Skip to main content

Missionaries of Charity Home of Joy for the Sick Children

“this place will break your heart, will make you cry, will make you want to reach out, and will make you feel grateful & thankful, all at the same time…”Missionary
 They are located at: 1030 Tayuman Street, Tondo, Manila. Their telephone number is (+632) 255-0832 and the contact person is Sister Anselm.

I wrote that caption in this same season last year, my first time to visit a place called “Missionaries of Charity Home of Joy for the Sick Children”.  I was with a  group of friends along with our respective families.  I could never be thankful enough to our friend Rupert and his family for leading us to this place. 

It was not my first time to do a charity visit to an orphanage and I sort of wonder why we were “brief” that this is for special children.  I only realized what that briefing is about when I see for myself how “special” these children are.  I apologize if this may not sound good to some, but the sight of the sick children is heartbreaking.  I tried to look tough and not to show emotion in front of our own kids and to the sick children.  But when one of our friends who arrived later broke into tears, it spread like a plague among us. We all broke into tears .  Obviously, we are all trying to hold on so much emotions that we can no longer contain.  The best thing we could do is to give way to our emotions in obscurity and discreet.


The “Missionaries of Charity Home of Joy for the sick Children” caters to special children, those with Down's syndrome, hydrocephalous, and the like.  When you visit them, the nuns (Sisters of Charity) will encourage you to “really be with the sick children”.  To  talk, touch and take care of them.  It was really an eye opener for all of us to personally experienced how it is to be with them.

We feed the children by ourselves from the “pot luck” food that each of us contributed.  Our own kids played with the younger ones, carried the babies and us parents took care of the bigger ones.  I found that the more you stayed with them the more you will find they need so much compassion.  As heartbreaking it is to see and touch these sick children the first time, the more it is heartbreaking to part with them.  They get attached to their temporary friends and refused to be left behind or to return to their beds/cribs.  They really are longing for human touch and attention. I was with Maricel, an 18 year old girl with a cerebral palsy condition.  She’s been holding my hand the whole time I was with her and she refused to let go of my hand when she needs to be cleaned and rested.   One helper helped to release my hand from Maricel and I opt not to look back for I know it will just add up to the tons of emotions piling up in my chest.


I remember meeting Sister Fatima, an eighteen year old missionary from Africa.  She told me that after five months she will be transferred  to India for another mission.  I asked her “You are taking care of the children who are taking care of you?” She just smiled at me.  While other girls of her age are busy stressing themselves what to wear on (Christmas) parties, Sister Fatima is taking care of gravely sick children.  It strengthens my faith that the One up there is really sending His angels to take care of His favorite children.
 101_0591 
The nuns were very accommodating.  They gave us calendars, rosaries and prayer leaflets of Mother Teresa.  They told us that the children are lucky during Christmas season (charity season) because there are many visitors and donations.  They said that they have less stocks during the low charity season and so they are encouraging visitors to come back.  Some of my friends who were celebrating their birthdays on December brought extra food (biscuits, cookies) and useful items like cleaning materials (soaps, detergents). 

The nuns also encouraged us to also visit another house just across the street that caters to sick, lost and abandoned old people, and we did.

Last March my birthday month we went back to the home of joy along with the same set of friends.  There’s a bunch of us in this group who are March birthday celebrants and we all spend our birthdays there. Here are some facts that may be helpful in visiting the Home of joy:

    • Taking photos is only allowed at the grounds. Strictly no taking of photos at the ward particularly on the sick children.
    • They follow an early schedule starting with an early breakfast, lunch at 10AM, snack at 2:00PM, dinner before 5:00PM and lights off at 7:00PM. This schedule gives ample time for the children to rest early and to save electricity.
    • (During our visit) They house around 80 sick children with 12 nuns and helpers attending to the sick children.
    • They also take care of sick but not abandoned children from vey poor families who bring their sick children to the nuns. The nuns take care of them and provide them food and medicines. Parents can have weekly visits and take their kids back home once cured.
    • The Missionaries of Charity is the order of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  They are located at: 1030 Tayuman Street, Tondo, Manila. Their telephone number is (+632) 255-0832 and the contact person is Sister Anselm.
    In these tough times most of us are dealing with our own personal battle and problems that sometimes, we feel that we also need some compassion and charity.  Along with your own children or the young people in your family, please try to spare some time and visit these children.  They are waiting for you...
    Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat… Mother Teresa

    Comments

    1. nice tita..tnx po being an instrument of bringing the light of Christ to those who are in need...

      ReplyDelete
    2. Duis est. Tu semper puer unus of meus ventus est. Lorem ipsum dolor Domino famulantes ordinantur in diem qua tandem. (I know by now you are very able understanding this phrase).

      Young people of "your kind" inspire me to contribute even just a bit of good to this world. I am blessed to have you and your family among my friends.

      Deus benedicat vobis semper.

      ReplyDelete
    3. it is interesting to read the reactions of visitors to the missionaries of charity home. i volunteered there for 10 months back in 2005 and maintain contact up to this day. when you start to get used to the place, your emotions calm down and you begin to see beyond the human misery the exists inside those walls.

      there are some bright children in that place; you know, the ones who spend their lives laying silently watching visitors cast pitiful stares their way. maybe it is hard to see beyond their physicality, but some of those kids are very intelligent, understanding every word you say but not having a way to say anything back.

      one of the most important things i learned from that place was that there is indeed no such thing as being blessed. we do not come into the world predestined to be who we are. it just happens. and so that is what becomes of us....some are lucky and some are not. it is the luck of the draw, and there is no reason that justifies having been given such a lot in life as these kids. it is wrong to walk away from such children thinking to ourselves, "wow, i sure am blessed." because whether we deny it or not, we might as well be saying, "thank you god, because im not the one with twisted limbs laying and writhing in a crib for 18 years."

      the scale of the problem is so immense and out of control that it has come to a point that spending 1 hour with a cerebral palsied child makes us feel like we are changing with world. but deep inside, i think we all know that that is not the case. we feel better about ourselves, we feel lucky, blessed, but that child is still laying there with nothing and no one.

      ReplyDelete
    4. "If you haven't any charity in your heart you have the worst kind of heart trouble" to cure it
      Help people, let's unite for one good cause, be a volunteer"save lives"!

      mawaddainternationalaid

      ReplyDelete
    5. This just made me teary eyed.. Nakapunta rin ako sa mga bahay ampunan dati, maramdaman mo yung mga kids gustong gusto na hawak mo sila or yakap, at totoo yung ang hirap pag aalis ka na, talagang heart breaking yun marinig yung mga batang umiiyak kasi gusto nila sumama sayo.. So I can't imagine kung ang makikita ko pa e yung mga batang may sakit, baka hindi ko rin mapigilan umiyak dun..

      ReplyDelete
    6. I have a big heart for the kids and my former jobs were related to them. After working as a nanny, at the kindergarten and at the children's welfare for 4 years, I once applied to work in an institution here abroad where kids with down syndrome and the like are taken care of. Unfortunately I didn't get the job there, instead I got the oppurtunity to work with the elders til this time. How I wish I got the job because I really wanted to understand these children more, research and study isn't just enough on how to fully understand these kids, lucky for us to have our loveones around.. I can imagine how much they long for other people to take care of them or even just to hold their hands..

      ReplyDelete
    7. This comment has been removed by the author.

      ReplyDelete
    8. Im so glad to know about this... Pinahanga ako sa kabaitan na taong ito. Keep it up and God Bless!

      family care foundation

      ReplyDelete
    9. hi! ask ko lang po kung pano sila macontact kasi yung binigay nio pong contact number wala pong sumasagot. thank you!

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Hi Mhayx their contact number is still the same.

        " They are located at: 1030 Tayuman Street, Tondo, Manila. Their telephone number is (+632) 255-0832 and the contact person is Sister Anselm."

        They might be busy when you were calling please try calling them again. I am calling them from time to time and I'm sure they have the same contact number. Or better yet you can visit them so the Missionary Sisters can answer your inquiries :)

        Thanks for interest and for dropping by my blog. God bless...

        Delete
    10. Hi napadaan lang kasi familiar sakit ang lugar nato and I was right it was the place were we have an outreach before when I was a college student.

      I have so much from with this place.

      Thanks!

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Nakalimotan kong mag share...

        I am a member of a (TFI) the family international now.

        Thanks!

        Delete
    11. hi po. do you happen to know po if they also cater orphan teens around 12-15 years po who aren't sick?

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Hi Kristine!
        I suggest to please contact them directly or drop by at the Home of Joy so you can inquire from them directly.

        "They are located at: 1030 Tayuman Street, Tondo, Manila. Their telephone number is (+632) 255-0832 and the contact person is Sister Anselm."

        Thanks for your interest and concern and for dropping by my blog. God bless...

        Delete
    12. Hi, bloghopping here. Been sharing our blessings with Missionaries of Charity but the orphanage catering to young children. The nun in charge told us that they prefer people to donate at other times rather than all during the festive season so we do it every summer, which is in July. I praise people who gives unconditionally. God bless!

      ReplyDelete
    13. I missed this. Really touching and heartwarming. Yes, there is always some thing we can do for the needy. Bless your heart Balut.

      ReplyDelete
    14. Hello po! I just want to ask if they also accept volunteers in the orphanage. Like, doing it po every weekends? I came from Tacloban, i used to visit Missionary's of Charity in Sagkahan, Tacloban City with my classmates wayback college, i was not a volunteer though. I am a nurse po pala, recently residing here in manila. I do really want to volunteer and im hoping you can help me po with my inquiry. Thank you.

      ReplyDelete
    15. Hi sorry for this very late comment reply. Your comment somehow ended in my blog's spam folder.

      About your inquiry, please contact the Home of Joy directly at 1030 Tayuman Street, Tondo, Manila. Their telephone number is (+632) 255-0832 and the contact person is Sister Anselm.

      I'm sure they have room for good people like you. Good luck and God bless you.

      ReplyDelete
    16. Last month, we went there to check the children and we were so happy that all of the children there are very obedient, healthy and educated. We also spent quality time with them during our visit.

      Thanks,
      Nicolas / Volunteer in the Philippines / Blogger / Diver

      ReplyDelete
    17. Thank you for sharing your experience, I hope to share this with like minded persons and be able to help in one way or the other.

      ReplyDelete
    18. Do they accept students for OJT, I really want to have my Ojt in Phillipines, it will for 120 hours. I am a Filipina who residing outside Philippines, currently a student at University of Faroe Islands, taking Bachelor of Education and specializing with special education. I hope they can give an oppurtiny to be a part of what they are doing with these kids.

      ReplyDelete

    Post a Comment

    Comment moderation is temporarily enabled by author due to detected threats. Sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you.

    Popular posts from this blog

    Go Kart at SM Mall of Asia Amusement Complex

    I’m doing my usual morning run at the SM Mall of Asia bay side when I spotted this area.  It kind of caught me by surprise seeing this area as colorful and lively because I remember during my last run, this area is used to be surrounded with iron sheets coverings, the same thing when there’s something being constructed inside the coverings.  And then I remembered that I had a short break from my morning run.  It seems like this activity is launched while I was on short break from my morning run.   As usual, every time I see something new that looks exciting, I am excited to share the info to you all.  So for those who are into cars and driving, this one’s for you! “Go Kart” ! It is located along the breakwaters of Manila Bay at the SM Mall of Asia Amusement Complex just right after the The Giant Ferris Wheel/The MOA Eye .  Locational Photo The fee and basic rules Fun and Safety Rules are properly posted in the area but to give you some advance info on what to wear

    10 Sunglasses from Firmoo Optical Store for Giveaway

    We all enjoyed my previous guessing game fun here even without prices at stake and I really thank you all for that!  You are all truly awesome.  Now it's time to move to another level of fun and this time there will be prices at stake!  Welcome to my first ever giveaway hosting, please join the fun and excitement! Summer or not we definitely need that daily eye protection.  I’m sure everyone is continuously looking for that comfortable, fashionable but affordable pair of sunglasses.  You need not look further because right here is your chance to win one perfect pair of sunglasses that you are looking for! The world’s most popular online eyeglass store, Firmoo.com together with my two blogs, Balut Manila and Run! and Keep on Running is giving away TEN (10) eyeglasses! Yep you read it right TEN it is! Before we go to the mechanic details let me give you a gist as to where your prices will be coming from.  My awesome sponsor, Firmoo.com is the emerging global online optic