For eight years, Br. Daniel Fenton has made an annual summer trek to Bacolod City in the Republic of the Philippines to spend several weeks at the Bahay Pag-asa Youth Center. Translated as “House of Hope,” the facility opened in July of 2001 as a jointly-sponsored program by the District of San Francisco and the University of Saint La Salle to provide an alternative to incarceration in adult prisons for young men who have run into trouble with the law.

During this summer’s visit, Br. Daniel was accompanied by his usual cadre of volunteers: Adonis Trujillo, a college junior and a graduate of San Miguel High School in Tucson; Jess Montour of Pima College in Arizona; and Jake Hasse from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga. They came prepared to teach science, health, math, French, English and reading.

In turn, the American students received an education in the stark realities of life for the street kids who make up the Bahay Pag-asa community. Residents range in age from 11 to 20, but their backgrounds are uniformly poor. Most have little support, if not direct negative influence or maltreatment, at home. For many, the street is home. Drugs, gangs, weapons—all are familiar to these youngsters. The stories of abuse in their homes and under the correctional authorities are rampant.

Unlike other social service residences for boys in trouble, Bahay Pag-asa offers education and training to provide the young offenders with opportunities when they leave the facility. And while not every boy manages to escape his early circumstances, there are positive signs. Some “alums” have progressed to study at the University of Saint La Salle and others have studied in high school.

On this trip, Br. Daniel and his volunteers brought equipment loaned by San Miguel High School in Tucson to allow students to experiment with health service activities. They also brought donations to help with programs that the center is working on, most notably a windmill for a water purifying enterprise and a garden orchard to provide fresh produce to a culinary school. With monetary donations given by many supporters, Br. Dan was able purchase school supplies and clothes for the boys.

Br. Dan is emphatic in his gratitude for the donors who make the yearly expedition and support possible. “All of us involved in the work at Bahay Pag-asa would like you to know how much your gifts meant for young people who seem to have every reason to give up. The residents are amazed that people from other countries are concerned about them. I always respond by reminding them that your concern for them is a visible sign of God’s love for them. It is a reminder that they are sons of God, nothing less.”

You can read Br. Dan Fenton’s complete report here. To find out more about the program, contact him at brdan@sanmiguelhigh.org.