A Touching Encounter....

It was drizzling... I got up at 4:30 because I have to meet Sir Robert at the Mini Stop in Sta. Rita. The place is about 30 minutes travel from our place. We are scheduled to have an ocular visit in Camias, Planas, Pampanga where our Aeta scholars reside. Despite the bad weather I have decided to dispatch myself and prayerfully go for a special mission that which is to visit the Aetas.

Robert and I rode a jeepney and as we travel, I can’t help but get excited. I did not mind transferring from one jeepney to another. The last ride was on a tricycle where we have to pay 300 pesos. Hmmm...I was surprised on this, and so I asked the driver why the fare is expensive. The driver explained that it is far and that the road is muddy and slippery so they charge 300 for one way. What else can we do but to pay and be on board the tricycle just to reach our destination.

Waaaaaah... true indeed, it was far and the road is not cemented. Robert has to get out of the tricycle four times to help the driver push the tricycle while I was just seated trying to refocus myself and enjoying the ride and the scenery of the mountain.

After almost two hours of traveling we were able to reach Camias. We headed to the house of the Barangay Chairman who happens to be the father of our two Aeta scholars. The parents of our scholars welcomed us enthusiastically and I was able to see in their faces expressions of happiness. I introduced myself and Sir Robert to them.

We had a short introduction of our names and our background, and after the "hi and hello" thing, I began to ask questions. I came to know some realities in their lives, like, sometimes they have to skip meals due to lack of food, that some of our students have to walk on hours just to be home and just to be on the terminal where they have to take a ride. They also grow vegetables and fruit bearing plants that they can eat and sell. It pains me to hear about the scarcity of food, to see the children up in the mountain dirty, sickly and not being in school.

Yes, life for them is difficult, but despite their poverty they have hope and with their simple life I can see that they can laugh and have joy in their hearts. I saw them smile as I try to wear the “bangkat”, a round shallow basket made of closely interwoven bamboo splits usually carried by women. When I try to learn their dialect, they laughed because I mispronounce some of the words like; “manged” (beautiful), “marake” (many) etc. I have seen them get excited but shy as I take pictures of them. They look and smile at me as I photographed the food they served and the squash they gave us.

After the picture taking, we had a break. I have to help prepare our lunch so I went to the kitchen and assist the women. I chopped the onions and opened the canned goods. I helped in setting the table and we had our simple lunch with the chicken cooked in lemon grass and the canned goods.

We had our siesta after our lunch. It rained heavily and it has crossed my mind how will we go home if the rain will NOT stop. Hmmm...I tried to be calm and not worry...Since it was raining I had a power nap because I was deadly tired. I was not able to sleep the night before because of too much excitement. I had a short nap though because I was not comfortable lying on the bench. So I got up and went to the nearby house and there I found a group of aetas watching a Filipino film on the old television. I took some pictures of them and talked to some adults.

Then, I went back to the nipa hut and asked the Barangay Chairman to call on the parents so we can finish our dialogue of life. We gathered again inside the hall and as I listen to their dreams and aspirations, to their concerns, I can’t help but be sad and be down spirited. I made some proposals about growing some vegetables which could make them earn money. I also proposed raising goats and chicken. They sort of like the suggestion and told me that they are willing to do just anything for their children.

I was surprised of their willingness to learn cooking lessons, to improve their lifestyle and to be partners with us in the education of their children. The determination they have in sending their children to school has made a huge impact in my heart. This has inspired me to help them more and to support them in their dreams for their children to finish college.

I was moved by their words of gratitude for the effort and time we have given them. They were expressive of their gratefulness. They were happy because despite the distance and the bad weather we visited them. They also expressed their appreciation for the scholarship given by our school to their children. Everybody became silent when I started to talk about our institution. I explained to them our vision and mission, discussed our objectives and gave them the assurance that we will help them in the education of their children. I also made them realize that we are willing to help them and that our school is the only school in Pampanga which have accepted most of their children to be our scholars. I have to end the meeting by thanking them.

As we walk down the place where we have to get a ride, I couldn’t help but think of the encounter I had with them which is worth the long travel, the time and the effort I have exerted. I know in my heart that I will have a great task ahead, that there is a demand from me to do something good for them, and that I have to act intuitively. I accept that I have a work to be done and that there is a call that need to be answered, an urgent call...A CALL TO ACTION.

As I look back...in my heart is HOPE, hope that someday some of them through their children who are determined to finish their education will have a better life. I was sad though because I know that at the moment they can only wish for their dreams to come true, but for as long as there are people who are willing to share their blessings, for as long as there are people who are moved to help and make a difference in their lives, this dream is not far-fetched. With the GRACE of God, NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE.