Help with Food
Meet Rusjon Athansell, an 11 year old who just finished the 5th grade at Star of Hope’s school in Infanta, Philippines.
Rusjon likes science and he was the second best GPA student in the class, and is proud of his success. “I have worked hard so it feels great” says Rusjon about his school grades.
This summer he will play basketball and volleyball. The school's volleyball team reached the final of the local city tournament, and he is happy about it.
He will also be helping in his home during the summer holidays. He is the oldest child and must help look after his younger siblings. He has two sisters, Joselle, who is nine years old, and Shane Ashley is five. He helps by washing dishes and doing small chores around the house. His favorite food is beef with rice. His favorite drink is water.
Rusjon’s father, Jonathan is a police officer in Infanta, and has a base salary of 18,500 pesos or just over $40 dollars a month. His mother Elle Russ is a stay at home mother. Jonathan says that to him it is a fair salary and he is satisfied with his situation. He can put food on the table for the family every day. Often there is nothing left over at the end of the month but it always works out.
Background
In 2004, the Philippines was hit by several typhoons and tropical storms. They swept over the Philippine island of Luzon, where Infanta is found, in November 2004. Star of Hope made several emergency relief operations in the village of Ilog which is in the vicinity of the Infanta.
For many families, life changed in just seconds. Houses were swept away or buried in mud after several landslides. One of the affected families was the Athansell’s. Rusjon was only a year old and Russ Elle was five months pregnant with baby number two. The house was buried in a muddy field. They fled for their lives to a neighboring village that was higher up on the hill.
Once they dared to return to his house so it was impossible to save anything of value. The kitchen was completely gone, and the rest were buried. What Jonathan and Russ Elle had started to build was gone forever. The stated they came into contact with Star of Hope who was helping with food and supplies after the disaster.
Star of Hope also built 300 new simple but serviceable houses in Ilog. The Athansell’s were one of the recipients of a new house.
“We had almost given up hope” says Russ Elle. “But we were given food and other assistance, it saved us”
“When we were offered one of the houses here in Ilog it was a fantastic opportunity for a fresh start. We felt and feel happy and blessed to be the recipient of this. We are forever grateful for that.”
The Star of Hope school opened in Ilog, Infanta in 2009. It is just across the street from the Athansell's house.
“It was perfect for us, says Russ Elle. We came back from nothing, received a house and now a school is near that house. It was very good for us. We do not need to put any money on schooling or transport nor for our children to go to school. We are happy and we are hopeful for the future.”
