When Ron and Maria Natoli of Sydney, first visited Cebu in the Philippines 12 years ago and saw the city’s poorest people living on the rubbish tip, they knew they had to help. Now, when they visit they see lives that have changed for the better, and according to Ron, it all comes down to building great partnerships.

The Divine Word Missionaries, under the leadership of Fr Heinz Kuluke SVD, who is now the SVD Superior General, have taken a leading role in helping Cebu’s poorest to move from the rubbish tip into secure housing, access good healthcare, and take up education, training and employment opportunities.

Ron and Maria first visited Cebu with Sydney priest Fr John Iacono in 2001 and came home determined to do all they could to help the people they had seen and come to know there.

Since that time, through fundraising and establishing community, not-for-profit and business partnerships, they have seen big changes in Cebu, including the building of a day care centre in the Inayawan region.

“When we go back now, we notice a real difference in outlook among the people. Now, with the families in secure housing, there seems to be a big focus on getting an education, whereas when we first went there, education was just completely out of reach and not something that was even thought about,” says Ron.

Ron says he has been humbled by the warm response to fundraising initiatives that he received from right across the community.

He tells the story of 13-year-old Emily from Victoria, who heard about the plight of the people in Cebu and began raising funds at her school. Emily has now been to visit the people in Cebu to see the difference that her fundraising is making in their lives.

“I find that sort of thing just amazing,” Ron says. “That coming from an affluent society, this young girl would want to put her energies into helping those less fortunate. It’s beautiful.”

Along with their support of SVD initiatives in Cebu, Ron and Maria have worked with a range of business and community organisations to raise funds and support the people of the Philippines and other developing nations. Bethlehem Communities Australia has been established as a community organisation committed to helping relieve poverty in disadvantaged and marginalised communities.

“I think, when it comes down to it, it’s about building partnerships,” Ron says. “And when you do that, you can make a difference in people’s lives, and we’ve seen this first hand. Ordinary people can actually make a difference. It’s about partnering with like-minded people to come up with results.”

Below Ron shares a personal story of how much good can come from one person’s giving, even when that person might not have much in the eyes of the world to give.

The story of Maree and her Cross-stitch

By Ron Natoli

“This is a photo of a cross-stitch I was given in Cebu by a young girl, about 14 years old, who now lives in San Pio Village.

The story started when Maria and I decided that we would like to meet each of the Home Owner partners in their houses to share some time with them and to hear about their lives. It immediately became obvious that the one thing the parents were now focusing on was education for their children.

This is interesting because only a few short years before they did not even have a roof over their heads, nor a place to call home, or a regular meal, and the last thing they would have contemplated was education for their children. Back then their focus was just survival.

As we visited each house I was happy to see how they had customised and personalised their homes and added colour and furniture and their photos. The houses felt very cosy and comfortable.

We entered one house and it was bare except for a couple of boxes, which they used for a table and chair. Hiding behind her mother was the young girl who seemed very shy. We spoke to her mother but I felt sad for the girl and wanted to entice her to talk. As I looked around, I saw the only beautiful thing in the house. It was a cross-stitch and was the only thing that had any colour in the house. It was like a small ray of sun in the drab surrounding.

I thought I would use it to get the girl to talk so I asked her if she had made it. She nodded and I told her how beautiful it was and how talented I thought she was to have done it. She looked up to her mother and whispered something to her.

Her mother picked up the cross-stitch in the frame and went to hand it to me saying, ‘She wants you to have it!’

I was taken back and refused saying I could not accept it. The mother looked at the girl who nodded to her and she said, ‘No, she wants you to have it.’

You cannot imagine the sadness I felt at that moment as this young girl who had one beautiful thing in her life and was offering it to me with all her heart.
I insisted but eventually realised that I would have to take it to avoid embarrassing her, so I thanked her, and with heavy heart, left their house feeling that I had taken the most valuable possession the girl had. This was made worse later when I was told how many hours it would have taken the girl to do the cross-stitch.

I will never forget her gesture and I felt at the time, that this generous act could not go unrewarded and remembered the wish the parents had expressed for education for their children. I realised that I had to arrange some way for them to have an education and I thought of scholarships (similar to those the BCA choir had given to them to attend uni).

So as I travelled around Cebu, and then Sydney after we returned, I would mention what this girl had done, and of my wish for her and her companions. Very soon a benefactor donated funds to set up a scholarship program that will keep growing and will provide education for many years to come.

Maree’s generous gesture had become most significant and will benefit people who will never know who had inspired the benefits they will enjoy or the future it has given them.

I know that to the kids that receive the scholarships Maree is anonymous but to God she will always be close to His heart, as I am sure you are too!”