Missionaries seek help for sick, abandoned folk

By Mark A. Gomez

THEY NEED HELP Residents of the Divine Mercy Apostolate Center suffer from various illnesses. They need medical help. The Missionaries of the Poor is begging for donations, in cash or in kind, to sustain their medical needs. (Photos by Mark A. Gomez)

NAGA City --- Instead of toys and clothes, the Divine Mercy Apostolate Center, home for more than a hundred people abandoned by their families, is asking for medical assistance this Christmas.

The shelter, which is under the supervision of the Missionaries of the Poor (MOP), provides care for 46 women ages 14 to 86, 42 men ages 11 to 83, and 18 children.

All of them are suffering from various illnesses.

In an interview with Fr. Henry Lozano and Brother Anthres Kullu, heads of the MOP here on Sunday, Nov. 29, they said that all of their residents are in need of medical attention.

Residents under the care of the shelter have different illnesses, such as cerebral palsy, mental problems, seizures, diabetes, and hypertension.

They said that the pandemic has also affected the shelter. Cash donations, donations in kind, and other resources have been delayed. Although donors have already resumed giving donations, their collections are no enough due to the high cost of medicines and other medical supplies.

They said that they regularly bring shelter residents to the hospital for treatment.

They added they are looking for ways to sustain the medical needs of the people under their care as all of them are sick.

The MOP missionaries added that the African Swine Fever (ASF) also affected their shelter. They said that all of the pigs they were raising have been depopulated, as hogs in nearby areas were ASF infected.

When asked if they receive government help for their residents, they said that sometimes they received food packs from the government. More than that, they do not get any other help from government officials.

Despite of their limited resources, they assured that all the residents are being well taken care of by nurses, in-house parents and other MOP members.

They said that it is also important that the residents should be loved and feel compassion to enable them to withstand the situation they are going through.