113 VOHCS Children Receive New Footwear

 VOHCS children are excited about the new 
footwear that they received from CCT friend 
Valerie Malabonga (center).

A child clutched his new pair of clogs tightly to his chest. Asked why he was still walking barefoot, he replied, “Isusuot ko lang po ito ‘pag magsisimba ‘pag Linggo” (I will wear these only to church on Sundays). He was one of 113 children from the Visions of Hope Christian School (VOHCS) who each happily received a pair of footwear through The Thongs Project. 

The Thongs Project was initiated by Valerie Agbayani-Malabonga, former Mission: East Asian National Support (MEANS) board member and a friend of the Center for Community Transformation (CCT). Ms. Malabonga visited the VOHCS boarding schools in Magdalena and Bay, Laguna on November 20, 2012 to personally hand over the footwear to the children. In Magdalena, 52 preschool and 23 high school students shared talent offerings of songs and memory verses, then patiently lined up to receive their gifts. Thirty-eight children from the VOHCS boarding school in Malungon, Saranggani also benefited from the project. 

According to VOH Administrator Noeh Vios, the footwear are perfect for the VOHCS children because these will cushion their young feet against protruding pebbles as they walk from one school building to another. These will also serve as formal footwear fit for use in the classroom and for special occasions. 

Vios also observed that The Thongs Project did not only mean a great deal to the VOHCS children but to Malabonga as well, who said her visit fulfilled a long-cherished dream to meet and minister to the children.