The last few days have been full and good.
Starting with Thursday as the first day of work for both me and Michael, I can truly say that it has been eye opening. In the mornings I work at the Clinic, helping to organize things such as prescriptions, and then in the afternoons I work with the Pre-school students. I think the most important part of my day there was a conversation I had with one of the teachers/volunteers. She said, "You know, this really is meant to be more than just a charity center. We don't give away food or school supplies for free, we discount them greatly. By paying for the supplies this allows for the parents and students to preserve some dignity in being able to provide for their families. And we also try to create a reciprocal giving. Not that we expect them to give back to us, but to give in return to others." It was a beautiful moment for me, a moment of realization of the ability we have to give more than just money to those in need.
My second day of work, on my birthday, I was given the opportunity to accompany a teacher on her "home visits". This is when the teachers go to visit students and their families. It was a huge eye opener for me. Not so much by the immense poverty that exists here, homes made from bamboo and items found in the forest, or metal scraps. But it was more of an experience of building a relationship with the people I met and the similarities I discovered between us. Although the homes were extremely poor, there was a great attempt at creating a harmony in the home, and a welcoming atmosphere (something that is taught here at Bukas Palad). The social center helps teach the families how to budget and plan for their families, and home visits is an opportunity to help them with struggles they are facing or questions they may have. One mother was concernced with not having enough money for the expenses of her son in order that he might graduate. So she gave her friend all her money to hold and save. This way she said she wouldn't be tempted to buy the little things her children ask when they go to the grocery, because she wants to give them everything they ask for and knows the money would be gone. I relate to this because of how often we want to spend and give others everything that they ask for, even though sometimes this isn't this best way to love. I realized also that many of the problems they faced were the stresses that are associated with wondering if they have enough money. A stress I think that never goes away, even if you have a lot of money. The social center here is offering them something much more that just money, and resources but hopefully a way to really find something meaningful and a way to "love their neighbor".
Michael's work has been good as well, although more of a physical nature! The first day he worked at Pagasa, the other social center helping to distribute food to the poor families. But the second day he worked on cleaning the roof of Pagasa a 3 story building. This also offered him a chance to get closer to the sun, and even though I strongly encouraged sunscreen he suffers from a nice burn.
Friday night we went to Santa Rosa for a Word of Life meeting, where we study a phrase from the Gospel from this months readings. It was a good chance to meet the families in the area, some newly married just like us.
We stayed with one of them, in a very large, beautiful home. A stark contrast the the homes I had just visited earlier that day. It gave me an opportunity to see two very different social settings in which the families and the social centers are trying to help teach a Christian lifestyle.
We went swimming at the local country club and played some tennis, just long enough for Michael to get an even worse sun burn, hahaha.
On Sunday, today, was open city, a chance for people to visit the social centers and for the volunteers to share about the mission here. So many people from different countries and religions volunteer here and come to live an experience of "love thy neighbor". What a view into how the world could live harmoniously.
Miss you all!
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