First post - an explanation as to "Why?"and beginning with a good news story from the Philippines.

Wow! Quite a mouthful of a heading, huh?

The gap between rich and poor is growing worldwide, even here in Australia. A recent trip to the Philippines (back just yesterday after 3 weeks) highlighted this gulf between rich and poor even more, as it would in many other countries, I'm sure.

There was one really good story there (see below) and I'm sure I'll find others from around the world in coming weeks and months. I was inspired (big word, but I actually did feel driven) to start this blog as a result.

My friend Vino has a wonderful attitude to life and promotes the health and well being benefits of positives thoughts and actions. I tend to agree, but I'm not nearly as passionate about it as he is - perhaps until now. I've decided to make a late NY resolution and post at least one good news story from somewhere around the world each and every week of the year. They'll be small scale, by world standards, but, in keeping with my passion for community, they'll all be about people making a difference in their local communities.

It's going to be a challenge, as the media (my employer for over 30 years) sells more papers and get more hits on line from bad news stories - always has. But community newspapers in particular, publish a lot of good news stories about their local communities and this medium (worldwide) is going to be my main source of information and inspiration, i think.

So, wish me luck dear reader (numbering exactly 0 at this stage, of course :) ).


Bahay Pastulan - the nuns and the ube shop.

Now, there's at least one other post/blog about this on blogger.com (http://bucaio.blogspot.com.au/2008/01/bahay-pastulan-goodies.html), but my post is more about the story behind the retail store.

We visited Bahay Pastulan while on a day trip to Tagaytay with Johnny's family from Batangas. The purpose of the visit was to get ube jam, for which the shop is famous and, of course, other goodies were purchased as well. The sign below is on the the outside wall as you enter their retail store.

In short, there are now families with an income and people with a sense of self-esteem because of what Sister Mary and her fellow nuns started.

I'm the first to be critical of organised religion in any form (don't get me started!), but this is a case of one religious order doing something really good for a local community.

And it's a nice story with which to to start the blog, don't you think?