Growing up without money to make our life comfortable is difficult to bear and see. I grew up in a family where we did not acknowledge having sufficient funds to meet our needs and wants, yet my parents did their best not to let us starve. At a young age, I saw the hardships of my mother and father to provide for our basic needs – food and shelter.
My mind was still innocent, but life gave me enough insights to crave stability once I got older. Looking at my parents struggling to send the three of us to school was quite hard, and it made me become an achiever – to make them proud. Looking back, I still am emotional, remembering the days when I questioned not having the things my classmates had, but I never blamed my parents. And I thought that maybe we do not belong to the lucky ones.
As I grew up, I saw that there is a bigger world outside our home – that there are people living an unprivileged life far worse than us. When I started to understand what was happening in my country, where poverty is one of the main problems, I felt responsible for doing something.
Aside from giving my parents the comfortable life they deserve, I also promised to help my country and my fellow citizens, even in the little ways possible. The urge and desire to do something for my country grew significantly when the pandemic hit. It was hard for all of us since not everyone could afford to stay at home. It was when I decided to make a move.
Around the last quarter of 2020, I held fundraising on another crypto-blogging site and accumulated enough money to add to my savings. I saved my earnings and bought food for the grocery pack I planned to give. The first recipients who needed it came into my head were the indigenous people in the Northern part of the Philippines, also known as Aetas.
Since my brother’s girlfriend is a teacher in a far-flung school up in the mountains, she became the way to send the food packs I prepared. And luckily, she distributed them all. According to her, they were all smiling when receiving the packages. Though she could not see it behind their masks, their eyes were glowing and showing appreciation.
After giving away food packs in 2020, it took me a while to make it happen again. I had to focus on my academic performance since we have had online classes since then. But I had the opportunity to lead an outreach program in February 2022. It was my birth month, and I planned to celebrate my special day with the aetas.
I decided to bring candy treats and washable face masks for the kids. And when it comes to the foods, my friends and I cooked Pancit Guisado and packed them for distribution. It was our first time going up to the mountains of Buhawen in San Marcelino. I asked a favor from my sister-in-law, and she accompanied us while visiting house-to-house.
We exchanged hi’s and hellos to the people while giving away the foods we prepared for them. We met amazing people with good stories. They shared with us the kind of life they have and how they survive every day. I also love how they greeted each of us, though it felt awkward being called “Madam” by them. It was their way of showing respect.
While we were giving the treats and food, what caught my attention was the number of kids in the area. I saw their genuine smiles, and they looked so happy while looking at us. I have a very soft heart for kids because I also have nephews and nieces of their age.
When I started to give them some candies and washable face masks with designs, they were amazed. I became emotional while looking at them. They looked like diamonds – too precious and unique in my eyes. I was inspired to plan another outreach after my birthday – but I wanted to focus on the kids.
The following outreach I led happened in March this year. But I wanted to give something, particularly to kids. I had to communicate with the head and teachers of Buhawen Elementary School and asked for their permission. We wanted to give something to the children studying there since most are aetas. Luckily, they let us conduct the outreach program. Again, we prepared food, treats, and gifts for the kids. We gave them snacks, clothes, and the candy treats I had organized that day.
It was an emotional day since I was doing the cause from my heart. All I wanted to see was the happy faces of the kids. I loved the way they showed their excitement. I could still feel the butterflies when remembering the moments. It may be a simple act to do to some people, but to us, it was everything. I felt fulfillment when going home with a bunch of memories from making other people happy.
I am still a student with no permanent and regular job, yet I did something like this. I made it happen using the ways I know would work, like fundraising and saving money allotted for the outreach program I want to do. It is not about how much you earn, and it is about how good you are at saving and setting your priorities.
Also, it is not about how much you could give. The people we visited were too happy with our simple food packs. The kids were more comfortable seeing the candy treats and gifts, even though they were not too expensive.
The last time we did this was four months ago. The answer is yes if you ask me if I will do it again. It did not stop there. I even sent another set of gifts to a few kids in April. And I am planning to pay a visit to the school again. I am still in the process of saving money and thinking of what to give to them next – maybe school supplies or other pieces of stuff that could make them happy. I am looking forward to more moments like these. I will keep you posted once we do it again.
Lastly, this is my way of showing my love for my country and my fellow citizens. Sometimes it should not stop by pointing out what’s wrong with the system and the governance. It would be best to make a move yourself. Even if you think this is just a simple thing to do, it means a lot to me and us.
Thank you for reading. See you on my next blog!
Blog #10
Date Published: August 10, 2022
PREVIOUS BLOGS:
The Pathfinder Cherry: A Hike to Mt. Pimmayong
Foods That Give Me Comfort & Happiness
Wednesday Walk: With A Twist & Revelation
Cherry as Backpacker: Exploring Angeles Waterfalls
How I Used To Be