FIRST week at the Self Reliance Center

Finally after days of getting to Cebu we entered into the first week at the Cebu Self Reliance Center. Here is a bird's eye view of our facility.

My Office

Computer Room

Reception Desk



Sisters Temporary Room


 



Training room

 

 

 

We started the week off by meeting the SRC Manager, Mary Ann C Balen, a college graduate from China. She is a very equipped individual as well as an outgoing, energetic person.  We spent the week going over the new Self-Reliance PEF Initiative program with all the new materials.  They have been up and running with this program since fall 2014 so we will not be starting at the beginning.

The Cebu SRC Center is responsible for 4 separate Missions which include 24 stakes.  That is a big area but that is how things go here in the Philippines due to transportation etc.  It was decided that we would divide the are into three parts.  Sisters Murry and Darby would cover the Cebu Mission, Elder & Sister Uzelac would cover the Cebu East Mission, and Sister Balen would cover the remaining 2 missions.  That gives each of us (greenies) 6 Stakes and Districts and Sis. Balen 12.

The Cebu East mission includes the northern part of the island of Cebu plus the island of Bohol to the east of us. Cebu has 4 stakes and Bohol has two districts.  One district in southern Bohol is soon to be made into a Stake.

We were also introduced to the CRM Management program which is connected with the Perpetual Education Fund Program. This program tracts everybody on the PEF program and follows their progress.  They will be updating this program within the next couple of weeks, so we just went over an introduction by the area office staff to get an idea as to what it is like and how to use it.  We will address this once the new program is downloaded.  With this program we are to visit those within our assigned areas who are on PEF to follow up any who might be delinquent in their payments and try to assist them in finding ways to become current.  We also follow-up on their progress in relation to  their educational pursuits to see if they are on tract for their expected graduation or if they have reached the point where they might need renewal of their loan necessary for further studies.

We will be holding Career Workshops on an on-going basis for all the Cebu and Cebu East Missions departing fulltime missionaries leaving for home the next day or two. This is to prepare them in the proper steps to finding employment once they return home.  The Jenee and Sister Darby also conduct 2 days a week an American Accent class helping the Philippine people in better pronunciation of the English language. This class lasts for 4 weeks.

Tuesday afternoon we attended as temple session at the Cebu City Temple with the Mission President and two couples who are returning home in a week or so.  The temple is beautiful and it was so good to be there to feel of the spirit and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life here in the Philippines.  Afterwards we all went to the Mission President's home for dinner and a short send-off for the two couples leaving for home.

President and Sister McCurdy are absolutely the most wonderful people, so full of enthusiasm and love towards the mission work and the fulltime and Senior Missionaries. We look forward to being with them more as our mission progresses.