A Friend of Tembari Children
THE Center had special visitors last weekend that came with special treats – vanilla ice cream and an offer to help.
The visitors were Tee Jay Khoo of The National newspaper, his wife Gina of RH Trading and two young sons, and Cindy Lim, a senior staff at the Digicel outlet store at RH Hypermart.
Cindy brought with her a box of 16-liter Gala ice cream, a surprise treat for our children who now number 97, from the last figure of 83 the previous week.
Cindy told me that she heard about the Tembari Children Care (TCC) day care and orphanage center from Tee Jay and wanted to find out how she can help us with our day to day needs.
“I can also involve my friends who are just looking for opportunities to help but did not know where to look,” she said.
Cindy look around the premises of the Center and took note of a lot of things that she thought we would need.
“Give me a list of whatever you need and I look for people who could provide them,” she said.
I told her about drinking water.
I told her that the children don’t actually drink water after meals because the only clean water available is being used to mixed cordial drink.
We have difficulty in securing clean water for drinking, so the children could just opt to have cordial drinks to wash down the food.
I’d learned from my health subjects at school ages ago that a person, much less, kids should drink at least eight glasses of water every day to improve blood circulation and digestion. And of course, drinking enough water is really good for health.
At the Center, we can’t just do that, and without drinking water, our kids would always be far from being healthy.
Cindy said she would look for a supplier of purified water who may be able to donate to the Center drinking water for the kids.
Last Saturday, I cooked a favorite Filipino dish called ‘chicken wings adobo” which our children immensely enjoyed, being their first time to taste or have this kind of chicken dish.
In the past, I cooked for them a variety of chicken dishes that involved Indian and Malaysian spices and all. Maybe, I ran out of recipe ideas that I decided to try cooking 10kg of chicken wings into “adobo”.
As usual, the main dish was accompanied by another dish – stir fried bellfruit (popularly known in the Philippines as “upo”) and an Indian soup called “turmeric” soup.
The kids just love them. It was a sharp departure from the tinned-fish-rice lunch that they eat from Monday to Friday.
So my kids just couldn’t wait for Saturday, looking forward to sipping steaming specially cooked soup, before the main course is served – ala-resto.
As usual, the ingredients for my special Saturday lunch are being paid for by two sponsors – expatriate friends and new acquaintances -- who each would chip in K150.
The feeding from Monday to Friday usually consists of steamed rice and stir fried tinned fish donated by RD Tuna and Elaine, an expat lady executive from RBP Trading.
Everyday, the kids enjoy a modest lunch which is punctuated by a serving of fresh milk, courtesy of the British High Commission and an executive at RH Group.
The cordial drink last Saturday was donated by generous individuals that included Cary Warren, general manager of Pacific Industries, and Elaine of RBP Trading.
The Saturday special dish is the only way to make their meals something very different from the daily fare.
You too can sponsor one special Saturday lunch for our children. Once in a week, you would be able to make their lives a little brighter, with a nice lunch to cap the week.
Let me know should you decide to become our special Saturday lunch sponsor. I could be reached through the email addresses listed below. Or ring me up on my office landline at The National newspaper – 3246-712; or on my cell phone 722-31984.
The last and the fifth Saturday of this month of July falls on July 31. I am still looking for two sponsors who would be generous enough to pay for the ingredients for this day’s special lunch.
Cheers!
Email the writer: alfredophernandez@thenational.com.pg
jarahdz500@online.net.pg
freddiephernandez@yahoo.com
Tee Jay and company arrive at The Center. Cindy Lim (right) carrying a box of 16 liters of vanilla ice cream, with Tee Jay (white shirt) and Gina coming out of the car.
A close up of the Gala vanilla ice cream with the cups ready to be filled with the frozen delight.
Kids enjoy their serving of ice cream, a special treat last Saturday from the visitors.
Melanie savoring the sweet goodness of her ice cream.
The pots after cooking is done.
Kids having a serving of turmeric soup before the main dish is serve.
This group of kids at the dining table while having soup.
A volunteer mother helping a toddler wash his hands before having meal.
The steaming turmeric soup waiting to be scooped and served to the kids.
Volunteer assistant cooks tending to the stir-fried bellfruit dish.
Children just finished lunch and are having a desert of ice cream. 
A volunteer mother serving the chicken wing “adobo” lunch dish to the kids. – All pictures by the APH
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