Senor Sto. Nino Homes

Sharing pictures of the orphanage run by the Blessed Virgin Missionaries of Carmel, led by their directress, Sister Minviluz. The home is located in Puentevella Subdivision, Taculing, Bacolod City:

 

 Front Garden

 Chapel

 Chapel

 Inner courtyard, as seen from the office

 View of the second floor, as seen from the Nursery

 View of the Girl's Dormitory

 Library

 

 Directly ahead is the Sister's Quarters

 

View of the Nursery as seen from the second floor

 

Girl's Dorm

 Library cum Play Area

 Shelves are full of donated books

Donated toys, with CJ and Basty going around and looking at everything

The facility is fairly new, established only in the early 2000's on a lot and building donated by someone who would rather remain anonymous. Even their service, a white van, is also donated. Sister Minviluz very kindly took us on a tour of the facility, after we have signed the guest book. 

On the ground floor, they have the chapel off the front yard, the office, nursery, refectory, boy's dorm and laundry area. The building is u-shaped, which created an inner courtyard where children can play or hold other activities. On the second floor, they have the sister's quarters, an infirmary for the sick, the library cum play area and the girl's dorm.

The grounds are well-kept and the kids are well-behaved. The older ones take care of the younger kids. They take turns eating their meals, with the youngest ones eating first. They're a curious bunch, and welcoming, too! When we arrived, Sister Cherry asked the older ones to help unload our things from the car, and it was funny to see them jostling for space, and arguing that it was their turn to carry the packages to the office. We unloaded the car very quickly, what with so many helping hands available that time.

There is no government subsidy and they get by purely through donations from generous souls. They have a number of regular donors as well as many who give when they can. Some schools and organizations also hold outreach programs at the center. 

According to the directress, they take care of abandoned children (they took in a 3-day old abandoned baby; the baby is now about 2 years old), as well as children from problematic families. It is a co-ed facility and at the moment, they have about 27 schoolkids in residence (the other 3 in our 30 are children of the laundress, cook and driver), and a few others who do not go to school yet - all ranging in age from less than a year old to 12 years old. 

The kids go to school at Queen of Peace, a small private school run by the same congregation running the home. Three of the sisters, including the directress Sister Minviluz, also teach at the school. 

Often, when the parents of the kids are able to recover and support the family, the kids are returned to the parents. If not, when the kids reach their teens, they are turned over either to the Girl's or Boy's Home.