11/11/2014
AN EARLY MAN AT THAT
Many people would be unsatisfied with what life can offer. We would often demand for something new, something better, and something expensive. Yes, we are not aggravating someone’s life by paying hundreds and thousands of money just to fulfil our desire, but we can still have something to do more than leisure. And that is to extend our helping hands to our less fortunate fellows like “Den-Den”, a 9 year-old Grade 3 student of Gogo Elementary School and one of the rehabilitants at bunk house. As the eldest child, it’s quite hard or him to adjust with his environment and to cope with his education. He was studying at Estancia Central Elementary School last academic year before Yolanda and he needed to repeat another year at Gogo.
Their house at Brgy. Bulaquena was totally smashed and devastated by the super typhoon that’s why they had to reside at the temporary house hoping to regain and anew their loss through the aid of government and other kind hearted people.
Den-Den explained that they hardly received food assistance from the government. “Kis-a lang kami makakaon tatlo ka beses sa isa ka adlaw”. Oftentimes, they eat sardines, noodles, dried fish or bread. Sometimes, they only have C2 or juice for mealtime as given by the foreign visitors. I sighed for mercy when he revealed that he had neither eaten pork, nor chicken, nor any delicious dish. “Asin amon gina sud-an sa kan-on kung wala na guid, mabusog lang kami.” Yes, rice and salt to answer his hunger, together with his mother and two other siblings. In his young mind, he is contented with the life he has now with his family. Unlike other toddlers who have dreams on what to become in the near future, he aspires nothing because for him “wala ko kabalo kay wala pa man”, a simple statement of having no assurance what life may bring him soon.
On the other hand, he is still thankful to God for not leaving them and always protecting them from harmful diseases. “Mabudlay nga wala na si Tatay sang walo pa lang ko katuig, pero ginabuligan ko man si Nanay sang ubra kag gaskwela man ko maayo”. He is so happy that despite of the heavy burden he carries, God is always with them, guarding their shelter in a gloomy night and waking them up when the sun shines so bright.
