khryssthine
29th Jul '08 Tue, 10:06
No CRYING please......forwarded thru email :weep:
> >
> > >
> > > The Basureros
> > >
> > > Ever since it was diagnosed that I am having a
> > possible heart
> > > enlargement in the last APE, I have exerted more
> > effort to do physical
> > > exercises.
> > >
> > > I do jogging during week days and do long - ride
> > mountain biking
> > > every Sunday.
> > >
> > > But this Sunday is a special Sunday to me. While I was
> > on my way
> > > to the mountains of Busay (Cebu) hoping to
> > strengthened my heart by this
> > > exercise, instead, I personally encountered a
> > heart-breaking scene that
> > > changed me.
> > >
> > > I already passed by the Marco Polo Plaza (formerly
> > Cebu Plaza
> > > Hotel) when I decided to stop to buy bananas at a
> > small carenderia
> > > located along the road. I haven't taken any solid
> > food that morning so I
> > > need fruits to have the needed energy to get to my
> > destination - the
> > > mountain top.
> > >
> > > I am almost done eating with the second banana when I
> > noticed
> > > two children across the street busily searching the
> > garbage area.
> > > "Basureros" I said to myself and quickly
> > turn my attention away from
> > > them to sip a small amount of water. I cared less for
> > these kind of
> > > children actually; to make it straight, I do not like
> > them, and I do not
> > > trust them even more.
> > >
> > > You see, several times I have been a victim to these
> > kind of
> > > children who are pretending to be basureros looking
> > for empty bottles
> > > and cans when in fact the 'plangganas' ,
> > 'kalderos', and 'hinayhays' are
> > > their favorites.
> > >
> > > I remember one afternoon while I was watching a Mike
> > Tyson fight
> > > when I noticed that the TV screen suddenly became
> > blurred. I checked
> > > outside and saw two young basureros running away with
> > my newly installed
> > > antenna.
> > >
> > > Hatred may be a little bit stronger word to describe
> > my feeling
> > > towards these basureros, but I do not like them
> > honestly not till I met
> > > these three children.
> > >
> > > I was about to embark on my bike again when I heard
> > one of the
> > > two children, a girl of about 7 or 8 of age saying
> > aloud to the other, a
> > > 12-yr old boy, "kuya si dodong kunin mo kasi
> > tumitingin sa mga kumain,
> > > nakakahiya, only then that I noticed a small boy
> > standing near to me
> > > biting slightly his finger. He's a few inches
> > shorter if compared to my
> > > 5 years old son (but I knew later that he's also 5
> > yrs. Old).
> > >
> > > Though he did not asked for food to anyone in the
> > carenderia,
> > > the way he looked at the customers who were eating ,
> > enough to convinced
> > > me that he intensely craving for it. The older boy
> > then quickly crossed
> > > the street and gently pulled out the little one who
> > politely obeyed. As
> > > I watched the two crossing back the street to the
> > garbage area, I heard
> > > the tindera saying "kawawa naman yung mga batang
> > yun mababait pa naman
> > > I learned further from the carenderia owner that the
> > children are from a
> > > good family , both parents were working before, and
> > that their father
> > > got a stroke 3 years ago and became partially
> > paralized and their mother
> > > died of heart attack while their father was still
> > confined at the
> > > hospital. The parents were still in their early
> > forties when the
> > > catastrophe happened, and the children became
> > basureros since then to
> > > meet their daily needs and for their father's
> > medication.
> > >
> > > Deeply moved by what I heard, I went to a nearby
> > bakery and
> > > bought 20 pesos worth of bread and gave it to the
> > children who initially
> > > refused including the little boy. "Sige lang po,
> > salamat na lang, bibili
> > > na lang po kami mamaya kung makabenta na kami, the
> > young girl said to
> > > me.
> > >
> > > I explained that they need to go home because it
> > started to
> > > rain. "Nasanay na po kami, the girl answered
> > again. Again, I explained
> > > that the rain can make them sick and if they'll
> > become sick there's no
> > > one to take care of their father. Upon mentioning
> > their father, they
> > > nodded and accept the bread but I noticed that the
> > older boy did not
> > > eat.
> > >
> > > When I asked him if he does not like the kind of bread
> > I bought
> > > for them he smiled but as he's about to explain,
> > the little girl, who is
> > > the more talker of them interrupted, "Linggo po
> > kasi ngayon, pag sabado
> > > at linggo hapon lang po sya kumakain, kami lang po ang
> > kumakain ng
> > > agahan pero di na po kami kakain pagdating ng hapon si
> > kuya lang po.
> > > Pero pag lunes hanggang biyernes, kasi may pasok, si
> > kuya lang po
> > > nag-aagahan, kami hapunan lang pero kung marami kaming
> > benta, kami pong
> > > lahat (kumakain) she continued. "bakit kung
> > kumain kayong lahat,
> > > hati-hatiin nyo na lang kahit kunti lang ang pagkain?
> > I countered. The
> > > young girl reasoned out that their father wanted that
> > her older brother
> > > to come to school with full stomachs so he can easily
> > catch up the
> > > teacher's lessons. "Pag nagkatrabaho si kuya,
> > hihinto kami sa
> > > pamamasura, first honor kasi sya, the little boy added
> > proudly. Maybe I
> > > was caught by surprise or I am just overly emotional
> > that my tears
> > > started to fall. I then quickly turned my back from
> > them to hide my
> > > tears and pretended to pick up my bike from the
> > carenderia where I left
> > > it. I don't know how many seconds or minutes I
> > spent just to compose
> > > myself; pretending again this time that I was mending
> > by bike.
> > >
> > > Finally I get on to my bike and approached the three
> > children to
> > > bid goodbye to them who in turn cast their grateful
> > smiles at me. I then
> > > took a good look at all of them specially to the small
> > boy and pat his
> > > head with a pinch in my heart. Though I believe that
> > their positive look
> > > at life can easily change their present situation,
> > there is one thing
> > > that they can never change; that is , their being
> > motherless. That
> > > little boy can no longer taste the sweet embrace,
> > care, and most of all
> > > , the love of his mother forever. Nobody can refill
> > the empty gap
> > > created by that sudden and untimely death of their
> > mother. Every big
> > > events that will happen to their lives will only
> > remind them and make
> > > them wish of their mother's presence.
> > >
> > > I reached to my pocket and handed to them my last 100
> > peso bill
> > > which I reserved for our department's bowling
> > tournament. This time they
> > > refused strongly but I jokingly said to the girl,
> > "suntukin kita pag
> > > hindi mo tinanggap yan. She smiled as she extended her
> > hand to take the
> > > money. "Salamat po, makakabili na kami ng gamot
> > ni papa, she uttered. I
> > > then turned to the small boy and though he's a few
> > feet away from me, I
> > > still noticed that while his right hand was holding
> > the half - filled
> > > sack , his left hand was holding a toy ? a worn out
> > toy car. I waved my
> > > hands and said bye bye to him as I drove towards the
> > mountains again.
> > > Did he just found the toy in the garbage area or the
> > toy was originally
> > > his - when the misfortune did not took place yet? - I
> > did not bother to
> > > ask. But one thing is crystal clear to me, that
> > inspite of the boy's
> > > abnormal life, he has not given up his childhood
> > completely. I can sense
> > > it by the way he held and stared at his toy.
> > >
> > > My meeting with that young basureros made me poorer by
> > 100
> > > pesos. But they changed me and made me richer as to
> > lessons of life.
> > >
> > > In them, I learned that life can change suddenly and
> > may caught
> > > me flat footed. In them, I've learned that even
> > the darkest side of
> > > life, cannot change the beauty of one's heart.
> > Those three children, who
> > > sometimes cannot eat three times a day, were still
> > able to hold on to
> > > what they believe was right. And what a contrast to
> > most of us who are
> > > quick to point out to our misfortunes. In them,
> > I've learned to hope for
> > > things when things seem to go the other way.
> > >
> > > Lastly, I know that God cares for them far more than I
> > do. That
> > > though He allowed them to experience such a terrible
> > life which our
> > > finite minds cannot comprehend, His unquestionable
> > love will surely
> > > follow them through. And in God's own time they
> > will win.
> >
> > >
> > > The Basureros
> > >
> > > Ever since it was diagnosed that I am having a
> > possible heart
> > > enlargement in the last APE, I have exerted more
> > effort to do physical
> > > exercises.
> > >
> > > I do jogging during week days and do long - ride
> > mountain biking
> > > every Sunday.
> > >
> > > But this Sunday is a special Sunday to me. While I was
> > on my way
> > > to the mountains of Busay (Cebu) hoping to
> > strengthened my heart by this
> > > exercise, instead, I personally encountered a
> > heart-breaking scene that
> > > changed me.
> > >
> > > I already passed by the Marco Polo Plaza (formerly
> > Cebu Plaza
> > > Hotel) when I decided to stop to buy bananas at a
> > small carenderia
> > > located along the road. I haven't taken any solid
> > food that morning so I
> > > need fruits to have the needed energy to get to my
> > destination - the
> > > mountain top.
> > >
> > > I am almost done eating with the second banana when I
> > noticed
> > > two children across the street busily searching the
> > garbage area.
> > > "Basureros" I said to myself and quickly
> > turn my attention away from
> > > them to sip a small amount of water. I cared less for
> > these kind of
> > > children actually; to make it straight, I do not like
> > them, and I do not
> > > trust them even more.
> > >
> > > You see, several times I have been a victim to these
> > kind of
> > > children who are pretending to be basureros looking
> > for empty bottles
> > > and cans when in fact the 'plangganas' ,
> > 'kalderos', and 'hinayhays' are
> > > their favorites.
> > >
> > > I remember one afternoon while I was watching a Mike
> > Tyson fight
> > > when I noticed that the TV screen suddenly became
> > blurred. I checked
> > > outside and saw two young basureros running away with
> > my newly installed
> > > antenna.
> > >
> > > Hatred may be a little bit stronger word to describe
> > my feeling
> > > towards these basureros, but I do not like them
> > honestly not till I met
> > > these three children.
> > >
> > > I was about to embark on my bike again when I heard
> > one of the
> > > two children, a girl of about 7 or 8 of age saying
> > aloud to the other, a
> > > 12-yr old boy, "kuya si dodong kunin mo kasi
> > tumitingin sa mga kumain,
> > > nakakahiya, only then that I noticed a small boy
> > standing near to me
> > > biting slightly his finger. He's a few inches
> > shorter if compared to my
> > > 5 years old son (but I knew later that he's also 5
> > yrs. Old).
> > >
> > > Though he did not asked for food to anyone in the
> > carenderia,
> > > the way he looked at the customers who were eating ,
> > enough to convinced
> > > me that he intensely craving for it. The older boy
> > then quickly crossed
> > > the street and gently pulled out the little one who
> > politely obeyed. As
> > > I watched the two crossing back the street to the
> > garbage area, I heard
> > > the tindera saying "kawawa naman yung mga batang
> > yun mababait pa naman
> > > I learned further from the carenderia owner that the
> > children are from a
> > > good family , both parents were working before, and
> > that their father
> > > got a stroke 3 years ago and became partially
> > paralized and their mother
> > > died of heart attack while their father was still
> > confined at the
> > > hospital. The parents were still in their early
> > forties when the
> > > catastrophe happened, and the children became
> > basureros since then to
> > > meet their daily needs and for their father's
> > medication.
> > >
> > > Deeply moved by what I heard, I went to a nearby
> > bakery and
> > > bought 20 pesos worth of bread and gave it to the
> > children who initially
> > > refused including the little boy. "Sige lang po,
> > salamat na lang, bibili
> > > na lang po kami mamaya kung makabenta na kami, the
> > young girl said to
> > > me.
> > >
> > > I explained that they need to go home because it
> > started to
> > > rain. "Nasanay na po kami, the girl answered
> > again. Again, I explained
> > > that the rain can make them sick and if they'll
> > become sick there's no
> > > one to take care of their father. Upon mentioning
> > their father, they
> > > nodded and accept the bread but I noticed that the
> > older boy did not
> > > eat.
> > >
> > > When I asked him if he does not like the kind of bread
> > I bought
> > > for them he smiled but as he's about to explain,
> > the little girl, who is
> > > the more talker of them interrupted, "Linggo po
> > kasi ngayon, pag sabado
> > > at linggo hapon lang po sya kumakain, kami lang po ang
> > kumakain ng
> > > agahan pero di na po kami kakain pagdating ng hapon si
> > kuya lang po.
> > > Pero pag lunes hanggang biyernes, kasi may pasok, si
> > kuya lang po
> > > nag-aagahan, kami hapunan lang pero kung marami kaming
> > benta, kami pong
> > > lahat (kumakain) she continued. "bakit kung
> > kumain kayong lahat,
> > > hati-hatiin nyo na lang kahit kunti lang ang pagkain?
> > I countered. The
> > > young girl reasoned out that their father wanted that
> > her older brother
> > > to come to school with full stomachs so he can easily
> > catch up the
> > > teacher's lessons. "Pag nagkatrabaho si kuya,
> > hihinto kami sa
> > > pamamasura, first honor kasi sya, the little boy added
> > proudly. Maybe I
> > > was caught by surprise or I am just overly emotional
> > that my tears
> > > started to fall. I then quickly turned my back from
> > them to hide my
> > > tears and pretended to pick up my bike from the
> > carenderia where I left
> > > it. I don't know how many seconds or minutes I
> > spent just to compose
> > > myself; pretending again this time that I was mending
> > by bike.
> > >
> > > Finally I get on to my bike and approached the three
> > children to
> > > bid goodbye to them who in turn cast their grateful
> > smiles at me. I then
> > > took a good look at all of them specially to the small
> > boy and pat his
> > > head with a pinch in my heart. Though I believe that
> > their positive look
> > > at life can easily change their present situation,
> > there is one thing
> > > that they can never change; that is , their being
> > motherless. That
> > > little boy can no longer taste the sweet embrace,
> > care, and most of all
> > > , the love of his mother forever. Nobody can refill
> > the empty gap
> > > created by that sudden and untimely death of their
> > mother. Every big
> > > events that will happen to their lives will only
> > remind them and make
> > > them wish of their mother's presence.
> > >
> > > I reached to my pocket and handed to them my last 100
> > peso bill
> > > which I reserved for our department's bowling
> > tournament. This time they
> > > refused strongly but I jokingly said to the girl,
> > "suntukin kita pag
> > > hindi mo tinanggap yan. She smiled as she extended her
> > hand to take the
> > > money. "Salamat po, makakabili na kami ng gamot
> > ni papa, she uttered. I
> > > then turned to the small boy and though he's a few
> > feet away from me, I
> > > still noticed that while his right hand was holding
> > the half - filled
> > > sack , his left hand was holding a toy ? a worn out
> > toy car. I waved my
> > > hands and said bye bye to him as I drove towards the
> > mountains again.
> > > Did he just found the toy in the garbage area or the
> > toy was originally
> > > his - when the misfortune did not took place yet? - I
> > did not bother to
> > > ask. But one thing is crystal clear to me, that
> > inspite of the boy's
> > > abnormal life, he has not given up his childhood
> > completely. I can sense
> > > it by the way he held and stared at his toy.
> > >
> > > My meeting with that young basureros made me poorer by
> > 100
> > > pesos. But they changed me and made me richer as to
> > lessons of life.
> > >
> > > In them, I learned that life can change suddenly and
> > may caught
> > > me flat footed. In them, I've learned that even
> > the darkest side of
> > > life, cannot change the beauty of one's heart.
> > Those three children, who
> > > sometimes cannot eat three times a day, were still
> > able to hold on to
> > > what they believe was right. And what a contrast to
> > most of us who are
> > > quick to point out to our misfortunes. In them,
> > I've learned to hope for
> > > things when things seem to go the other way.
> > >
> > > Lastly, I know that God cares for them far more than I
> > do. That
> > > though He allowed them to experience such a terrible
> > life which our
> > > finite minds cannot comprehend, His unquestionable
> > love will surely
> > > follow them through. And in God's own time they
> > will win.