92 U! Can Build with Concern Marikina

From the winning Blog from Patch!

Remember those days when you were a kid and all you could rant about was you didn’t get the toy you liked or the food you wanted or whatever it is that fed your so-called happiness?

Remember when your dad and mom used to bring you to Fiesta Carnival in Cubao (when it still existed) or to Jollibee when you felt like it or go to some playground on a family day?

Remember how life was so easy back then with no worries because tomorrow’s already set for you?

If you do then that’s good. You’re one of the lucky ones.

Coz there are a lot of kids out there who don’t even know what I’m talking about…

I’ve been jobless for 2 months. Financially that is.
I said that because I’ve been very active in Church and social work despite my situation. I’m the type who just can’t stop doing what I can for God and for those in need. So I’m not really jobless, in that sense.

In the past, a good friend of mine (Jo-e) introduced me to a group she belonged to: U! Happy Events. She told me stories about their missions, outreaches and all that good stuff. I said that’s great because I love doing community work. So she invited me on one, not knowing back then that that was gonna be her last before she goes somewhere else.

To tell you, although I’ve long planned to be part of this event, I didn’t foresee that my savings would dwindle so bad that I can’t provide for myself anymore. It came to a point that I was thinking twice on going because of the fee (which I didn’t know before). On the week itself, I still haven’t registered. I only had a couple of bucks left and less than enough for me to even feed myself or go to my other Church work. I actually even told Jo-e that I might not be able to go.

But how could I not go?

I remember reading in the Bible that there was this woman who was very poor but even the small that she had, she offered to Church (or temple at that time). And Jesus said that the rich people only give a small part of their riches while this woman, who only had a handful, even offers it to God.

Upon recollecting on this, I said, well what the heck. So I borrowed money from another good friend (Jess) and registered 9PM, Friday before the actual event. 🙂

Along with another pretty and kind lady (Gelly), whom I invited to go as well, I arrived at the place as early as 7:15AM. There were only a few volunteers that time and of course the U! Staff (Harv Vard and others). It took a few hours to get everyone completed, registered and prepped for the event. Faces from different walks of life were there: rich looking peeps, some average looking ones, students, random volunteers, town officials. Not my usual bunch but it didn’t matter. As long as they’re here for the cause 🙂

We started off by organizing ourselves in a covered court near a school. The kids were already there. Wait I mean KIDS. There were a lot. They weren’t joking when they said 300 🙂 The most I’ve been to, there were about 150-200 kids and there were about 10-15 of us doing everything. So I said to myself, God you are so amazing to have put so much of these volunteers in this event. Later did I find out that 2 weeks prior to the event, there were only 30 confirmed participants!!! Imagine, how God’s hand moved all these people’s hearts in such a short time to reach out and help? 🙂

We were assigned a kid each to care for but there were more volunteers enough to even put 2 of us assigned to a kid. I was paired with Jecelle and Gelly was paired with Lotlot. Then we were divided into groups to do tree-planting, repainting and cleaning. Me and Gelly were into the former. It was long and tiring activity but it was very well spent knowing that in these little ways, we can leave a lasting legacy of God’s kindness through them. We became instruments of His plans to help out those who have been left behind.

When we got back, we were rewarded with a series of entertaining shows: a magic show, the Cardio boys, the kids’ acoustic presentation and some comic antics here and there. It was more than a success if you ask me. It was an epic 🙂

Before all the major stuff, we were given time to get to know our new found friends…

Jecelle was a 12 year old girl. She was like any kid in the crowd. She was like any kid you’d see on TV, in the news, on the street, in photos. She was one of the underprivileged ones. She lives a simple life while still not knowing what the future has for her. Her dad’s a tricycle driver and her mom just stays at home taking care of her and her 2 other siblings. She says hopefully they’ll all get to school this coming semester but the best she can do is hope. It’s kinda obvious that her parents don’t earn enough to put them through to school… the place most of us took for granted. Heck, when I saw her house, I can’t even imagine how his dad puts them up for all their necessities. 🙁

I mean you’ve probably heard Jecelle’s story so many times that you’ve gone deaf hearing them over and over. But that’s what sad about it.

The fact you still hear her stories means the problem is still there.
The fact that you’re still there, sleeping on your nice warm bed and not doing anything about it, even just a little, means you don’t really care.
The fact that we keep blaming and not doing means we’re in a loop of poverty that will never end.

This is what U! Happy Events is all about.

It’s not about necessarily joining them and doing outreaches and stuff. It’s not about bringing your friends along just because you’re free that day. It’s not about taking pictures to have bragging rights that you did something honorable…

It’s about YOU.
Because only YOU can do something about it.
If YOU really care, then in YOUR own little way, YOU can help make this world a better place. (Yeah it sounds like a broken record but that is the truth)
It’s well and good to donate money and goods or do outreaches like these or whatnot but the ways don’t end there.
YOU can help tip the balance by just not wasting what YOU have, not taking for granted YOUR family and work, not wasting food or hoarding what you can’t eat.
In YOUR own little way, YOU can make a difference.

It’s just a matter of CHOICE. 🙂

Jecelle dreams of being a teacher. A profession not a lot like to choose because it’s not a good paying job. But simple as it is, a kid like her has a heart that only longs to help more people like her despite her situation. I think it’s not these kids that are underprivileged, it’s us…

Have a kid’s pure heart and do your part 🙂

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