Historical Background of Ephpheta
Ephpheta Foundation for the Blind, Inc. was legally established by several Christian Family Movement (CFM) units in Metro Manila that were under the pastoral ministry of the Rev. Jesus V. Fernandez of the Society of Jesus on September 21, 1969. It is one of the oldest non-governmental (NGO) institutions in the Philippines originally, the Foundation catered to the deaf and the blind. Its name was taken from the book of St. Mark wherein Christ uttered the ancient Aramaic word Ephpheta meaning“be opened” while curing a deaf man. As the years passed, the foundation gradually decided to cater exclusively to the blind and their families, given that during that time, there were very few support agencies for the blind (taken from the Historical Background of Ephpheta).
Vision and Mission
Ephpheta envisions the blind person fully grown in every human dimension, outcome of a two-fold development – one which enables him to relate to God, the other which enables him to relate to others. All the programs of the foundation revolve around a central mission – for the blind to attain the highest possible quality of life in all aspects – economic, cultural and religious, and be integrated into community (taken from the Vision and Mission of Ephpheta).
"It was not I who chose my vocation. I was chosen for it." -Rev. Fr. Jesus Vasquez Fernandez, S.J.
The Founder of Ephpheta Foundation
Rev. Fr. Jesus Vasquez Fernandez, S.J. of the Society of Jesus, comes from Libon, Albay, Philippines. After graduating from Ateneo de Naga, he joined the Jesuits in 1950 and went on to acquire his AB and MA in Philosophy in Berchmans College, Cebu City.After teaching high school students at the Ateneo de Manila, he went to the United States of America in 1961 to pursue his theological studies of West Baden College, West Baden, Indiana, for three years, and at North Aurora, Illinois, for one year. After his ordination to priesthood in 1964, he was sent to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he earned an MA in Communication. He also did further training at the University of Detroit, Detroit, Michigan, and at the National Catholic Office for Motion Pictures in New York City.Father Jess, as he is fondly called, is presently the founding president of Ephpheta Foundation for the Blind, Inc., an agency whose thrust is to improve the quality of life of the blind and to integrate them into the mainstream of community. He served as President of the Council on Blindness, Inc., an organization composed mostly of the medical and allied professions serving as an umbrella organization for the prevention of blindness. (Information taken from Ephpheta Newsletter Booklet)
Rehabilitation Programs of Ephpheta
The foundation esteems itself for providing effective programs all in the sincerest intent to help shape the lives of the sight-impaired. Ephpheta’s programs for emotional growth and security meet the blind man’s emotional needs and improve the quality of life in its socio-religious aspect while the programs for physical growth and well being meet the blind man’s physical needs and the needs of each member of his family and improve the quality of life in its socio-economic aspect.
They offer courses like orientation and mobility wherein the sight-impaired can navigate around on his or her own, arts and crafts which include pottery, massage therapy training which can be sources of their livelihood, braille reading and writing, personality development, values formation, and adapted physical education. Their next program is called the Alternative Learning System, a technology-assisted type of tutoring, that will start on January 2012. Besides training and preparing for the world beyond Ephpheta, the foundation encourages activities which uplift their trainees regard for themselves by holding Christmas parties and Mr. and Ms. Ephpheta – a pageant. (Adapted from Ephpheta's bulletin board)
They offer courses like orientation and mobility wherein the sight-impaired can navigate around on his or her own, arts and crafts which include pottery, massage therapy training which can be sources of their livelihood, braille reading and writing, personality development, values formation, and adapted physical education. Their next program is called the Alternative Learning System, a technology-assisted type of tutoring, that will start on January 2012. Besides training and preparing for the world beyond Ephpheta, the foundation encourages activities which uplift their trainees regard for themselves by holding Christmas parties and Mr. and Ms. Ephpheta – a pageant. (Adapted from Ephpheta's bulletin board)