Hospicio de San Jose - Lola

Mga Mag Be-Bestfriends - Tita Lissa, Tita Elpi at Tita Nena




The Volunteers and Lola Mina?? (I forgot the spelling)... Vietnamese Lola





The Volunteer and her daughter and a Lola




Me, Tita Lissa and Tita Elpi




Volunteer and Lola




Volunteer and Lola 2




Volunteer and Lola 3





The Volunteer and Singing Lola




The Volunteer and Lola 4

Ang Outreach sa PGH Ortho-Neuro Ward

Nalaman ni Tita Sonia mula sa mga taga-ospital
Na ng ortho-neuro ward ay kulang sa pagmamahal
Kulang sa pansin, kulang sa pag-aasikaso
Dahil laging ang mga bata sa pedia ang tinutungo

Sa aking pagpunta di malaman ang gagawin
Dahil sa kagulahan ng aking loobin
Kasi nagpunta ako ng puno ng pag-aalala
Sa bagay na dapat ay ipagpabukas muna

Ngunit sa awa ng Diyos, pinaalala nya
Ang dahilan at halaga ng aming pagpunta
Kaya sa ortho-neuro ward, kami ay nagtungo
At aking pinag-isa ang puso’t isipan ko

Si Lola Cons ay aking nakilala
Isang matanda na nakahiwalay sa kanila
Siya’y aksidenteng nahulog sa hagdan
At dahil dito hindi sya makaramdam

Tanging sakit mula ulo at paa ang kanyang tinitiis
Sa araw-araw gamot ay laging ninanais
Ang katawan di makakilos at sinabayan pa ng malalang ubo
Kaya buti na lang siya ay may nag-aarugang apo

Bago umalis pangala’y hiningi
Upang ipagdasal sa Diyos na natatangi
Prayer Card ay aking binigay sa kanya
Dahil nakalimutan pala nya ang kanyang libretta.

Si Lola Anita naman ay biktima ng hit n run
Nabunggo ng sasakyan at siya pa ay iniwan
Mga mabubuting tao, siya ay tinulangan
At kanilang dinala sa nasabing pagamutan

Sobrang daldal, sobrang liksi
Malakas pa ang matanda, malakas pa ang binti
Ngunit hindi maintindihan ang kanyang sinasabi
Ilang beses ko pang tinanong kung ano ang nangyari

Siguro nga, sabik na siyang umuwi, maligo
At magtrabaho kasama ng batang apo
Siya nga pala hindi ko nabanggit
Ng siya ay tumawid, hindi nya sinama ang batang maliit.

Ilan lang sila sa mga pinakinggan at kinausap ko,
Nandyan pa si Lolo Benedicto, Henry at ilan pang mga tao
Hindi ko nga lang natandaan ang kanilang ngalan
Ngunit sa pagdadasal, dama ko na sila’y papatnubayan.

Sa aking pag-uwi, bumalik ang pag-aalala
Ngunit aking tatandaan ang aral na binigay Niya
Kailangan kong magpatuloy katulad nila
Na kulang man ang paa, lalakbayin ang buhay ng buong sigla.

Sana’y wag masamain ang mga salitang ginamit
Buksan ang puso, ang mga aral ay kakamtin
Upang maintindihan ang nais nitong sabihin
Sa mga mambabasa nagpunta man o nagdasal para sa amin.

Notes:

Naganap ang outreach noong ika-25 ng Pebrero taong 2005. Marami kaming nagpunta noong araw na iyon dahil mga 100 na pasyente ang bumubuo ng ortho-neuro ward. I met new friends though for now i can't remember their names (sorry i'm bad with names hehe) but i'm good with faces :P

Please pray for our group. We are doing this outreach not for prestige but for God almighty.

Sina Lola (sa Tahanan ni Maria)

Noong Sabado ika-7 ng Nobyembre, nagkaroon ulit kami ng isang outreach. Ito ay ginanap sa Carmona, Cavite – sa Tahanan ni Maria. Maraming mga bata at mga teenagers ang sumama sa amin. Siyempre kasama rin ang mga nanay.

Sa unang pagtapak sa kinaroroonan ng aming mga lolo at lola, nakausap ko si Lola Louisa. Kanyang ipinakita at ipinakilala sa akin ang mga tao sa Golden Years Lolo at Lola nakadikit sa isang bulletin board. Aking nalaman na marami na rin pala ang namatay sa kanila at ang iba naman ay hindi na makatayo mula sa kanilang higaan. Nalaman ko rin na sina Lola Mercedes at Lola Rosenda ay naroroon pa. Sila ang mga Lola na una kong nakausap tungkol sa kanilang pamilya at nakaraan noong unang bisita naming sa Tahanan ni Maria. Binigyan din nila ako ng mga payo tungkol sa buhay na matatapos na nilang tahakin at aking palang lalakbayin. Ngunit hindi ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataong bisitahin ang kabilang tahanan. Ang kabilang tahanan ang kinaroroonan ng mga Lolo at Lolang nanghihina na, walang mga mata at hirap na ang pangangatawan.

Nung tapos na si Lola Louisa, nakausap ko naman si Lola Nenita. Noong una ay nakatungo lang siya at tahimik sa may upuan malapit sa labasan ng Tahanan ni Maria. Habang dumadami ang aming napag-uusapan ay sobrang aktibo at madaldal pala ang lolang ito.

Aking nalaman sa kanyang kwento na nakapag-asawa na siya nag-dalawang beses at dalawang beses na rin siyang nababalo. Tubong-Cebu si Lola Nenita at ang unang asawa nya ay taga-Cebu rin. Nakakalungkot isipin ngunit namatay rin ang kanyang unang anak sa unang asawa noong siya ay isang taong gulang pa lamang. Noong nanirahan siya sa Laguna siya ay nakapag-asawa muli. Sa ikalawang asawa ay wala siyang naging anak dahil baog daw ito. Kaya ngayon, walang kamag-anak ang nakaaalam ng kanyang kinaroroonan kung hindi ang isang taong pinagkatiwalaan niya.

Malaki ang galit ni lola Nenita sa isang taong pinagkatiwalaan niya. Ito ay sa kadahilanan sa pagkakadala nito sa kanya sa Tahanan ni Maria. Noong una ang sabi sa kanya ay ipagagamot lang ang kanyang paa dahil hirap siyang maglakad. Ngunit tatlong buwan na ang nagdaan ay hindi pa siya binalikan ng kaibigan. Nararamdaman niya na ang habol ng dating kaibigan ay ang mga alahas at ang bahay niya sa Laguna. Ngayon daw, maaaring ang kaibigan niya ang naninirahan sa bahay na ito dahil dati si Lola Nenita lamang ang nakatira dito noong namatay ang huling asawa. Naisip pa niyang maghiganti dahil sa ginawa ng kaibigan niya. Nakita ko sa kanyang mga mata ang galit sa taong ito. Ngunit sinabi naming na huwag niya ng gawin ang bagay na iyon dahil masama. Maaaring ipagdasal nya ang taong iyon.

Pero naiisip ko rin, mahirap ipagpasa-Diyos ang mga problema kapag halos lahat ng natira sa iyo ay nawala dahil sa kagagawan ng ibang tao, di ba? Lalong lalo na ang ibang taong ito ay ang taong pinagkakatiwalaan mo, ang iyong kaibigan. Nalulungkot ako sa kinuwento niya dahil maaaring naghahanap rin siya ng hustisya. Pakiramdam niya kasi na kulungan ang Tahanan ni Maria. Pero noong aking tinanong kung kamusta ang kanilang pakikitungo at mga serbisyo, sabi nya wala naming problema dahil maganda naman ang kanilang pakikisalamuha sa kanila. Ngunit hindi daw kasi siya sanay na nasa loob lang at nakakulong. Hindi kasi sila pwedeng lumabas lalo na kapag walang kasama. Si Lola Nenita ay hindi sanay na walang trabaho. Gusto nga niyang magtinda kasi datirati’y nagluluto siya ng toron, okoy, maruya at iba pa na pwedeng ibenta.

Nalaman ko rin sa aming kwentuhan na si Lola Nenita ay isang karatista noong kabataan niya. Sobrang aktibo raw niya. Madalas mag-ensayo dahil lumalaban din siya sa mga paligsahan. Sa katunayan tinuruan nya ako ng dalawang blocking moves kapag sasaksakin ka sa may tiyan at pagsasaksakin ka mula sa itaas pababa. Nakakatuwa ang lolang ito. Sabi nga niya kung maaayos lang ang kanyang paa ay kaya pa nya siguro sumipa. Napansin ko rin na hirap ang kanyang kanang kamay. Pero nakikita ko ang lakas sa kanyang mata. Alam ko na buhay na buhay pa ang kanyang kabataan kahit sa kanyang pisikal na katandaan.

Ito ang aming napagkwentuhan habang aking minamasahe ang kanyang kamay, hita at mga paa. Grabe alam niyo bang unang pagkakataon kong magmasahe ng ibang tao, gamit ang lotion at langis. Nakakatuwa ang pakiramdam dahil nasasarapan siya sa masahe at hindi siya nasasakta.

Noong ako ay nagpaalam na dapat ay magmamano ako ngunit tinanggihan niya ito. Hanggang ngayon hindi ko alam kung bakit. Ang iniisip ko na lamang baka ayaw niyang tumanda hehe… Hindi rin natin alam baka may iba siyang dahilan. Nagpasalamat si Lola Nenita at ako man ay nagpasalamat din. Pag-alis ko ay nakita ko ulit si Lola Louisa at nagpaalam na rin sa kanya.

Isa na namang araw ang hindi na sayang dahil marami akong natutunan sa araw na yon. Naramdaman ko kung gaano ko kamahal ang mga lola sa buhay ko lalong lalo na ang Lola Me (Daddy’s side) at Lola Sima (Mommy’s side) ko. Makukulit man sila at aktibo, mahal ko at nirerespeto ko sila.

An Outreach in RSCC: God Really Works in Mysterious Ways

My bez bro and I and Tita Sonia and the other recruits (students and other Titas) went to RSCC today. We were organized to hold an outreach program for the children of ages 3 to 6 years old.

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Arriving at RSCC.
Upon arriving, the boys in our group carries and arrange the supplies donated by friends and relatives for RSCC. We were assigned in different groups which will be dispatch in different houses composed of 15 children each at the most. I belong to Tita Stella´s group with my bez bro, Paolo and Loise (a newly found friend).


All the children were quite affectionate and hugs or rather they hold onto our knees tightly. You will see how day long for somebody to visit them, to play with them and to tell stories for them. They were really longing for hugs, kisses and care from us. One of the children removed my pony tail and tags on my hair. Fortunately, I was able to tell him to stop because it hurts =(. After the little hair-tagging incident, I sat on the floor and let the child sit on my lap. While another, hugs me from behind. They were really sweet and cuddly.

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Our Agenda.
One of our agenda was to tell a story but before we can even start, a child got hold on our story book and does not want to give it back until he finishes it... then a group of 3 boys got hold on it and another child... until soon I was able to get the copy after a few pleas and a few words to say. The idea is to make them sit around me. But I only have 3 audience at first who were really enthusiastic about storytelling. Then when we already started, we got 4 then 5 then most of them (except for the three boys having their own book to read at a corner) listened, participated and watched my brother and Loise act out the story. I told them 2 stories ~ The Three Little Pigs and Jack and the Beanstalk. Then after the story, we played Duck Walk and Hot Turtle (which should be Hot Potato but we can´t find a potato so we just used a stuff toy, a turtle). At first Loise, Paolo and I, had a hard time making them listen to the instructions on how to play it but eventually they listened and then we played. I enjoyed playing Hot Turtle. The goal of the game is to pass the turtle around while singing and not to get hold of it when the song stopped. Once the song stopped and the turtle is in a player´s hand he will be out and be punished by making him dance "Otso-otso". I think I was out the fourth time and they made me dance "Otso-otso" hehe :P. I look weird but I enjoyed it. Afterwards, we got tired and the children want to rest. And it was only 10:30 AM and the last activity is at 11.00 AM and we are already out of activities =D.


It was funny because one of the child was shyly asking for a prize but I cannot answer because I‘m not sure if the "loot bags" prepared for them has excess candies. Thank God, Tita Stella checked it out while Loise, Paolo and I were busy playing and talking with the children. It turned out that there are 3 extra bags, which she gave to the children who participated in the games. There were little commotions during the giving out of the prizes. Some children wants it though they did not participate. One child was saying "Damot! Damot!" because he did not get any candies since he did not participate in the games. I can imagine how confused Tita Stella might have been but you can see in her face she was calm and explained to him why he did not get any candies. At the end all the children were happily eating their candies specially the little ones.

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The Little Ones(2-3 years old, I think?). I want to share how sweet these 3 children are (Although the 3rd Child has his own entry hehe, Little Jomar). Although one of them got angry and ignored me for some time. Earlier, I was carrying him another child tags at my shirt and told him to go away because "Ate ko ito.. Alis ka dyan!!!¨ then they quarrel and beat each other and one of them cried. I told them "Ate nyo ko pareho.. ~with a smile =)" and I was trying to stopped them but to no avail because they were not listening =(. This scenario happened 3 times during the day. For 3 times, I was trying to tell them the same thing and trying to stopped them but still to no avail. But soon afterwards, I saw the same children, who were quarreling earlier, were playing with each other again. So before I get to rest while cross-sitting on the floor, another child sit on my lap. I told him "Gusto mo karga, kita tapos bato kita pataas". Then he said, "Sige ..hihi :)", nodding enthusiastically. Then, with all my strength, I carry him then throw him up a few times. Tita Stella was laughing because I was having a hard time throwing him ("kulang na ko sa exercise eh hehe kaya hinihingal.."). I was really exhausted afterwards. But I enjoyed it because the child was laughing and that smile and laughter is enough to make me feel I want to throw him again. Then I spin the same child around. I was the one who got dizzy hehe :D. Then again, I got tired. Then again, before I get to rest, the child who was ignoring me earlier wants me to throw him and spin him too, kaya friends na kami ulit :P yippee!!!. This time I really got tired. Thank God it was feeding time. All the children were called by their Aunties (the Nannies assigned in that home).

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Little Jomar. The sweet little child who kissed us Tita Stella, Loise and Me but he does not want to be kissed (pretty ironic, I must say :P). He was really, really sweet. I also throw and spin him around like the other two children. I did not get tired because he is light :P. Then, I played with him a little while. I run after him but when he gets tired he hides in his room where I cannot go. Then, when he comes back, I tell him "nandyan na ko.. habulin kita ulit hihi =D" then he will go to his hiding place again until I got busy with the other children and he was called to be fed by her nanny. Little Jomar and another little one were the first batch fed by their nannies.

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Feeding Time and Ms. Mean Nanny. There were different children (ages 7 to 11) assigned to prepare the plates, spoons and forks and the meal. Then they were asked to sit quietly by there Good Nanny and Mean Nanny. Sorry, but this nanny was a mean nanny (napaka-intrimitida.. paumanhin sa mambabasa). Tatagalogin ko na lang kasi malala pa sa ingles..

Nagdadasal na yung mga bata bigla ba naman sa gitna ng pagdadasal ay sumigaw siya ng "Sinabi ko bang magdasal na kayo!!! blah blah"... hindi ko na lang pinakinggan kung ano pa yung sinabi niya dahil nakakaasar! May mga bagay kasi na dapat hindi na sinasabi sa harap ng mga bata.. kaya nakangiti na lang ako at nagpipigil! Kasi nung umaga paggising niya bigla na lang siyang sumigaw dun sa isang batang may sumpong "Hindi ka naman nagpapatulog eh... blah blah" at iba pang mga bagay na walang kwenta ang kanyang sinabi. Pinalagpas ko na lang kasi bagong gising siya pero nung una naisip ko yung bata ba yung pinagsasabihan nya o kaming mga bisita?.. kasi maingay kami nun dahil naglalaro kami ;)... pero yun pala parang likas na sa kanya kasi hanggang sa hapag kainan ganoon sya c"_).. parang sinasabi pa nya na dapat wala sya dun kasi ang hirap hirap daw nilang asikasuhin.. pero di ba tama naman ako dapat hindi sa harap ng mga bata, kaya good point Tita Sonia, "Bakit siya nandun?"...


So back to the children, they were eating there meals quietly then when the mean nanny is not looking, they stifle a laugh or they talk to me. Then when I saw the nanny is back, I told them to quiet down and eat again. After sometime, little Jomar approached me and asked me to tell him a story. When I was getting out of my sit beside David(I think?), David asked me to stay so I just told little Jomar to go to Ate Loise :P. Since he was a sweet child, he left without a feeling of sadness but happily went with Loise. So I stayed with David until he finishes :D

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Buh Byes. Tita Stella gave the children their prizes after eating. Then we went home afterwards. Our group received thanks and goodbyes from the children. I got two goodbye kisses from two children David and Little Jomar. We said our goodbyes and also kissed the two children.

We gave them caring, understanding and fun for only 2 hours. But they gave us smiles, laughters, hugs and kisses which will last for a lifetime in our memories c",) *sigh*..

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Acknowledgements. Tita Sonia thank you for inviting and involving us (Paolo and I) to this wonderful and inspiring activity. Tita Stella thank you for your calm sweet smile and laughter while playing with the children and for leading us. Paolo, Me and Loise, Good Work!!! though exhausted we are I know you enjoyed it :P.. David, Little Jomar, Micheal, Amar, Edward, Jerry, other children for your appreciation, laughter, sweetness, hugs, kisses and kakulitan. You helped me improved my patience and help me feel happy with the family that God gave me. Thank you Good Nanny for taking care of the children and for being patient. Thank you Mean Nanny for testing my patience ( There is a reason why you acted that way but it should not be in front of the children :|) but sincerely thank you. You may or may not read this but this thank you notes are important and they came from my heart.. Your guardian angels will just deliver these to you :D

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"How I do enjoy this types of events.. I already visited a number of children who are like this before.. in Batangas, children of the fishermen.. in Pasay, children in need of financial assistance for studies and doctrine classes.. Very inspiring.. I learned many things from them.. I learned how simple life could be if we can be like the children who does not complicate things.. I learned to love my family more than before I met these children.. It was an outreach to serve them but it turns out they served us instead. Because they were the ones who reached out in our hearts to see the things we did not see before..¨
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