July 4, 2010

2 Kings 5:1-14
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 GBCS PROJECT STATUS REPORT

(July - October, 2009)

ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED & RESULTS (July – October 2009)

1. Monitoring of Mission Church Livelihood Projects conducted in July, August, September and October 2009.

After the distribution of soil conditioner in the six (6) original mission churches, monitoring and assessment of the results in the vegetable gardens and farms were conducted within the period. Soil testing were again conducted in selected farms/gardens. The results of the soil testing confirmed the observation that slight improvement in soil acidity. The improvement in plant growth resulted in most of the vegetables and flowers planted like bigger leaves, longer trunks and elimination of yellowish color in the plant leaves. In some instances, the harmful earthworms were eliminated.

Other results of the application of agricultural lime on the cut flower and vegetable plantation of the church members and farmers in other mission churches shows a more observable increase in the level of growth among vegetables planted.

Other monitoring activities conducted for mission congregations are the following:

Mission Congregation	Date	Results
1.Pito Mission Congregation	July 21, 2009	Visited vegetable gardens. Discussed the status of vegetable gardens and plans
2. Sablan United Methodist Church	July 23 & September 6, 2009	Visited vegetable gardens. Discussed ways to apply additional soil conditioners.
3. Raois Mission Congregation	September 6, 2009	Discussed planned livelihood projects and proposed beneficiaries.
4. Ambangonan Mission Congregation	September 17, 2009	Discussed status of church lot and possible livelihood projects to be implemented.
5. Guesset Mission Congregation	October 16, 2009	Visited vegetable gardens. Tested other areas for application of soil conditioner.
6. Aguioas Mission Congregation	October 16, 2009	Visited vegetable gardens. Tested other areas for application of soil conditioner.

Part of the agreements with project beneficiaries during the visits are the schedules of the next activities to be conducted including the follow-up training and monitoring after the second and final application of the soil conditioner.

2. UMC Social Principles Training for Mission Church Leaders & Pastors

The 3rd major training of the project is UMC Social Principles which was conducted in September 21-22, 2009. The training was held at the Baguio City First United Methodist Church in Baguio City and was participated by 34 church members and mission pastors representing the 7 mission churches.

Among the major topics discussed and the resource persons were the following:

September 21, afternoon session

• Program Overview – Henry L. Caluya

• Introduction to the UMC Social Principles Training
• Training Objectives
• Schedule & Training Content

• Preamble & The Natural World – Rev. Joie C. Galinato

September 21, evening session

• The Nurturing Community – Mr. Alejandrino Valera

• The Social Community – Rev. Grover B. Sales

• The Economic Community – Mr. Henry L. Caluya

• The Political Community – Mr. Henry L. Caluya

September 22, morning session

• The World Community – Rev. Henry S. Roque

• The Social Creed – Rev. Henry S. Roque

• Basic Lay Speaking Course – Rev. Joie C. Galinato

The information/topics discussed in the training were an eye opener for most of the participants including the mission pastors as the resource persons used several video and slide presentations to show the realities in our world today in relation to, among others, the environment, social conditions, poverty, climate change, oppression and other human conditions.

A fitting activity at the end of the training is the Stop, Start and Continue or SSC Exercise where the participants, grouped according to their local churches, prepared their re-entry plan identifying what learning they are expected to apply.

In the concluding SSC exercise, the participants identified/answered the following questions:

1. What are the things or practices that individuals or communities should stop doing based on the learning?

2. What are the things or practices that individuals or communities must start doing based on the learning?

3. What are the proper or good practices that individuals or communities must be doing based on the learning in the training?

3. Project Team Assessment Meetings

Meetings conducted by the Project Leader and the mission pastors were conducted on a monthly basis to determine the status of the project in the different mission areas. The meeting/discussion were conducted as the mission pastors attended their classes at the Aldersgate Divinity School located in Baguio City.

It was during the individual meetings that mission pastors are able to feedback the status of the livelihood projects and other project objectives in their respective mission areas.

Group meetings were also conducted and in several occasions, members of the project team conducted visits to other project areas. These visits were conducted to learn from other project areas experiences.

4. Effects of the Typhoon in the Project Areas

The damages caused by the onslaught of Typhoon Pepeng (International Codename Parma) in the project areas have been estimated to be huge on infrastructure, agriculture and livestock.

Initial reports coming from at least 4 mission churches shows destruction on the farms, livestock and even houses of project beneficiaries and members of the mission churches. The initial estimated damages from those that are already reported is US$.

The following table show initial reports of destruction as information coming from the church leaders and mission pastors are not yet completed. At least 5 mission areas have not yet fully reported due to impassable road networks caused by landslides.

Mission Church	Number of church members/families affected	Estimated cost of damages on infrastructure, agriculture & livestock
Aguioas Mission Church	3 families	P100,000.00 (US$2,130.00)
Guesset Mission Church	5 families	P250,000.00 (US$5,320.00)
Pito Mission Church	6 families	P180,000 (US$3,830.00)
Sowe Mission Church	7 families	P320,000.00 (US$6,800.00)
Sapuan Mission Church	9 families	P380,000.00 (US$8,090.00)
Boklaoan Mission Church	6 families	P300,000.00 (US$6,380.00
Ambangonan Mission Church	3 families	P60,000.00 (US$1,280.00)
Raois Mission Church	4 families	P47,000.00 (US$1,000.00)
Sablan Methodist Church	2 Families	P50,000.00 (US$1,150.00)
Total	45 families	P1,687,000 (US$35,893)
Average loss per family		Approximately US$800/family

2. ASSESSMENT & STATUS OF PROJECT OBJECTIVES

3. PLANNED ACTIVITIES NOT CONDUCTED IN THE PERIOD

1. Animal Management Training. The planned Animal Management Training which was added to the list of trainings to be conducted, was not held as planned because the resource persons contacted were not available due to conflict is schedules. The training is rescheduled for December 2009 after the additional livelihood component of the project shall have been distributed to the project beneficiaries..

2. Project Assessment & Evaluation Conference. The scheduled General project Assessment was reset to November in time after the expected harvest season to determine the effects of the livelihood support for the farmer-members.

4. PLANS FOR THE NEXT PERIOD & RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Disaster Preparedness & Management Training (November 2009) – This training is being recommended to be conducted as an urgent need of the project areas after the onslaught of major disasters that hit the project areas in September and October 2009. It is also recommended that all workers and 1 lay member in all 36 local and mission churches in the North East Pangasinan District (NEPD). The two(2) last trainings under the project (IPRA Law and Environment Management) will be replaced and additional participants will be added to include all workers and at least 1 lay leader from each local church from the district.

2. Monitoring of Project Status – November, December 2009& January 2010

3. Project Assessment & Evaluation Conference – December 2009

4. Release of the additional livelihood assistance to project beneficiaries especially in the typhoon ravaged areas.

5. USAGE OF FUNDS

PREPARED BY: HENRY L. CALUYA - Project Director

NOTED BY: REV. JOIE C. GALINATO - Administrative Pastor

APPROVED BY: DR. NEIL PERALTA - Council Chairperson

View Status Report - April 2009 : View Status Report - June 2009 : View Status Report - October 2009