Written February 5,2011
As a communicator, I often dare to climb hills and mountains, crosses streams and rivers, does much of hiking and even rides in a 6-seater-non-pressurized plane just to reach remote communities. The experience is always worthwhile as you get to know people’s lives and hear stories of struggles and success which I then convey to others.
As a communicator, I often dare to climb hills and mountains, crosses streams and rivers, does much of hiking and even rides in a 6-seater-non-pressurized plane just to reach remote communities. The experience is always worthwhile as you get to know people’s lives and hear stories of struggles and success which I then convey to others.
Hearing poverty stories makes me feel blessed and inspired but sometimes makes me feel depressed. All through these years, I thought the best stories are only found in remote communities but ,just recently, I realized that I am wrong. There are great stories found within reach- just within our city. And most of these are stories of rejection from street children.
For me, street children have the worst stories of poverty. They know how it feels to be unwanted, uncared for and forgotten by everybody. (It is Mother Theresa’s description of being poor.)
For Kagay-anons especially Ateneans, whether you are now an alumni or still a student, we see most of them in the streets of Divisoria. They are the first and the last people we often see every time we get in and out of the campus.
Some Ateneans chat with them but almost all get annoyed. I remember a friend who posted her sentiments on facebook and I quote, “Unsay mabuhat sa gobyerno anang mga street children (teenagers ang uban) nga ga tambay diha sa mga dalan sa dunkin DV.. Annoying kaayo, cge pangilkil”.
I honestly felt bad when I read her post but I don’t blame her for it. She might have the worst encounter with these children or she was just not in the mood to be a person for others that time, as the school trained us.
I just wish we all have the good heart to understand on how these children behave. I just wish we all have the good heart to spend time and let them feel valued.
Believe me; these children have the most enriching and inspiring stories that you can reflect on at the end of the day.
Just like Paolo!
I think most of us know Paolo. We see this child growing- begging and just sleeping- in the streets of Divisoria for more than a decade now.
I used to call him the Dunkin Donut child as most staff treated him as their little brother. Paolo and other street children used to wait for our boss outside the shop for their early-morning-donut share. He used to be one of the happy-go-lucky street children I know.
But believe it or not, Paolo has the worst story of rejection. “I am only worth 500 pesos. My father sold me to his friend in exchange for liquor,” says 19-year-old Paolo.
I laughed at him thinking that he was just joking but his friends affirmed his story. Paolo admits that he used to have ill feelings for his father but he has already forgiven him. Paolo’s father died and he has not seen his mother for ages now.
And there is Rusty!
I can still vividly recall the day when I had a conversation with him six or five years ago. He sat beside me at Magsaysay Park bringing his bamboo flute. He used to have a vengeful heart just like of Sweeney Todd. (It is an infamous fictional story of a barber who is unjustly sent to prison then vows to revenge for the lost of his wife and daughter by shaving heads of gentlemen.)
At four years old, Rusty started to live and survive in the street. He started begging for food and later on sniffed solvents and used to do petty crimes. “As I am getting older, I wanted to easily earn more. I decided to join in a syndicate in exchange for food. And as a member, we were trained to be experts of snatching and robbery,” says 21-year-old Rusty. He admits that he used to take drugs to have the confidence in doing such crimes.
Rusty had been in and out of the jail. But an artwork exhibited at the Tourism Show house in Divisoria has been very instrumental to his life. “A masterpiece of an artist has moved me. The painting makes me realize that I want to live an harmonious and peaceful life with no one to hide,” says Rusty. The masterpiece that Rusty is sharing is owned by Rhyan Casino. It is titled “Flute Worship”, where a boy plays the bamboo flute worshiping his Creator. (Rhyan Casino is visual artist based in Cagayan de Oro)
Both Paolo and Rusty have the worst story of poverty. Both have no home to live and no family to depend on not until they found Dire Husi.
Dire Husi is an artisan hub for young people especially for interested street children who have the passion for arts. The hub aims to help these street children redirect their path and be a self reliant and socially responsible young people who aspire to collectively reach their full potential through arts, music and fair trade.
Now, Paolo will soon start his non-formal training to enhance his artistic skills while Rusty is busy on his studies as a first-year student of Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan taking up Development Communication. He is a fortunate scholar of Howard Foundation, a United States of America based scholarship foundation.
Both feel so blessed to have their second chances and want to influence and inspire more young people especially their friends who are still in the streets. “God truly loves us. He sends His angels through this people. We do not have the wealth but having people who values us make us feel like a billionaire,” says Rusty.
Paolo and Rusty’s stories are manifestations that we can do something. Let us not just criticize and solely depend on our government. Let us do our share and make difference instead.
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