We picked the kids up from school then went to the mall and had lunch. While eating, naaliw ako sa kwentuhan namin and didn’t realize natapos na agad s’yang kumain. When I asked why finished so quickly, ang sagot “busog na raw ‘sya”. I noticed though konti lang ang kinain nya.
I then realized that earlier nakita ko syang nag-struggle using the “sfork” (spoon and fork), so sabi ko kahit mabagal kain uli. I gave the spoon and ask to try again, natapon ang food. I then gave the fork and told kahit mabagal, take your time – ok lang yun! Again, natapon ang pagkain. Hindi nya mai-shoot sa bibig nya ang “sfork”, nalalaglag ang food before it gets to the mouth. At this point napahiya na siguro yong bata, tumigil na talaga.
This is where I started wondering about the situation.
We then went inside the department store to buy them rubber shoes and some necessities like underwear, sando pang school etc. I started asking them questions (pero tinarget ko talaga sya – kasi sanay mag ‘sfork’ yung isa at malusog).
When we finished shopping, hinatid na namin sila sa bahay nila. Una muna siya, park yung car sa labasan and then we had to walk about 200 metres to their house, parang looban-style ba. While we were walking, someone discreetly warned me baka daw ma-shock ako sa dadatnan kong bahay.
Naglalakad pa kami, we asked bakit walang ilaw sa bahay nila, to which replied, “nagkasakit ang 1 member of their family nawalan ng pambayad sa electricity” or something like that, naputulan sila.
I then asked ‘pano sya nag-aaral sa gabi, ang sagot ‘nya– “lumalabas daw sya sa bahay at nauupo sa me poste ng kalye dahil me ilaw dun”.
Dun sya nag-aaral.
Finally, we got to the house, sa estimate ko, the whole house is like 2 x 3 metres. Ang sahig LUPA, me banggerahan, me maliit na table and no wall for a room, sa dulo ng house, me double-deck na bed na may takip lang na kumot - yun na ang bedroom, sa taas na bed silang magkakapatid, sa ibabang bed, the parents.
After seeing all these parang me big lump sa throat ko, I couldn’t say a word but finally succeeded in saying...
"Pagbutihan mo pag-aaral, uuwi ako sa graduation mo”.
Walking back to the car na medyo in shock at pigil na pigil ma-teary eyed, someone said that the very first time na makita nya situation na ‘yon and having spoken to the parents, paglabas na paglabas nila ng bahay na yun, they knew "sya na nga".
I went home that night and told my friends the story. They were all in tears and all said the same thing, habang ako (I love food), problematic almost every day on what to eat (Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, etc) this family is probably problematic kung ‘san kukuha ng pagkain. And the house...I only have a 2 bedroom place pero mas malaki pa ang spare bedroom ko compare sa buong house nila.
I went home that night and told my friends the story. They were all in tears and all said the same thing, habang ako (I love food), problematic almost every day on what to eat (Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, etc) this family is probably problematic kung ‘san kukuha ng pagkain. And the house...I only have a 2 bedroom place pero mas malaki pa ang spare bedroom ko compare sa buong house nila.
It really made me realize how truly blessed I am... and some of us really are...
...and realized we are probably their only hope, some kid's hope.
5 comments:
Wow!
Dear Batch 78
Ang isa nating k clasmate n si Matilde Mutuc ay nagdaranas ngayon ng sakit ng tulad ng kay Conie kaya marapat lang siguro na pagtuunan natin siya ng munting panalangin na sanay gumaling siya agad salamat po.
Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the Sick, we turn to You in this time of illness. O dearest Comforter of the troubled, alleviate our worry and sorrow with Your gentle love, and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden. Dear God, we place our sick under Your care and humbly ask that You restore Your servant Matilde to health again. Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge Your holy will and know that whatsoever You do, You do for the love of us. Amen.
Our prayers are with you, hoping for a better health for Tindeng,in God's hands may she always have the strength .....
Gelly also have the same "blessing" like Tindeng! We are all blessed in different forms and magnitude! I call it blessing - everything is a blessing - others have sickness, others have problems, others have happiness, others have tears, smiles - and what else-- it only differs on how we are accepting them - on how we are holding on--- like what Tindeng have said- "wag lang bibitaw sa KANYA!
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