Photo By Chief Petty Officer Amanda Kitchner | Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Christopher Mechura, left, and Religious Programs...... read more read more
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MANILA – U.S. Navy sailors from the USS Tortuga participating in exercise Balikatan 2013 visited the children’s rescue ‘House of the Heroes’ here, April 4.
The community relations (COMREL) event was designed to donate food and sporting equipment to the children as part of the 29th iteration of Balikatan, an annual Philippines–U.S. military bilateral training exercise and humanitarian assistance operations.
House of the Heroes is a rescue facility funded entirely by charitible donations. Founded four years ago, Pastor Virgilio Sanchez, who manages the home, opened the facility for street children who had been abandoned.
“At this time we are only receiving donations from abroad, we have a hard time feeding the children on a daily basis, but with all the food that was donated by the sailors from the USS Tortuga, the children will be able to eat for the next two months. We couldn’t be more greatful, the children are already asking when they will be back,” said Sanchez.
The House has taken in 14 children ages 4 – 18 and is set to have another five children in the next week. The house currently operates with a staff of four, who work with the children to give them a stable and friendly family environment. House of the Heroes is set up to be a permanent family home for the children until they graduate college.
The Sailors enjoyed the chance to spend time with the children and provide them with the much needed supplies.
“I expected the children to be a bit standoff-ish, but I couldn’t have been more wrong,” said U.S. Navy Seaman Kelsey Seitz, communication technician aboard the Tortuga. “They welcomed us with smiling faces and open arms, I couldn’t have expected a better place to participate in my first COMREL.”
Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian Cranston, Information Systems Technician aboard the Tortuga, read the story “Andy and the Wolf."
In addition to hitting the books, the U.S. Navy volunteers played baseball and simply spent time with the children.
Before the volunteers left, they took time to say goodbye and get pictures and hugs from the children who had so quickly and happily let them into their lives.
“Thank you for every thing you have done, the children will remember this day for the rest of their lives,” said Sanchez while bidding the volunteers farewell.
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 04.14.2013 04:59 |
| Story ID: | 105161 |
| Location: | MANILA, PH |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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