A Christmas Story.
It all started with Alabang Carpool. (Yay Alabang 1!) I was in senior year, college, when the Woodrose girls decided to hold a Christmas party for the SOS Children's Village in Alabang. They extended the invitation to all of us in the carpool. It wasn't that hard to coordinate really, we had a Yahoogroup...
Typical of an Atenean, everyone wanted to help out and volunteer... and maybe quietly just wanted to add this to their list of being "men and women for others". Admittedly, they simply had me at "We're serving Jollibee!"
So there I was, spending my weekend in a place I knew nothing about, which was weird considering I lived just a couple of blocks away from it.
And then I met them. All of them.
As we pulled in the driveway a big group of kids ran towards us, all smiles. "Handlers", as I called the social workers/volunteers taking care of the kids (at that time), were with them. So many makulit kids. At one time. OH. MY. GOD. I told myself.
They probably saw me panicking. And so they explained.
~~~
SOS Children's Village is no ordinary village. It's home for a number of children. Not "a home" but "home". Difference lies in the fact that it's no orphanage. No adoption required, no unnecessary anticipation on when some couple will want to pick a kid out of a slew of other kids... like puppies for sale. It's not temporary. It's a real home.
There were about 8 houses inside the compound, each one with around 10-15 kids. Each house had a mother that lives with them. SOS Mothers are unique. They remain single and devote their lives, until they retire at age 60, to care for the children as their own.
The dynamics are the same. They go to school, they do their chores and they get scolded by their mom when they do something bad.
~~~
Out of nowhere a little boy tugged the side of my pants. He stared at me for a while. He obviously hasn't washed his face. He smiled, and asked me "kasama po kayo?". I nodded. And then he took my hand.
We made our way to their little activity center inside where the Woodrose girls had set up their little party treat for the kids. The little boy kept on making kwento. Quite the babbler that kid. They started serving the Jollibee lunch-- Spaghetti with Chickenjoy. Mmmm. The little kids face lit up even more.
Stupid cute kid. Ended up giving him my share of Chickenjoy and Chocolate Sundae.
~~~
It's been five years since that happened. That kid's all grown up now. I've never stopped helping or visiting especially during Christmas. It's always nice to know you're a big part of building someone's home, and most of all how much you influence a little kid's happiness no matter how small the gesture.
- Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like it's your last.
Typical of an Atenean, everyone wanted to help out and volunteer... and maybe quietly just wanted to add this to their list of being "men and women for others". Admittedly, they simply had me at "We're serving Jollibee!"
So there I was, spending my weekend in a place I knew nothing about, which was weird considering I lived just a couple of blocks away from it.
And then I met them. All of them.
As we pulled in the driveway a big group of kids ran towards us, all smiles. "Handlers", as I called the social workers/volunteers taking care of the kids (at that time), were with them. So many makulit kids. At one time. OH. MY. GOD. I told myself.
They probably saw me panicking. And so they explained.
~~~
SOS Children's Village is no ordinary village. It's home for a number of children. Not "a home" but "home". Difference lies in the fact that it's no orphanage. No adoption required, no unnecessary anticipation on when some couple will want to pick a kid out of a slew of other kids... like puppies for sale. It's not temporary. It's a real home.
There were about 8 houses inside the compound, each one with around 10-15 kids. Each house had a mother that lives with them. SOS Mothers are unique. They remain single and devote their lives, until they retire at age 60, to care for the children as their own.
The dynamics are the same. They go to school, they do their chores and they get scolded by their mom when they do something bad.
~~~
Out of nowhere a little boy tugged the side of my pants. He stared at me for a while. He obviously hasn't washed his face. He smiled, and asked me "kasama po kayo?". I nodded. And then he took my hand.
We made our way to their little activity center inside where the Woodrose girls had set up their little party treat for the kids. The little boy kept on making kwento. Quite the babbler that kid. They started serving the Jollibee lunch-- Spaghetti with Chickenjoy. Mmmm. The little kids face lit up even more.
Stupid cute kid. Ended up giving him my share of Chickenjoy and Chocolate Sundae.
~~~
It's been five years since that happened. That kid's all grown up now. I've never stopped helping or visiting especially during Christmas. It's always nice to know you're a big part of building someone's home, and most of all how much you influence a little kid's happiness no matter how small the gesture.
- Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like it's your last.
posted by AveragePsycho at
11:40 AM
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