Fascinating, heartbreaking OFW stories in Hong Kong as seen by a pastor and his wife
September 25, 2003 | 12:00am
HONG KONG — It is a rainy Sunday. I am on my way to the Zoe Christian Fellowship service at Sheung Wan, Hong Kong side. In charge here is Pastor Gary Thurman who is married to my niece, Marilie Fernandez.
My eyes caught sight of so many Filipino ladies sitting together along the half a kilometer pedestrian overpass in Connaught Road. According to Marilie, they sleep, eat, play cards and do business here, from selling phone cards to direct-marketing schemes. During Sundays and holidays, other Filipina OFWs hang around the Central district of Hong Kong – in Worldwide Center for remittances and door-to-door boxes, Statue Square, Chater Garden, Central Tunnel all the way to Star Ferry where ferry boats take passengers across to the Kowloon side.
For the other churchgoers, there is St. Joseph’s Church for Roman Catholics, as well as St. John’s Cathedral and St. Andrew’s Church in Tsim Sha Tsui for Anglicans. Hong Kong charismatic groups of JIL and El Shaddai have also their following.
Approximately 80 Filipina OFWs join Pastor Gary Thurman’s service. Among the most active are Nilda Tuando, Thess Vidar-Santos, Alice Azarcon, Ana Villanueva, Imelda Tuazon, Victor Radovan, Jhun and Alma Sanchez.
NILDA TUANDO is the leader of the Drama/Mime Ministry, who accompanied me shopping at Wan Chai and Causeway Bay for Chinese condiments. She is 48 years old, widowed, with one daughter, who works as a domestic helper in Malaysia. She hails from Tacloban, Leyte. Nilda has been working here in Hong Kong for 22 years. She has been with her present employer for 11 years now. Her employers are the owners of Tung Chang Trading Company and its subsidiaries that specialize on marine and seafood products. Nilda is also a very talented ballroom dancer.
THESS VIDAR-SANTOS is the leader of the Band Ministry. She is 36 years old, married but with no children yet. She calls Pangasinan "home". She works as a governess for an 8-year old Chinese girl whose father works as the head of the Security Department of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and whose mother works in an import and export business. Before coming to Hong Kong, Thess first worked in Paris for eight years. While in Paris, she was part of the Dance Ministry of the church where she hung out with the members from the band. Because of her association with them, she learned to play the guitar. It wasn’t long when her French employers gifted her with a guitar for Christmas. This gesture encouraged her all the more to learn guitar playing. When Thess came to Hong Kong seven years ago, she became involved with the Band Ministry. She has developed herself in instrument playing and now ably handles the bass guitar, the acoustic guitar and drums. Thess teaches guitar in the CIA (Christian In Action) Program.
ALICE AZARCON is the song leader of the Praise and Worship Ministry. She is 35 years old, and single. She hails from Nueva Ecija. Alice has been working in Hong Kong for 15 years now. Trained as a nursing aid, she is a caregiver to the elderly mother of her male employer who is connected with the Labour and Home Affairs Department of the Hong Kong government.
ANA VILLANUEVA is the leader of the Choir Ministry and is the reader in the service. She plays the guitar well and assists in the CIA piano class. Ana is 32 years old, a Secretarial graduate, and single. Her family lives in Las Pinas and she has been working in Hong Kong for 10 years now. Ana is presently employed as a governess, caring for a nine-year old Chinese girl whose father is a stock market broker. She has been with her present employer for six years.
IMELDA TUAZON is the leader of the Ushering Ministry, who will be teaching a class on home management and table setting under the CIA Program on the last Sunday of the month. She is in her 40’s, married with a daughter who recently graduated and now works for an advertising company in Manila. Imelda is a very good cook and is very creative with her hands.
JHUN SANCHEZ and his wife ALMA both work here in Hong Kong - but for different employers. Since Alma only gets two Sundays off per month, this means that, although they are in the same city, they rarely see each other.
There are so many others, each with their own fascinating, often heartbreaking, stories. Among the heartbreaking stories is an OFW lady who became a guarantor for a loan her friend made for HK$16,000. However, the friend disappeared and she was left to pay the loan. Unfortunately, due to this, she lost her job.
Last month, a domestic helper was raped by one of Hong Kong’s top soccer player. Fortunately, he has been meted his sentence and is now beginning to serve part of his six-year prison term. Another domestic helper, who was also raped, is now staying in the Thurmans’ "halfway house" while they are helping her with the court case.
Zoe Christian Fellowship was founded in February 1986, as an outreach of the Cathedral of the King, currently located at 833 Sheridan Street, Mandaluyong City. It is under the headship of Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines, Primate of the territory of Southeast Asia. Since that time, along with the mother Church and all her other outreaches, it has become part of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church.
Under the headship of Patriarch Randolph Adler, although it began only in 1992, it enjoys a full Apostolic Succession and a large worldwide membership. Part of the so-called "Convergence Movement", it embraces the Sacramental style of worship, yet it is Evangelical in heart and Charismatic in spirit.
Gary Thurman was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, to parents who both have their roots in the area for several generations. His father, now retired, worked as a machinist and mechanic for many years. His mother has lived her life as a homemaker, devoted to her three children. Gary graduated from Atlanta Tech in 1977.
Gary has two sisters, one older and one younger. Joan works in the Student Relations department of Clayton State College. She has two grown sons. His other sister Kathy works in the Administration of a local home for the elderly. She has one son, about Isabella’s age.
Marilie met Gary in Atlanta in 1991 while attending a creative arts conference sponsored by his church, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. She was part of a seven-man team sent by the Cathedral of the King. Gary at that time was actively involved in the drama and arts department as a playwright and actor. He was putting together a well-loved full-length musical, "The Bride". Marilie helped refine the script, thus she got better acquainted with Gary through constant correspondence from Manila.
At the time she met Gary, Marilie was working as an assistant to Jane Hines, the wife of Archbishop Tom Hines, who heads the music and arts division of the Cathedral of the King. She was the scriptwriter and director of the stage productions they produced. She was also actively involved in the Choir. Gary’s musical, "The Bride" eventually was staged in Manila 15 times.
When Gary and Marilie married in 1993, he was hired by the Archbishop as the Cathedral liturgist. (A work he continues to do to this day, even though they are in Hong Kong, by the wonders of e-mail.) He was ordained to the deaconate in 1995, and to the Priesthood in 1998.
As they settled in the Philippines, they both made up their minds to raise their children by themselves: Samuel (9), Isabella (6), Blessie (4), and the newest addition to our little family, Josephine Natalie (4 months). During the first three years of Samuel’s life, Gary and Marilie brought him to work with them at the Cathedral. When Isabella came, Marilie resigned from working full-time at the church. Nonetheless, she continued with her vocation as a ministry worker in the choir while being a full-time homemaker.
The Thurmans take over the Zoe Christian Fellowship in Hong Kong
As vicar of the mission church in Hong Kong since 2000, Gary serves as pastor of the church. Marilie basically assists him in any way he needs her. However, her main responsibilities are overseeing the band, choir, dance and drama/mime ministries
The Thurman’s flat is about 760 square feet with three bedrooms, a toilet and bath, a living area, small kitchen, and laundry area. Despite its size, the amenities of the flat is comparable to a room in an apartelle in Manila. However, because storage space is not available, marketing is done if not daily, every other day.
With four kids and no helper, they make the most of every opportunity to have family time. With no extended family with them, the nuclear family becomes that much more important. So, things like marketing, homework, and even cleaning the Church become family activities. Gary does the laundry, while Marilie does the cooking, (usually one big viand, enough for two meals, which would be from a mixture of Filipino, western, and Chinese dishes) and the children are taught to pick up after themselves. General cleaning becomes everyone’s responsibility.
Gary takes the kids to school (in Causeway Bay, seven to eight kilometers away) and picks them up in the afternoon. In between times he is in the Church office. Marilie works at home with Blessie and the baby. On very rare occasions one of the girls in the Church may be available because the employer might be away. When this happens, they sometimes volunteer to come over and watch the kids or take them out while Gary and Marilie take this precious opportunity for a "date."
The Thurmans’ home serves as halfway house for Filipina OFWs
Because of the nature of Gary’s work, their home also serves as a halfway house for Filipina domestic helpers who are in-between jobs (finished their contracts), who have been terminated by their employers or who are going through labor or civil cases. Especially in the past year or so, a month never goes by without their home being a place of refuge for Filipinas who have been unfairly dismissed by their employers.
For a family to hire a foreign domestic helper they must provide living quarters. Those who have been hired by wealthier employers get to have their own room. Those who are employed by upper middle class employers are, in many cases, forced to sleep on a pallet in the children’s room or in a closet under the stairs. Sometimes food allowance is given, others eat the leftovers after the employers are finished. In rare cases, helpers are allowed to eat with the employers.
In order to work as a Domestic Helper (DH) in Hong Kong, a college education is mandatory. Some even have a master’s degree. Their salaries range from HK$3,270 to $6000 approximately P22,000 to P42,000.
Many of the ladies who have worked in Hong Kong for many years find it very difficult to adjust to the lifestyle in the Philippines when they go home for good. Because they see no future for them at home, many opt to go to Canada even if they could hardly ever save or send money back to their families. They see Canada as an open door for immigration, which unfortunately is not always true. For those who have become part of the families they work for, they are sometimes taken back to the UK or elsewhere when the family goes home for good. If they decide to go home they marry and go into their own business. For the married ones, they usually end up being self-employed.
To lessen the heartbreaking experience of the OFWs, the Thurmans launched the CIA Program, 10 years ago. It offers classes in Business, Computer, Cosmetology, Dressmaking/Tailoring, Guitar, Piano, Practical Arts and others. The aim of this program is to provide life skills to participating Filipino domestic helpers that they can use in their own ministries back home, or in setting up a livelihood for themselves and their families once they go home to the Philippines for good.
(For more information and reaction, please e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected])
My eyes caught sight of so many Filipino ladies sitting together along the half a kilometer pedestrian overpass in Connaught Road. According to Marilie, they sleep, eat, play cards and do business here, from selling phone cards to direct-marketing schemes. During Sundays and holidays, other Filipina OFWs hang around the Central district of Hong Kong – in Worldwide Center for remittances and door-to-door boxes, Statue Square, Chater Garden, Central Tunnel all the way to Star Ferry where ferry boats take passengers across to the Kowloon side.
For the other churchgoers, there is St. Joseph’s Church for Roman Catholics, as well as St. John’s Cathedral and St. Andrew’s Church in Tsim Sha Tsui for Anglicans. Hong Kong charismatic groups of JIL and El Shaddai have also their following.
NILDA TUANDO is the leader of the Drama/Mime Ministry, who accompanied me shopping at Wan Chai and Causeway Bay for Chinese condiments. She is 48 years old, widowed, with one daughter, who works as a domestic helper in Malaysia. She hails from Tacloban, Leyte. Nilda has been working here in Hong Kong for 22 years. She has been with her present employer for 11 years now. Her employers are the owners of Tung Chang Trading Company and its subsidiaries that specialize on marine and seafood products. Nilda is also a very talented ballroom dancer.
THESS VIDAR-SANTOS is the leader of the Band Ministry. She is 36 years old, married but with no children yet. She calls Pangasinan "home". She works as a governess for an 8-year old Chinese girl whose father works as the head of the Security Department of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and whose mother works in an import and export business. Before coming to Hong Kong, Thess first worked in Paris for eight years. While in Paris, she was part of the Dance Ministry of the church where she hung out with the members from the band. Because of her association with them, she learned to play the guitar. It wasn’t long when her French employers gifted her with a guitar for Christmas. This gesture encouraged her all the more to learn guitar playing. When Thess came to Hong Kong seven years ago, she became involved with the Band Ministry. She has developed herself in instrument playing and now ably handles the bass guitar, the acoustic guitar and drums. Thess teaches guitar in the CIA (Christian In Action) Program.
ALICE AZARCON is the song leader of the Praise and Worship Ministry. She is 35 years old, and single. She hails from Nueva Ecija. Alice has been working in Hong Kong for 15 years now. Trained as a nursing aid, she is a caregiver to the elderly mother of her male employer who is connected with the Labour and Home Affairs Department of the Hong Kong government.
ANA VILLANUEVA is the leader of the Choir Ministry and is the reader in the service. She plays the guitar well and assists in the CIA piano class. Ana is 32 years old, a Secretarial graduate, and single. Her family lives in Las Pinas and she has been working in Hong Kong for 10 years now. Ana is presently employed as a governess, caring for a nine-year old Chinese girl whose father is a stock market broker. She has been with her present employer for six years.
IMELDA TUAZON is the leader of the Ushering Ministry, who will be teaching a class on home management and table setting under the CIA Program on the last Sunday of the month. She is in her 40’s, married with a daughter who recently graduated and now works for an advertising company in Manila. Imelda is a very good cook and is very creative with her hands.
JHUN SANCHEZ and his wife ALMA both work here in Hong Kong - but for different employers. Since Alma only gets two Sundays off per month, this means that, although they are in the same city, they rarely see each other.
There are so many others, each with their own fascinating, often heartbreaking, stories. Among the heartbreaking stories is an OFW lady who became a guarantor for a loan her friend made for HK$16,000. However, the friend disappeared and she was left to pay the loan. Unfortunately, due to this, she lost her job.
Last month, a domestic helper was raped by one of Hong Kong’s top soccer player. Fortunately, he has been meted his sentence and is now beginning to serve part of his six-year prison term. Another domestic helper, who was also raped, is now staying in the Thurmans’ "halfway house" while they are helping her with the court case.
Under the headship of Patriarch Randolph Adler, although it began only in 1992, it enjoys a full Apostolic Succession and a large worldwide membership. Part of the so-called "Convergence Movement", it embraces the Sacramental style of worship, yet it is Evangelical in heart and Charismatic in spirit.
Gary has two sisters, one older and one younger. Joan works in the Student Relations department of Clayton State College. She has two grown sons. His other sister Kathy works in the Administration of a local home for the elderly. She has one son, about Isabella’s age.
Marilie met Gary in Atlanta in 1991 while attending a creative arts conference sponsored by his church, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. She was part of a seven-man team sent by the Cathedral of the King. Gary at that time was actively involved in the drama and arts department as a playwright and actor. He was putting together a well-loved full-length musical, "The Bride". Marilie helped refine the script, thus she got better acquainted with Gary through constant correspondence from Manila.
When Gary and Marilie married in 1993, he was hired by the Archbishop as the Cathedral liturgist. (A work he continues to do to this day, even though they are in Hong Kong, by the wonders of e-mail.) He was ordained to the deaconate in 1995, and to the Priesthood in 1998.
As they settled in the Philippines, they both made up their minds to raise their children by themselves: Samuel (9), Isabella (6), Blessie (4), and the newest addition to our little family, Josephine Natalie (4 months). During the first three years of Samuel’s life, Gary and Marilie brought him to work with them at the Cathedral. When Isabella came, Marilie resigned from working full-time at the church. Nonetheless, she continued with her vocation as a ministry worker in the choir while being a full-time homemaker.
The Thurmans take over the Zoe Christian Fellowship in Hong Kong
As vicar of the mission church in Hong Kong since 2000, Gary serves as pastor of the church. Marilie basically assists him in any way he needs her. However, her main responsibilities are overseeing the band, choir, dance and drama/mime ministries
The Thurman’s flat is about 760 square feet with three bedrooms, a toilet and bath, a living area, small kitchen, and laundry area. Despite its size, the amenities of the flat is comparable to a room in an apartelle in Manila. However, because storage space is not available, marketing is done if not daily, every other day.
With four kids and no helper, they make the most of every opportunity to have family time. With no extended family with them, the nuclear family becomes that much more important. So, things like marketing, homework, and even cleaning the Church become family activities. Gary does the laundry, while Marilie does the cooking, (usually one big viand, enough for two meals, which would be from a mixture of Filipino, western, and Chinese dishes) and the children are taught to pick up after themselves. General cleaning becomes everyone’s responsibility.
Gary takes the kids to school (in Causeway Bay, seven to eight kilometers away) and picks them up in the afternoon. In between times he is in the Church office. Marilie works at home with Blessie and the baby. On very rare occasions one of the girls in the Church may be available because the employer might be away. When this happens, they sometimes volunteer to come over and watch the kids or take them out while Gary and Marilie take this precious opportunity for a "date."
The Thurmans’ home serves as halfway house for Filipina OFWs
Because of the nature of Gary’s work, their home also serves as a halfway house for Filipina domestic helpers who are in-between jobs (finished their contracts), who have been terminated by their employers or who are going through labor or civil cases. Especially in the past year or so, a month never goes by without their home being a place of refuge for Filipinas who have been unfairly dismissed by their employers.
For a family to hire a foreign domestic helper they must provide living quarters. Those who have been hired by wealthier employers get to have their own room. Those who are employed by upper middle class employers are, in many cases, forced to sleep on a pallet in the children’s room or in a closet under the stairs. Sometimes food allowance is given, others eat the leftovers after the employers are finished. In rare cases, helpers are allowed to eat with the employers.
Many of the ladies who have worked in Hong Kong for many years find it very difficult to adjust to the lifestyle in the Philippines when they go home for good. Because they see no future for them at home, many opt to go to Canada even if they could hardly ever save or send money back to their families. They see Canada as an open door for immigration, which unfortunately is not always true. For those who have become part of the families they work for, they are sometimes taken back to the UK or elsewhere when the family goes home for good. If they decide to go home they marry and go into their own business. For the married ones, they usually end up being self-employed.
To lessen the heartbreaking experience of the OFWs, the Thurmans launched the CIA Program, 10 years ago. It offers classes in Business, Computer, Cosmetology, Dressmaking/Tailoring, Guitar, Piano, Practical Arts and others. The aim of this program is to provide life skills to participating Filipino domestic helpers that they can use in their own ministries back home, or in setting up a livelihood for themselves and their families once they go home to the Philippines for good.
(For more information and reaction, please e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected])
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