Philippines: Fazenda da Esperança Repaired After Typhoon

In December 2019, the typhoon compromised the church and the reception facilities and the Emergency Coordination of the Focolare Movement, of which AMU is a part, committed to supporting the Fazenda for the repair of the roofs and for the insulation of the premises. Many companies had to stop during the lockdown and for almost 8 months it was difficult to purchase and deliver materials. Furthermore, the island of Masbate was hit by six other typhoons in 2020. Heavy rains and winds that tested the robustness of the houses of the Fazenda and that, with the heat of the dry season, brought new ones to the structures. To date, the planned works have been completed , the roof of the chapel has been repaired, the ceiling and the lighting have been fixed and at the end of the year, after 11 months, the first mass was celebrated in the chapel. The facilities have returned to safely host the children. The activities of agriculture, crafts, baking and breeding that serve to support the Fazenda itself have also resumed. The experiences that have arrived tell of moments of despair and worry: the shelter is the only safe haven for these young people who have decided to share their fragilities and face rehabilitation together. The great effort and commitment put into restoring the infrastructure of the Fazenda has moved many guests and helped the community to promote the mission. Today, young people can follow the rehabilitation program in safe and comfortable places. For the reconstruction of the roofs, ceilings and lighting of the two men’s homes Casa San Giuseppe and Casa Peñafrancia and the women’s house, including the chapel, AMU has allocated €33,478.99
Compared to this figure, there was a small surplus, at the end of the works, which the Fazenda will use to repair the damage caused to other structures by typhoons that occurred later in 2020.