Last
Sunday, September 1, I was given the opportunity to meet my fellow T.W.I.
student ambassadors for the first time. Being the newest member of the team, I
felt excited with a tinge of apprehension. Coincidentally (or possibly fated),
our agenda for that day was to visit Cottolengo Filipino in Montalban to have a feeding program.
Cottolengo Filipino is a private and non-government organization owned by Little
Works of Divine Providence, which is founded by St. Luigi Orione. Cottolengo
Filipino aids the abandoned, poor and disabled people of the country (as of the
moment, it is exclusive only for boys).
Personally,
I've always enjoyed reach-ins and outreach programs for the less fortunate. But
that was my first time to experience being with children with Down syndrome,
autism, microcephalus and the like. The
moment we reached Cottolengo Filipino, we were welcomed with a warm smile from
a young man who was standing by the gate. Little did I know that this young man
was one of the 40 people who are being taken care of in the program.
Sir Jerome, one of the most
active members of Cottolengo Filipino, and Fr. Stefan was our guide for the day, along with. They gave brief backgrounds about the
organization. They also gave short and heartwarming stories about the abandoned
kids. I remember Sir Jerome mentioning how these boys will grow up, live, and
eventually lay down their lives in the orphanage. He mentioned how these boys “can’t
function” in the outside world. And the organization’s main vision is to
provide these people proper rehabilitation for their physical, mental and
emotional being. Sir Jerome also mentioned how these people, despite their
disabilities, are always happy and smiling. And as he said that, Michael passed by us while holding
onto one of the helper’s hands. And just as Sir Jerome mentioned, he walked by
us with a huge smile on his face and excitedly shouted “hello!” Sir Jerome also
said something about how we, living in a busy and complex world, constantly
surround ourselves with negativity and sadness. He said how we burden ourselves
with unnecessary problems and troubles relentlessly. But these kids, these young
men, have graver problems than we do. And yet they still manage to flash those
beaming grins and smiles.
Sir Jerome’s words and
Fr. Stefan’s stories really struck me to the point that I was so eager to just
hug all these boys. And right there and then, I was on the verge of tears. I
was trying so hard to stop myself from crying (I saved the tears for 6 hours
and bawled in my room when I got home haha!) I've realized so much from Sir
Jerome and Fr. Stefan’s words. And that was just the beginning of everything!
We were then toured around the
compound. It was spacious and was really conducive for learning and
rehabilitation. The walls were all colorful, lively and eye-catching, suitable
for boys their age. The
rooms had a number of beds, cabinets and shelves, and were assigned to each
person. Everything was organized and properly maintained. Though it was evident
that some necessities were still unavailable.
On the way to the
dining room, we were able to meet Darwin. He’s one of the sweetest, funniest and most talented boys I've met! Fr.
Stefan also mentioned how Darwin enjoys dancing. And the moment Darwin saw me bring
out my camera, he gave me these adorable poses and smiled immediately. When we
reached the dining room, we prepared their lunch and were given instructions on
how to feed some of the boys. When the feeding began, everyone was busy doing their own business: feeding
themselves, being fed, passing tissue, pouring water. And as the minutes
passed, we've learned more about the boys. How some of them enjoy singing,
directing, or even chewing on things. We also learned how Darwin, the vibrant
dancer, was familiar with photography. There were times when he insisted on
taking our photos. He really wanted to be behind the camera instead of being
the subject of photos. (amazeballs!)
It
was so entertaining to watch how all of them interacted with one another. They had a certain bond that showed their intimate relationship. It’s like they knew what one was scared of, how one eats, what
one needs at this time of the day, etc.
Fr. Stefan and Sir Jerome also
showed the activities that the boys do. They sometimes create candles or make
molded figures of the cross and paint them afterwards. They also have a classroom with books, toys and other
materials for learning. The only drawback is the limited amount of teachers who
can educate and train the boys. And also the volunteers and sponsors who can
help sustain the little community.
At the end of the
program, I gave myself time to somehow reflect and think about everything that
happened that day. It was no doubt that it was a day filled with new
realizations and life-lessons. And these lessons, though common and really
basic, were learned from people who we may have never expected to learn them
from. Like how everyone is interrelated with one another. How teamwork is essential
in times of struggle. How life is so valuable and how everyone deserves to live
and develop it. How love can be shown through little acts of kindness and
charity. And most of all, how true happiness can be found in the simplest
things.
Reported by: Twista Neale Go
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