December 8, 2018.
Eleven families from the Inayawan Landfill and from informal settlements in Talisay City moved in to their new houses in San Pio village, Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City.
At 4:00 AM, in a solemn ceremony, they re-enacted the Exodus story of the people of Israel as if it were their own. Symbolically, carrying some of their belongings, they started their march from the gate of the village to the village chapel with intermittent stops in between. In every stop, a passage of the Exodus story was read aloud. And in an expression of joy, they were also singing songs of praise to God.
When everybody has settled-in inside the chapel, a eucharistic celebration presided by Fr. Heinz Kulueke, SVD followed. After the communion and before the final blessing, a short ritual of the handing of the keys to the beneficiaries was done.
Needless to say, the beneficiaries were deeply happy and grateful for the privilege to own a house. A couple of them stood up to express their profound gratitude to God, to JPIC-IDC and to the donors for their generosity.
After a group photo of the beneficiaries, the residents of San Pio Village accompanied them to their respective houses. And Fr. Romeo Q. Cagatin, SVD blessed the new housing units.
The Exodus ceremony ended with a simple breakfast offered by the community.
