![](aburule.gif) Streetkids
Once while travelling in Australia, I met a woman who asked me about
the Philippine streetchildren. Feeling the compassion and sense of urgency in her
voice to get help to these kids, I felt ashamed at my being so insensitive to them, being
exposed to them all my life. I realized how my being a Christian in the only
Christian nation in Asia and it being one of the poorest didn't go together since
Christians are supposed to provide for each others' needs - seeing as we are all brothers
and sisters.
The Philippines is said to have a population wherein 65% live
in substandard conditions -this means they don't always have 3 meals a day, or don't have
secure housing or don't have jobs.
A year
after I met this woman, I met another man back here at home who did something to ease the
life of the streetchild. He stopped working despite having a family of his own, got
support from people, and started a feeding center - actually better called a 'caring
center' for these kids right in front of his own apartment. For the past 2
years, the kids would come every 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to get a meal a day. Since that's
all he could afford at the moment.
He picks up the leftover food from a leading restaurant at 11
o'clock at night everyday for the meal the following morning. Then he cooks it for
the kids the next day. All this he does by himself since his wife has to take care
of their two kids.
This Christmas, a few of my friends and I formed a team
called Heart and Bowl and we went over and helped him out to have a good time with the 40
or so kids who look at him now as an older brother figure. We had some games, they
danced for us, we sang for them and ate with them. It was a good time to be with
these kids who really had no one to turn to for security and for love. (For things
we learned from this experience, click here.)
Still, every day, they spend 80% of their time on the streets
- and only 15% at that caring center. Most of their time is spent begging, selling
Sampaguita, fighting for the lives at home because of abusive parents and trying to ward
off the temptation of sniffing Rugby, or prostitution.
I guess helping the streetkids has to be a way of life for
all Christians - like the woman I met on the train and the man who made this his life's
work - we have to make a conscious effort to do our part in raising the standard of living
for these kids.
I believe in the saying that to help the poor, you don't just
give them fish but make them fishermen.
Education is one of the major solutions to the problem of
poverty. Because, the children are the ones who suffer the most and who can benefit the
most from the changes we can effect.
That's why I looked around for people and organizations who help
the underprivileged. One of the best groups that does this kind of work is World Vision.
World Vision Development Foundation is part of a worldwide partnership of Christians
engaged in relief, development and advocacy work. They started in 1957 here in the
Philippines but they've been actively serving more than 100 countries already.
They help people help others by providing livelihood projects
through community-based development programs, and through a child sponsorship program.
Here you can get to know your 'child' through correspondence, and you won't feel as if
you're helping a stranger to finish school.
If you want to know more about them, you can email: ruffy_bondoc@wvi.org or visit their office at #55
Maginhawa St., UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City, PHILIPPINES Telephone #s (632)9270676 to
79 ![Don't be Boxed](boxed.gif)
Nationwide Toll-free no. 1-800-1-888-0901
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How
to Help Some Streetkids:
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If you live in the Philippines and
would like to volunteer in caring for streetkids with my friend, and you live in the
Quezon City area, you can send an e-mail to
hecaresfoundation@gmail.com for more
information. You can also help streetkids by volunteering at Fa. Rocky's Tuloy
Foundation if you live in the Makati area. Visit their site http://www.tuloy.org for more information. |
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Join organizations which have
alleviating poverty as their main agenda. Ex. World
Vision, Heart and Bowl, Caritas, and others. There are loads and loads of these
out there (like in your parish). Our community
Ligaya
ng Panginoon has an outreach called Tahanan ng Panginoon (House of the Lord) which
serves depressed urban areas. Pick one nearest you! |
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Sponsor the education of a street
kid or kids. |
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It's not advisable to give money
to streetkids since many of them belong to crime syndicates. Food is better but it
should be the kind that can be eaten right away. Some kids are punished when they
receive toys. It is better to work with socio-civic groups who have ongoing support
for the kids. |
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Donate old clothes, toys, books,
and food for them. |
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Pay your taxes, and pay your
workers the right wages. This will improve the quality of life of many and will
eventually benefit those who need it most. |
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Pray for the poor to find jobs, to
be provided opportunities - and also pray for those of us who have more to have hearts
willing to give. |
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Read "Can You Hear the
Heartbeat" by Dave Andrews. It is a book for anyone striving to be a true blue
Christian and poses a challenge to each of us. It can be found in National Bookstore
branches, OMF Literature (776 Boni Ave., Mandaluyong, M. Mla.) or Word of Joy outlets
(Unit 1, 127 Don Alejandro Roces Ave., Quezon City or by email them for details. Back to Top |
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Things
We Learned From Serving the Kids
(Contributions from the Heart & Bowl Team)
I learned
that....
1. From Angie:
I learned that God had given us so much and He only asked us to give a very small part of
it to make someone happy.
2. From Ken:
I was not involved in H & B except in a vicarious way. What I saw, however, is how
much can be done with a little inspiration and a willingness to work. People are willing
to give and to serve; they often need to have someone else take the lead and to point out
how.
3. RIA's side 0=)....
GIVING and sharing is not a business concept--it doesn't involve getting returns from your
investment, or making sure that the clients" /recipients are worthy of the costs and
expenses. GIVING and SHARING is all about God's generosity which cannot be helped but be
passed on.....
4. Tweet learned that:
Seriously, I didn't realize that so many people just need an opportunity to show they are
willing to do their share of helping out. It kind of reaffirms my faith that people are
basically good and are also concerned with the plight of others. On the other hand,
I saw that guys can actually be pretty handy in the kitchen (y'know, throwing the trash,
opening sacks of rice, potatoes and pork, counting rubber bands and styro boxes, etc,
etc.). They seem discover their "feminine side", and display an amusing
eagerness to prove to the female species that they can actually work in a woman's
territory. Talk about a fish out of water! hehehe!
5. Tina wrote:
"The thing that I learned during our H & B is that caring for the poor is vital
for our identity as Christians. If we do not take care of our poor, in whatever way we
can, no matter how small, we will have a desensitized faith which lacks power and
conviction."
6. from Sharee:
I learned that if you ask someone to fry 310 eggs in one time, he or she will possible not
be able to eat another egg again in her whole life... ha, ha, ha!
7. from Flor Sy:
I learned that GOD has a way of bringing people together to do good for the less fortunate
ones. Praise the Lord!
8. yeh says:
I learned that a little effort at sharing goes a long, long way!
Email us
today to be a part of Heart and Bowl.
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Building
Homes for the Poor:
This March 1999, I was blessed to be part of Habitat for
Humanity's 1999 Work Project. This is the program supported by ex-president Jimmy
Carter and his wife Rosalyn, where volunteers from all over the world, help to build
houses for the poor. Here in the Philippines, just last week, around 10,000
volunteers signed up to build 250 houses simultaneously in 6 sites around the country.
3,000 came from abroad and around 7,000 were Filipino volunteers.
I was assigned to help build in the Maragondon, Cavite site
called "Isaiah Ville" where 130 houses were built in the week. I was
working in house numbers 129 and 130. Along with me was were my 2 sisters,
brother-in-law, and my dad. I could say it was one of the most fulfilling
experiences in my life.
Initially I thought I might be more of a nuisance rather than
a help, being unskilled in construction work and all, besides, I look quite frail and
haven't been regularly exercising so I was a bit fearful I'd be in the way. But
surprisingly and quite miraculously really, I was energized beyond words to do the work!
With only a small sandwich for breakfast, and lots of water (it was soooo hot), I
had all I needed to lift hollow blocks, 2x4x14 planks of wood back and forth from the
houses to the supplies area, ... real masonry work!
Everybody had a smile for you despite the hard work that had
to be done all in a week's time. Total strangers would talk to you and encourage and
help you with your work too. It was really a wonderfully enriching time for everyone
there.
The special memories I have of the time I spent at the site
wouldn't be complete without my mentioning the new friends I made on the spot - the
Singaporean Baptist church group - who were so hardworking and dedicated in their work.
I'm sure they weren't the type who were used to this kind of work but they gave it
their all, really doing their best, even if they had to spend for their accomodations and
got really tired during the trip. Mike and Joy too, were very inspiring
in how they worked and shared their lives with us during that short time. Mike, an
American, has been in 6 Habitat projects and sponsors 14 children for
Christian Children's Fund and Children International. And more than that, he has a
personal relationship with them and makes it a point to help people in need.
It was heartwarming to know these good people, who didn't
have to do what they were doing, but were doing it, and doing it joyfully and with big
hearts full of love for these people.
We also met the future owners of the house and they were able
to express their joy at receiving a beautiful home which they also helped build.
If you would like to take part in an ongoing build, visit
Habitat's Home page - http://www.habitat.org to
learn more about their local and worldwide projects.
For Philippine volunteers- email NOW at volreg@habitat.org.ph
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Random
Acts of Kindness:![Don't forget to Smile!](girl.gif)
I am looking for ideas to put here - basically some ways to
make someone smile like -pay the toll of the person behind you or send a bouquet of
flowers to someone who deserves it, examples like that. If you have a suggestion,
e-mail me at and I'll post it up here. If you
don't want me to mention your name, just say so. Thanks.
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Pick up someone else's trash. |
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Give an encouraging, "You
did a good job!" note. |
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Add a 'surprise note' in
someone's bag saying a sincere thought like, "I'm proud of you!" or "I
thought of you today." |
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Do someone's chores
unexpectedly. |
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Buy dessert for your family for
no particular reason or special occasion. |
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Visit an old people's home,
making special cards or banners with nice inspiring thoughts or messages that they can
post and remind them of your visit. |
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One day, pray for all birthday
celebrants whether you know them or not. |
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Get up early one day and thank
the newspaper carrier for a job well done |
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Volunteer for an
orphanage. Cribs in Marikina is a good one and they always need a helping hand,
specially on weekdays and Saturday afternoons. The kids just need someone to hug. |
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Take CPR and first aid
courses. There's one by the Red Cross, near the Quezon City hall. I suppose
you can find a course near your area. You never know when you can save a life. |
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If the church choir sings well,
tell them so, even if you don't know them well. |
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Plant a tree - this will benefit
everyone on your street and generations beyond. |
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Encourage your parish priest,
minister or community leader when they give good sermons or lead well. |
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Mow someone else's lawn - just
be sure it really should be mowed.. |
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Write, email or phone the TV
show that does great work in their productions - mentioning what you like about the show
and encouraging them to keep at it. |
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Bring a roll of toilet paper and
leave it at the cubicle in the mall which has run out. |
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Cut out articles for friends who
may need it for their work or concerns. |
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Give the postman or newspaper
delivery boy a slice of cake, a candy bar or something nice to munch while he's doing his
rounds, just to know he's appreciated. |
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