Carmen B.: Jipapad mission
The Saints Francis and Clare Foundation’s first venture was in the humble town of Jipapad in the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines in 2018. Samar is third largest island in the Philippines. The medical mission to Jipapad was both an adventure and life-changing charitable mission for those who participated. In this section, let us get to know one of our long-time volunteers, Carmen. We asked her several questions about what she experienced in the first medical mission of SFCF.
Can you give us a brief detail about your background?
I am married and a mother of two. I graduated from the University of Santo Tomas and worked in the Philippines for two years after graduation. I then migrated to the United States and worked for 37 years as a registered nurse.
What inspired you to join the medical mission?
I joined the medical mission to Jipapad in 2018. This was my very first medical mission with SFCF. What inspired me to join was the chance to give back to our kababayans (Filipino countrymen). Joining the medical mission was the perfect opportunity for me to share the knowledge and expertise I have accumulated through the years with our less fortunate brethren.
How was your experience and what did you observe in the medical mission?
The medical mission to Jipapad was very unforgettable. The small island is surrounded by bodies of water—a river in the front and the ocean in the back. There is heavy downpour almost on a daily basis during the monsoon seasons resulting in frequent flooding. Electricity gets shut down when flooding occurs. The only way to get to the main road of the town is by crossing the river in a small banca (small boat). During our mission, the bridge was washed away and crossing the river to get to the town was quite scary. Nevertheless, the kind locals gladly accommodated us in their own homes, treated us well and made us feel safe.
What has changed in you after the mission?
Joining the medical mission in Jipapad made me realize that the people were deprived of good and appropriate medical services due to the remoteness of the area. During a medical emergency, it is unlikely that you will get urgent and life-saving medical attention. I was born and raised in the Philippines but I was not aware that a place like Jipapad existed. We found out eventually that the place was also troubled by revolutionaries. Without a doubt, our guardian angels watched over us throughout the mission.
What do you look forward to in the upcoming medical missions?
Later on, after this experience, I felt so blessed and grateful to the Lord for all the blessings that I have in life. I have made a commitment that, from then on and as long as my health and finances allow, I will serve and join medical missions in whatever means I can. I cannot fully express the joy that I felt in my heart during that experience in Jipapad. I thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity to share my time, talent and treasure to our less fortunate kababayans (Filipino countrymen). I look forward to reaching more places and helping our brothers and sisters in the future, in the Philippines or wherever the Lord leads us to go.
Blessed. Grateful.
Carmen B. is a registered nurse and an active member of SFCF. She has joined multiple medical missions and still participates in planning projects for SFCF.