By RUBY RAYMUNDO (edited by Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz) | ANG MISYON TALIM ISLAND SATELLITE DIRECTOR
STEPS TRANSFORMED INTO LEAPS
Last May 15, 2015 marked the first year of the Ang Misyon Talim Island Satellite. Inspired by the experience during the Satellite Showdown, Talim Island children became eager to learn more. Intense training has been conducted every week through the continuous financial aid from Ang Misyon & Global Giving.
The Scholars of Ang Misyon Talim Island performed their first recital last April 12, 2015 at the Patunhay Elementary School in Cardona, Rizal, where they presented themselves so proudly & with much confidence, despite a long boat ride. The Satellite has been recruiting more underprivileged children to be able to complete the minimum required number of musicians in a full orchestra.
With the proper guidance by the Satellite’s teachers not only in music skills & theory, values, attitude, and commitment, the Satellite also infuses to every member the know-how to develop perseverance towards confronting the challenges of becoming a good musician. Currently, the Satellite formed a string ensemble in preparation for a cameo performance at Ang Misyon's Second Satellite Showdown slated for July 18, 2015.
RAIN OR SHINE, THE MUSIC PLAYS ON
Ang Misyon has been providing all the allowances for transportation, meals, and teachers. However, due to some challenging circumstances, there is much hope for more individuals or institutions to be more involved with and contribute more to this project. Ang Misyon Talim Island is now in need of more wind & percussion instruments to be handed over to the remaining & incoming music Scholars. We have discovered that a child holding a new instrument inspires him to learn music and gives him the drive to envision the person he desires to become.
The Satellite’s Rehearsal Hall is also a major factor to consider. The Satellite has only been permitted to use a bamboo rest house as the current rehearsal venue, but since June is the beginning of the rainy season, there is a desperate search for another venue where these kids would be safe and dry.
MUSIC FINDS THE LOST
Antoneth is the eldest of a family of three children. Life in Talim Island is not that easy, so her father left them for employment in Batangas to support them. As time went by, her father no longer came home. The mother found out that he had a new family, which left her family living in misery. Her mother decided to leave the island as well to look for work and luckily she found one. At first, Antoneth’s mother was sending money to them regularly, but as months passed, support was gradually decreasing until the remittances completely stopped. Since then, they have had no knowledge of the mother’s whereabouts.
Together with her two younger sisters, Antoneth was left under the custody of their aunt, who apparently had a family of her own. She was seven years old then. With added three mouths to feed, her aunt took multiple jobs - in addition to her husband’s earnings - to cope with their daily needs. She sells ‘kakanin’ (inexpensive sticky rice desserts), does the laundry for other families, and everything else that would increase their measly income.
After five years having passed, an opportunity knocked for Antoneth and her sister Angel. As the first applicants of Ang Misyon's outreach to Talim Island, Antoneth aspired to be a good violinist and Angel wanted to be a flutist. The Satellite Director of Ang Misyon Talim Island Ruby Raymundo documents all the activities and posts them on Ang Misyon's group page on Facebook. It was just so fortuitous that the post with Antoneth’s photo attached was viewed by her mother.
For the first time in five years, the siblings heard news from their mother, who was now working in the Middle East as a domestic helper. Their mother asked them forgiveness for her absence. She explained to them that instead of sending money to her daughters, she was desperately saving her earnings to cover the costs to apply for work overseas. Ever since then, the siblings and their mother have been in constant communication. The mother promised & pledged full support for her daughters in their musical interests as members of the Orchestra of the Talim Island Youth!
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