i felt helpless..

It's really amazing how much magic a single kid has. They "magically" relieve your stress and put a smile on your face just by seeing them with their cute smiles.

Meet the kids that we teach during NSTP Service. They are the kids from a depressed area in Paco, Manila. We hold our service every Wednesday, 1:30 - 4:30, at this Public Library thing. (hehe) I've always hated NSTP, but this semester was different. We are tasked to teach kids aged 4-7, and I love it! :) We teach different stories about God, songs, prayers, and of course, we play! We know how to have fun too you know! :))

I don't know what these kids have, but every time I see them, all the stress, the pain, will just go away. Now, I'm pretty sure they have a magic.


We didn't expect it..no one did.

January 13, 2010 was our first service, our first encounter with the kids. We started at around 2pm since there was some delay. Thank God everything went well and we managed to finish at exactly 4pm. Part of our service was to bring every child home safe and sound, and we did. At about 4:30pm, we left the place. On our way back to school, we saw fire trucks rushing somewhere. We ignored it since we don't actually have time to check it out. By the time I got home, the news featured a fire in Paco, Manila. I went like "Oh my God! I was just there! Oh my!!" It really shocked me. I was totally hoping it was far from the place we went to, since most of the kids live there.

The second service was today, January 20, 2010. We were still clueless about what had happened because we thought it wasn't the exact place where the fire took place. Me and my friend Anna, are tasked to bring the children home. But the volunteer said two of the kids will be going on a different way because they're staying on the relocation site across the street. They lost their home because of the fire. And yes, we were shocked. We didn't know that the place where we brought the kids home last week was torn down by the big fire. So, I talked to my other groupmates to bring the kids home while I me, Anna, and my other classmate Gebel will bring the two kids back to the relocation site. We have to bring the kids back exactly where there family was. It was too crowded that you could barely find a way to walk in, but thankfully we did. We talked to the family for a while, since we are asked to do so. (but we also wanted to hear their stories) The volunteer said there were about 200 families there. The other families who were affected by the fire were brought to other relocation site, I'm just not sure where. (Btw, there were over 1000 families affected)

Helpless..

It broke my heart to see them suffer like that. I was observing the place, and I felt like crying, but I managed to hold together my tears.(ha!)It was kinda shocking to me, since it was my first time to be in that kind of place. But the feeling of sympathy took over me. Me and my friend Anna were feeling the same. When we got back to the meeting place, I had the chance to talk to her about it. We were figuring out ways to help, but whatever we do, seems like it's so impossible. I felt so helpless and worthless. Until now, it's bothering me. I want to help, I just don't know how. If we only have enough money to give to those 200 families, we would. But, we only receive daily allowance, and that's 300 pesos a day. Not enough even if we save for years!

I hate the feeling of the not being able to do something to help others. It kills me!

We asked the volunteer if they receive goods from people like elections candidates, etc. and he said yes. But we know it wasn't enough. All we could do now is to pray for them. Prayer works!

If you are someone who can do something to help, please do. If not by goods, by prayer. They need such prayer warriors like you. <3

If you have the means to help, please please please do!
Philippine National Red Cross

The kids need us. They need us.