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St Vincent de Paul Society -Continuing their good works in our Diocese“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, protect the rights of those who are destitute. Speakout and pronounce a sentence of justice, defend the cause of the needy and the poor.” (Proverbs 31:8-9)WarracknabealIn early August 2007, I received a request to assist Bert and Joan to obtain a permanent Visa in Australia. This was anarranged marriage in the Philippines, one which they can be justly proud of.This family had been sponsored by a local machinery dealership to work as a qualified mechanic in Warracknabeal. They wereloaned money for temporary Visas, travel and associated costs to resettle in the small country town in my region, eg. rent,furnishings, etc. These costs were then deducted from his wage, which meant there was little to live on. Then they wereexpecting their first child – there were no Medicare benefits available to them due to the restrictions of the temporary Visa. Weused all our contacts to assist them through the pregnancy and eminent birth to a beautiful little daughter.Whilst settling in Joan showed an amazing ability to utilise all resources, eg. she bought a huge roll of material from a secondhandshop for $5.00, borrowed a sewing machine and made new and bright covers for her second-hand lounge suite. Weeventually gave her a sewing machine, which has proved most valuable. The cost of applying for this Visa was $5365.00. Thenumerous documents, eg. passport, birth certificates, marriage contract, police clearance, certified copy of licencedqualifications, was never ending. Checking the progress with the Department of Immigration takes months and tries one’spatience.With the assistance of John McLean and ABC Global Services (long and detailed), who were the agents who sourced andrecruited this family, plus interaction with the employer, we eventually obtained the necessary finance to apply for a permanentVisa. This also included a small loan, which the family diligently repaid.As you can imagine, the many letters, emails, phone calls, faxes and visits to the family were ongoing, but it was so rewardingas this family was so grateful and really appreciated our efforts. Only at the end of last year did we find out our application wasgranted, so allowing the family to eventually obtain the benefits we all enjoy.At our Regional Conference, we invited Bert and Joan to be our Guest Speakers on their experiences. They respondedbeautifully and all in attendance were so impressed, which makes our work so interesting and fruitful, not to mention myeducation into Government protocol and patience.Bride Schaefer, Wimmera Regional President, St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc.Joan & Bert’s StoryPutting my pen down to write something about our life backhome is like reminiscing of what we left behind. It’s been awhile, but it seems like this page could not encompass thejoy and pains and the kind of life we had grown to love andaccept, but had to leave behind for the great opportunities -for a greater future that was laid at our feet.Bert and I both came from the lovely mountainous region ofthe Philippines and proud to say, a lovely place enrichedwith beautiful people and a culture that tourists love to comeand see. We both hail from the so-called “Igorot Tribes”,which is an ethnic minority of the country. Though we grewup with a culture that has its own tribal customs andpractices that we grew to love, accept and respect, we alsogrew up with a Christian faith that greatly differentiates usand separates us on the traditional practices of our ethnicity.Amidst the beauty of our roots and the luscious greenery ofour environs, it is also easy to proclaim the phenomenon offinancial instability and how the poor and average standard of living for people fills the major percentage of the levels of society.Beneath the rhetoric lies the reality of a system that puts personal profits ahead of millions of lives. That’s why we grew up withparents inculcating on our minds the value of education and how it is the best and only inheritance they could ever impart on us.It is the key of the good life we have always aimed for.Our parents strove to send us to school and university to be somebody, as only Batchelor Degree holders could hold a positionor a job in the society. But then employment is so hard that we have always dreamed and tried our luck in applying for jobsabroad. Before Bert and I got married, he was like a working treadmill of long, low paid hours, knowing not when he is going toget paid – in the next month or next three months – or maybe not. And there I was, not keeping a good job also as the monthlypay was too low or the opportunity was too unlikely for me. I ended up helping my Mum in a business that didn’t work out aswell, as competition was too tight.