How FPS started

By Martin Reinert

FPS started in respons to the need of the victims of the Killerquake on the 16th and 17th of July 1990. These two earthquakes measured to 7,3 and 7,1 on the Richter scale. These earthquakes and many aftershocks hit the northern part of the Philippines.

The province Nueva Vizcaya was also hit, and there Conrado and Lilia Domingo (the parents of my wife) live in the town Bambang. So our thoughts and concern were how they were doing, and how we could help them. We found out, that they were ok. Thank God. But they also informed us that there were many other people, who were victims of the Killerquake.

Knowing how the situation is for many of the less fortunate families of the Philippines was, I asked if we could do something. My father in law Rev. Conrado Domingo said, that if we could collect some help, then we could send it to them, and they would disburse it to the victims. They would buy rice, canned food and other necessities.

From my visit in the Philippines in 1989, when I got married with Jessica their daughter, I knew that Rev. Conrado Domingo already before had organized relief-work after typhoons and other natural disaster. This made a good basis for cooperation. It is easy to work together with people, whom one knows, and when they also have experience and do a good job. Therefore I had the courage to start Faroese Philippine Services.

On the 30th of July 1990 my wife and I and my parents Agnar and Bina Reinert started Faroese Philippine Services in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.

After that we announced in the Faroese papers, that people could help victims of the Killerquake by donating money to the account of FPS. Some people responded, and we were very happy, that our efforts could make a difference.

But it is not possible to keep up the interest for helping people, who are victims of natural disasters, long time after the disaster has happened. Therefore we started to think of other ways to help the indigent of the Philippines, in areas, where Rev. Conrado and Lilia Domingo could disburse the help.

In 1992 Rev. Conrado Domingo asked me if it was possible to help financing children from poor families to go to school. We therefore prepared for a sponsorship program, and in February 1993 we had the first add in the Faroese newspapers, where people could assign as sponsors for one child in the Philippines. The first sponsors assigned the 5th of February 1993, and I am happy to say, that they are still with us.

Since then the sponsorship program has increased to include 7 schools, which we have direct contact with. Aurora Kinder School in Bambang has 1 school and 2 branches and Mt. Zion Kindergarten and Nursery School has one school and Gattaran Foundational Learning Center has 1 school and 2 branches.

Many children sponsored through Faroese Philippine Services are now in other schools also, but the help is provided through the schools mentioned.

Relief work has not been forgotten, but most of our work is in connection with the sponsorship program.

Learn more about FPS here.