February 22, 2007
WHAT:
Re-packing of 100 sacks of rice (50 kgs. each), thousands
of
canned goods and heaps of instant noodles Part 2 of 3
WHEN:
February 22, 2007
WHO:
40 pairs of kind-hearted helping hands
TIME: 8am
to 12noon
VENUE: Custodio's
residence, Zaballero Subd. Lucena City
8:30 am - I arrived at Cita's residence in a tricycle
which costs me P7. I thought "knowing Pinoys they will start later than agreed time - Pinoy time!". Wow, it didn't take
long for me to adopt, did I? How wrong I was! There they were in full swing re-packing 100 sacks of rice to almost 3,000 bags,
hundreds of boxes of tinned sardines, corned beef and instant noodles.
I was amazed by the atmosphere created by this mission to help alleviate
the plight of the marginalized kababayans in Lucena. Here we have 40 pairs of helping hands, consisting of Cita's batchmates
in high school joined by the poor themselves in the neighbourhood. They were happy. No one complained about the heat, nor
tiredness of doing the same thing over and over again.On one side was a group of elderlies, much older than I am yet still
have the energy to do this.
The system they have devised to make it easier is unbelievable!
Who needs a doctorate degree in effective management? Even a dust pan holder became an instrument and a tool to place thousands
of already opened bags to make it easier and faster for those refilling the bags. Instead of weighing rice on a scale (which
we don't have), they thought of using "tabos" to refill these bags. It was a sight, a beautiful sight how each one present
made use of time and innovations to make this happen. Yes, it sounds simple - refilling bags. But there were thousands,
my friends!
We, living abroad, were used to just pulling out a couple of hundred
notes from our wallets to send "goods" to the Philippines whenever they asked for help. Easy! I didn't realise till now the
amount of work it requires to finally hand it over to the intended recipients of this mission.
What did they get in return? A stub to get one bag and a sumptuous
meal fit for a king which they seldom have. And they are happy! God bless them!!
Here are photos of these blessed people. We feel we are more
blessed to have them with us in this mission. Sa kanilang lahat, MARAMING SALAMAT PO!.....
