Private Road Cebu City during the first Family Day of GS-HEART
(Good Shepherd-Holistic and Empowering Aftercare towards Reintegration and
Transformation), a pioneering Aftercare Program for survivors of prostitution
and trafficking of the Good Shepherd Sisters in the Philippine Province.
ever-faithful and generous friend and mission partner of the Good Shepherd
Sisters in Cebu, Fr. Heinz Kulüke,
SVD, the Superior General of the SVD priests. He was accompanied by Bro. Paul
Bongcaras, SVD who was God’s instrument that facilitated for the transfer of
the girls to the new Aftercare home since April.
different games for kids, couples and an essay writing contest with the theme, “What
has been your experience of Aftercare?” Awards of appreciation and recognition
were also given to those who showed positive, hopeful and empowered ways that
are worth emulating by other Aftercare beneficiaries. A group
of former SGV accountants now based in Cebu shared some gifts to the girls and
their families before the end of the program.
Few weeks before the gathering, the shelter-care and
community-based beneficiaries of the GS-HEART with Sr. Virgo Espineda, their
new Program Coordinator, organized a carolling to selected friends and
benefactors of the Good Shepherd Sisters for the purpose of having the Family
Day. It was indeed a meaningful experience of Christmas. Each girl and guest
left the gathering echoing the words of their gratitude song “Kaya ngayong
pasko, ang blessing ko’y kayo…”
The GS-HEART program was initiated and formally organized last
year, in November 2015 through the collaborative efforts of the sisters and the
Good Shepherd partners. The program was formerly part of the services of the
Good Shepherd Welcome House. However, seeing the pressing need of the girls for
transition to mainstream after years of staying at the Good Shepherd Recovery
Center and a great number experiencing “revictimization” in the community, a comprehensive Aftercare program was
realized. The JPIC Program of the SVD in Cebu through the endorsement
of Fr. Heinz provided the funds for the building renovation. Shelter
Foundation, a Swiss-based funding agency, which assisted a project for Good
Shepherd Welcome House-Cebu approved a grant for the first year of operation
for the Aftercare program.
The
Villa Maria Community is in the process of consolidating the different programs
and services for women under one agency – the Villa Maria Good Shepherd Sisters, Inc
with Sr. Edna Fuentes as the Ministry Coordinator. Sr. Felicidad Maningo coordinates the programs
for abuse prevention: the St. Mary Euphrasia Training Center for the elementary
students and the Maria Droste Training Center for those in the secondary and
tertiary education. Ms. Ariane Nadela, RSW
is the OIC of the drop-in Center, the Good Shepherd Welcome House, which has
now transferred to Sanciangko St, Cebu City while Ms. Florelie Cuyos, RSW is
the Program Coordinator of the Good Shepherd Home formerly the Good Shepherd Recovery
Center.