Tribute to Paul
Paul Zaiser was the driving force behind the Buyong Support Program from 1984 until his death in 2003. Paul's commitment to and love for Buyong are remembered daily by members of the Buyong community, his family and friends.

Paul's Obituary
Paul and his fiance, Cherry, at Coconut Grove
An excerpt from Ron Furth's tribute to Paul in the Spring 2004 edition of the American School in Japan Alumni magazine describes the type of person Paul was:
"One story reveals something about Paul's personal involvement with the Buyong community. A group of American doctors visits the nearby island of Cebu once a year to perform free cleft palate operations. Paul and I spent a long, hot day at a clinic in Cebu with a mother from Buyong and her 2-year-old son in order for the child to have the surgery. The lines formed shortly after dawn and the bureaucratic roadblocks were formidable, yet Paul maintained his cool and calmly guided the young mother and her child through the process. When the doctors determined that the child was anemic and could not have the operation the mother was crushed, but Paul refused to be deterred. He met with the doctors to determine what needed to be done so that the child would be ready for the next time the clinic offered the cleft palate operations, he checked with the hospital to be sure that the child's records were correct, and made sure that the family would not have to go through the same ordeal next year. Paul bought a supply of iron supplement powdered milk for the child and carefully explained the instructions to the mother. I returned to Paul's house that evening drained from the exhausting day, but touched by Paul's humanity. Although Paul will not be in Buyong next February when the clinic returns, thanks to Paul's efforts the child will still have the surgery"
Thanks to Paul's efforts and Operation Smile volunteers, Emmanuel had the cleft palate operation in February 2005.

Read more about Emmanuel in "Leaving a Legacy" from The American School in Japan alumni magazine.
Emmanuel in March 2006
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