BAHAY PAG-ASA: a Haven of Innocence & a New Heaven On Earth

Br. Eugenio “Eugene” de Luna, Jr. FSC

As the Catholic Church started the Year of Mercy, one of the corporal works of mercy is visiting

the imprisoned one. It is a good timing of the year to remember these people who have conflict

with the law and remind them that they are not alone, that they are worth visiting for. In my one

month stay in Residencia De La Salle Community in Dasmarinas, Cavite, one of my objectives

aside from healing and recovery from my ACL operation is to immerse myself in teaching and

being a living presence of God to others.

Bahay Pag-Asa became a new haven of innocence and a new heaven and playground on earth.

A secured place to share my knowledge and talents to the children entrusted to my care. The

children who resides in the area are different from the normal kids who have their full time outside

just thinking what to eat for snacks and have petty fights with their playmates because of the

never ending games. The kids of Bahay Pag-Asa unfortunately had conflict with the law and given

a SECOND CHANCE to change their lives. I was assigned to teach these kids about Lasallian

and Values Formation and ending with a meaningful Advent Recollection.

Getting to know these children and their wants, likes, talents and dreams really helped me to

appreciate the efforts of our district, the Brothers and the partners who willingly and generously

lend a hand for these fallen angels who wants to change for the betterment of their lives.

The children even in their young age still have HOPES in their eyes that one day they will live a

normal life without any blemish of the past as they continue to learn from their mistakes and

practice new way of living…the LASALLIAN WAY. It is amazing to know that many of them wants

to be a policeman, businessman, and successful musician. Yes, we are building their dreams and

future here in Bahay Pag-Asa.

Every session that we have is a reminder for us that God is always present in our daily lives and

God always gives us SECOND, THIRD, and even UNLIMITED CHANCES as HE loves us so

much. Hearing their stories while watching their gestures and eyes showed me that these children

are special in many ways

.

As any teaching engagements, there is always flaws or difficulties. I observed that their age range

and interests affects their motivation in the class.

Most of the time, I enjoyed every class engagements as I recognized that these kids really learn

from the class as they can answer my questions in the evaluations and sharing. After class I am

always astounded as I see how they are eager to share their talents in playing piano, drawing

and, making rosaries.

I might not be in Samar for my rural exposure, my engagement in Bahay Pag-Asa is worthwhile

experience. I am very glad that the Brothers supported this exposure program, for me to share

my knowledge and talents but also to learn that SECOND CHANCE is possible because the loving

and generous God loves us so much.

Br. Eugenio “Eugene” de Luna, Jr. FSC

BAHAY PAG-ASA

Dasmarinas, Cavite

Target Audience: 10 Residents of Bahay Pag-asa

Mode of Instruction: Filipino

APOSTOLATE SCHEDULE

December

Date Time Topics

8 10:00am – 11:00 am Getting to know /

Vocation

10 10:00am – 11:00 am Life of the Founder

11 9:00 am – 10:00 am Lasallian Spirituality

15 10:00am – 11:00 am Advent part 1

17 10:00am – 11:00 am Advent part 2

19 10:00am – 11:00 am Advent Recollection

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

Submit 2 lesson plans

o Life of the Founder and Spirituality

o Advent

Submit Outline of the Advent Recollection

Don’t forget to take some pictures for documentation

The lesson plans, the outline and the pictures must be submitted to Br. Mark on

December 20

Prepared by:

Br. Eugenio “Eugene” S. De Luna, Jr. FSC

Scholastic Brother

Lesson Plan Week 1

Theme: Life of the Founder and Spirituality Duration: 1 hour for 1 Session1

Objectives: In the end of the session the students must enable to:

realize that the life of St. La Salle can be a source of inspiration as he embodied heroism in simple ways

value their own strengths and weaknesses for them to use it in good means;

follow the good example of St. La Salle specially his faith, love for service, and concern for the community.

Topic: Life of St. La Salle

Activity Time Materials Needed

Opening Prayer

Guided Meditation 5 minutes Speaker

Drawing Activity: The teacher will ask the students to draw their favorite superhero or hero. After doing the activity selected students will be ask to share to the class his work and explain why he chooses to draw that person/ hero. The students must also share 2 characteristics of his hero.

15 minutes

Story telling: St. John Baptist de La Salle as a modern hero The teacher will share the story of St. La Salle through story telling. After the story telling the teacher will distribute hand-outs of the basic information about St. La Salle and his contribution to the world.

20 minutes

Hand-outs

Conclusion:

The teacher will explain that every individual can be a hero. Like St. La Salle, his ordinariness and dedication to serve helped the people surround him. Each person can have strengths and weaknesses that can make a difference in someone’s life.

5 minutes

Evaluation:

The teacher will check if the students understand the lesson. The teacher will ask the students to share his learning of the day.

13 minutes

Closing Prayer 2 minutes

Attachment:

Hand-outs for the Life of the Founder

Topic: Lasallian Spirituality

Duration: 1 hour for Session 2

Prepared by:

Br. Eugene de Luna, Jr. FSC

Activity Time Materials Needed

Opening Prayer

Guided Meditation 5 minutes Speaker

WORD HUNT

The teacher will ask the students to look for word in the activity

sheet that depicts and describes a LASALLIAN.

10 minutes Word Hunt Activity

Sheets

PRAY and ACT

By the help of the Lasallian Prayer the teacher will discuss the Lasallian core-values that make us unique as LASALLIANS. The teacher will provide the students a copy of Lasallian Prayer (English and Filipino) and they will read it aloud and for every line the teacher will ask the students the meaning of every line. The importance of FAITH, SERVICE and COMMUNION in MISSION will be emphasized.

20 minutes Hand-outs

(English and Filipino Version of

Lasallian Prayer)

Conclusion

The teacher will explain that the 3 core-values of FAITH, SERVICE and COMMUNION makes us unique as LASALLIAN. Wearing Green, studying in a La Salle Schools and wearing La Salle Uniforms are only external factors that make us Lasallians. The good character and values are more important.

5 minutes

Evaluation

The teacher will check if the students understand the lesson. The teacher will ask the students to share his learning of the day.

13 minutes

Closing Prayer

Lasallian Prayer 2 minutes Hand-outs

(English and Filipino Version of

Lasallian Prayer)

Attachment: Activity 1: WORD HUNT

L A S A L Y A N O S P K D H G

E X J K L N D V C X S E R T U

R X M H J B I V C X F I O P R

S W A L L Y Y K A L Y E R Y O

T Y H I E J O S E W O W P O H

Y S I R O Z S E R B I S Y O X

O F R G H I L V A L D U B P A

I S A W A U A L O L A D O R A

P U P O P E S T U D Y A N T E

L P O E S Y A Y A D U B S S A

U R V I C A L D E N P A U L O

O E U I O L L L P O P P L O H

C E A X D Z E S Y W A A A W H

W K O M U N I D A D F S T Z A

P A N A N A M P A L A T A Y A

Answer Key:

L A S A L Y A N O G

D U

M I R

A Y O

H O

I S E R B I S Y O

R L

I S A A

P E S T U D Y A N T E

A

L

L

E

K O M U N I D A D

P A N A N A M P A L A T A Y A

LASALYANO PANANAMPALATAYA

SERBISYO KOMUNIDAD

ISA DIYOS

MAHIRAP GURO

ESTUDYANTE LASALLE

Hanapin ang mga sumusunod

na salita sa kahon

Ating alalahanin na ang Diyos ay ating kapiling. Ipagpapatuloy ko, O Diyos, ang lahat ng aking gawain upang Ikaw ay lalong pakaibigin. San Juan Bautista de La Salle, ipanalangin mo kami. Mabuhay ka Hesus sa aming mga puso, magpakailanman

Lesson Plan Week 2 Theme: Advent Duration: 1 hour for Session 1 Objectives:

In the end of the session the students must enable to:

identify the meaning of advent and the practices that we do in this occasion;

value the importance of Advent and Christmas;

acquire that internal preparation is more important this advent;

prepare themselves for the upcoming advent recollection.

Prepared by:

Br. Eugene de Luna, Jr. FSC

Activity Time Materials Needed

Opening Prayer

Guided Meditation 5 minutes Speaker

MY PRE-CHRISTMAS LIST (Think-pair-share)

The teacher will ask the students to write in a piece of paper some practices they do before Christmas. The students must list 10 things and after they will share this to their seat mate. And lastly volunteer students will share to the class what they talked about.

15 minutes Papers

Discussion

The teacher will talk about information about advent.

Meaning

importance

Advent wreath

Candles

Observations in the country

Preparation (internal & external)

20 minutes Hand-

outs

Conclusion:

The teacher will explain that advent is a preparation of the coming of Jesus Christ. People must give more importance of the internal preparations of doing works of mercy and good things aside from

observing the cultural norms before Christmas.

5 minutes

Evaluation:

The teacher will check if the students understand the lesson. The teacher will ask the students to answer an activity.

13 minutes Advent Activity

Sheets

Closing Prayer 2 minutes

SIKAT: SI KRISTO AT TAYO NGAYONG PASKO Audience: 10 residents of Bahay Pag-Asa Duration: 60 minutes RECOLLECTION FLOW:

Activity Time Materials

Needed

OPENING PRAYER 5

minutes

Speaker and Prayer Sheets

SINO AKO?

o Alalahanin ang mga nagdaang taon, anu ano ang mga

bagay na hindi mo makalimutan.

o Maglista ng 10 panggagayari na hindi mo makakalimutan.

15

minutes

Papers, pens, speaker and

Music

SINO SI KRISTO?

o Para sa akin sino si Kristo?

o Alalahanin ang mga pangyayari kung saan sa iyong

palagay nandoon si Kristo.

o Ilista ang 5 pangyayaring ito.

20

minutes

Papers, pens, speaker and Music

PARA SA AKIN SINO SI KRISTO?

o Sa iyong kalakasan at kahinaan, paano mo maipapakita o maibabahagi si Kristo sa inyong mga kasama?

Bahay Pag-Asa Staff

Kasamahan

Security Guards

Criminology Students

Bisita

Pamilya

15 minutes

Papers, pens, speaker and

Music

#ThankYoufortheLOVE PRAYER SERVICE

o Maaring lapitan at yakapin ng mga bata ang mga taong tumutulong sa kanilang para magbago. Ito ay bilang

pasasalamat o paghingi ng kapatawaran.

5 minutes

Speaker

Attachment:

Ang ADBIYENTO ay hango sa salitang Latin

na ADVENTUS na ang ibig sabihin ay ang

PAGDATING NG TAGAPAGLIGTAS.

Ang panahong ito ay may dalawang pakahulugan:

1. Ang pag-alaala natin noong ipinanganak si

hesus sa Bethlehem;

2. Ang paghihintay sa muling pagbabalik ni

hesus sa mundo.

Ito ay panahon ng paghihintay at paghahanda

sa pagdiriwang ng kapanganakan ni Hesus, na

mas kilala sa katawagan ng mga Pilipino na

panahon ng kapaskuhan.

Ito rin ay hudyat ng pagpasok ng panibagong

panahon sa liturhikal na kalendaryo. Kasabay ng

pag-aalala ay panahon din ng pagbabalik-loob.

Upang tayo’y maging malinis at banal sa panahon

ng kapaskuhan.

Ang kulay PURPLE ay sumisimbolo ng mga

sakripisyo, pananalangin, at gawang mabuti

bilang paghahanda sa ating mga sarili sa

pagdating ng panginoon nating tagapaglitas.

Ang kulay PINK ay sumisimbolo ng "joy" o

kagalakan.

Kagalakan sa ating mga puso sa pagdating ng

manunubos.

Pagdating po ng ika apat na linggo... Lahat ng 4

na kandila ay sabay sabay ng mag-iilaw.

Ang ILAW NG KANDILA po ay sumisimbulo

kay Kristo...bilang the "light of the world".

Si Kristo ang ilaw na nagliliwanag sa

kadiliman

Pagdating ng Gabi ng Pasko...ang mga kandilang

may kulay ay mapapalitan na ng kandilang kulay

puti... Nasumisimbolo kay Kristo bilang liwanag

ng mundo.

Kaya naman po makikita na naman natin sa ating

mga simbahan itong tinatawag na "ADVENT

WREATH".

Ang WREATH O KORONA ay hugis BILOG

at gaya nga po ng isang hugis bilog makikita

natin na walang pasimula at walang

katapusan.

Ang wreath naman ay karaniwang gawa mula

sa evergreen branches. Ibig sabihin nito ay

"ever alive".

Ito ay sumisimbolo kay Kristo na namatay at

muling nabuhay at kailanman ay hindi mamamatay

pa.

Ito yung nakadisplay sa simbahan na hugis bilugan

na kulay green na pinalibutan ng

4 NA KANDILA = 3 PURPLE AT 1 PINK.

Ang 4 na kandilang ito ay sumisimbolo sa 4 na

Linggo ng Adbiyento.

PHOTOS: