And So It Begins - The First Letter

Sebio has been at the God’s Town home since 1997. It was told to me that he was left by his parents when he young for his grandmother to raise. She died after 2 years and he is considered an abandoned child by Social Services.

But those were his beginnings at GT (God’s Town) and now; he is 18 years old as of this past May and in his final year of high school. He is doing very well in school and often assists the younger children (his co-children) in doing their assignments. I’ve been told he even teaches the younger children who are poor in reading. He will graduate in 2010 and wants to continue his education.

We wrote our first letter to him some time in June/July of 2008. For any of you who know me you know I’m not the most patient person. Mail takes approximately 3 weeks to go from NJ to the Philippines and vice versa. So sometimes waiting for answers to letters seems like a lifetime. And GT is remotely located so it’s not like here where we can just walk to the local mailbox.

I hope to help you get to know our special young man by telling you in his own words. This is from that very first letter and what follows is exactly as written by Sebio himself.

Dear Dawn and Aaron
I received your letter last July 29, 2008 and I thank you very much that I have a friend like you very supportive and I thank God that Ma’am Linda she shared to you myself. We proud that Ma’am Linda she is good mother to us.

Yes I will tell you a few things about my self I am Eusebio, my b-day is May 5, I came God’s Town year 1998 I have 1 older sister. We don’t know our parent, It is very sad my history.

By the way I am third year high school now. My favorite subject is science and math, yes I study hard so that I want to get high score in our class, I don’t have a dislike subject, I enjoy all my subject.

I enjoy here together with co-children and our faithful houseparent they good parent to us.

We thank Ma’am Linda she brought us carabao, pigs and chickens. Well my favorite pet is carabao. (water buffalo)

I should close this letter to you.
God Bless You

Your Friend
Sebio

I'm not sure how long I cried or how many times I reread that first letter but I remember carrying it around and showing anyone and everyone who would look at it. Not having any children of my own, unless you count our 4-footed fur baby Sam the cat, this was the beginning of what I think it might feel like to be a parent.

Next time, more from Sebio and my lessons being learned about his culture and home.

How it all began

My reason for starting this blog actually has to do with a boy and as he refers to them his co-children who live in an orphanage, a world away in the Philippines.

His name is Sebio, Eusebio to be more precise. My fiancé’ Aaron and I first became aware of Sebio and his co-children living at the God’s Town home in the Philippines some time in 2008. Their pictures were displayed on the Penbrook church bulletin board in Harrisburg PA. Each photo lovingly encircled by construction paper hearts with their names below. Their pictures were on display looking for individuals to sponsor them with each face searching for someone to care not only financially but more importantly emotionally.

But of course, all too often, like many decisions we had to “think” about it before making at least the financial commitment. Little did we know how life changing the decision to say yes, we care and will sponsor you could be. In June of 2008, I took the first step of emailing Linda in PA, who you will hear much more about throughout this blog, to tell her yes; yes we care and want to sponsor Sebio who we saw on the bulletin board. In that first picture he appeared somewhat sad, with barely a hint of a smile.

On June 25, 2008 Linda wrote the words that mark the beginning of our journey sponsoring Sebio; “I spoke to him by phone last evening and told him he has sponsors.....he was speechless. He is such a good boy. He does chores without being asked....when I called he was mopping the cafeteria floor before breakfast.”

Next post, more about Sebio in his own words from letters we received.