Posted by A Social & Humanitarian Services of Divine Word Missionaries
Aside from the sacramental and evangelisation ministries, Divine Word Missionaries are also involved in various social and humanitarian services for the underprivileged members of the society to fully live out and practice the Gospel values thought by Jesus.
Various organisations established by Divine Word Missionaries and individual SVDs are at the forefront of these social and humanitarian advocacies. One among the many organisations pursuing social advocacies is the KALINGA SVD centre in Catholic Trade Building in Tayuman, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines.
Since 2015, the JPIC office of the SVD Philippine central province has been helping the homeless of Manila through the KALINGA program. KALINGA stands for KAin (eat), LIgo (bath) NG Ayos (properly and decently). The program provided a centre for the homeless to have a proper shower and free lunch, all made possible by volunteers and generous benefactors who believe in the message of the Gospel that we should do something for the little ones and the least in our society.
The centre, located at the Catholic Trade building of the Divine Word Missionaries along Tayuman Street in Manila, caters three times a week to more than a hundred homeless individuals. The number of beneficiaries is a mere fraction of the total homeless people in Manila, and is restrained by the limited resources of the centre. The apostolate manages to continue because of the volunteers and donors who see in the centre an opportunity to give to the less privileged among us.
The efforts of the KALINGA centre may not solve the problem of poverty and homelessness, but for those who want to live out the gospel message of charity, to practice what they preach, it is a simple and selfless way to aspire to be true Christians.
The beneficiaries have also acknowledged that they are able to regain a measure of their dignity when they get physically cleansed.
The program is slowly evolving also to provide opportunities for some to learn to read and write through the Alternative Learning System. Job opportunities and livelihood training have also been made available.
It is evident that when there is sincere efforts to help those in need, many things become possible.
(Text adopted from Fr Gil Alejandria SVD in The WORD in Other Words, Bible Diary 2019)
Some images of the actives of the SVD KALINGA Center in Tayuman, Manila Philippines
Fr Flavie Villanueva SVD heads the KALINGA Center
