My Catechism in Payatas

Today I was in Payatas and we met up with the kids who were recently baptised. They eagerly came to the school and we had our 1st Catechsim lesson outdoors, on the school's porch. The large umbrella shelter provided a soothing relief from the scorching sun. Temperatures have soared to 37 deg celsius. I wonder how those atop the dumpsite can take all that heat being absored into their body each day..

The 10 kids are of various ages.. From 4 to 9 years old. It's an odd group and at 1st we felt a little lost. As a teacher, I know that we need to group them. The kinders can have singing, colouring, games and listen to stories of Jesus. The grade 3s and above can have singing, simple Bible study and faith sharing. But due to limited resources, we continue our meeting in the outdoors as one group.

We ask them why they got baptised. 1 kid answers,"For Birth terticate (certificate)". We ask them to describe how Jesus looks like. There is silence before 1 kid blurts out "The one on the cross?" I begin to feel sorry for them and sorry for myself even.. hehe. What am I to do now?

At that moment I thought, "Just share with them the name of Jesus". We share about the power of His Name. They can call upon the name of Jesus anytime, everytime, anywhere, everywhere. When they're happy or sad, lonely or with friends... and Jesus will always be with them. I ask if they knew how much Jesus loves them. They didn't know. Then I remembered something my friend, Iwan, had done recently. So I ask them to stand and stretch out their hands as wide as they could. I ask them to recall a time, they felt lonely or sad, or happy; a time they just wanted Jesus to be with them. And we sing "Jesus Jesus Jesus". The kids are pretty brave.. they are churning out their own tune of our newest song "Jesus" hehe.. Just one word in this song, "Jesus".

Here was a group of little ones gathered outside, hands stretched out, eyes closed just singing "Jesus, Jesus". Even the 2 mothers with us, joined in. I was wrong to feel sorry for them. In their simplicity, they can embrace the love of Jesus so freely, so openly. We asked them if they would like the group to pray for them. One by one, they raised their hands. "Pray for my lola. She's been sick". The little one was invited to stand in the centre of the circle. With hands stretched out, we led in prayer, in Tagalog and English. Each kid would vouluntarily come to the centre and asked us to pray with him/her. One little girl said, "Pray for my kuya (older brother). He's passed away". The kuya had died even before she was born. Yet this was something she wanted Jesus to know.. she wanted her Kuya to be with Jesus.

This was not just their Catechism. This was my Catechism too. The kids taught me something. We often label poor children as helpless, vulnerable and in need of care. It's like the poverty of a child is so complete since s/he is poor and have nothing to contribute. Today I saw 10 children, in the afternoon sun, hands stretched out, leaning into the wind, embracing God with great love and joy. And I realised my own poverty in seeing their wealth.

April 17 2008.
Paaralang Pantao
Pampanga Street, Payatas

HeartSpeaks - MaryJane's Mother

She asked her daughter Mary Jane, to send a letter to Tita Letty explaining why she couldn't make it for our first trip to the government office, (where we will get their National Bureau of Investigation Clearance which would later be needed in getting the birth certification of the children). In the letter, she wrote, "It’s too shameful for me to join the group because I don’t have any money to contribute for this clearance. All I have today is a ten peso coin left to buy food for my 2 kids."

I judged her wrongly. I thought that she was an irresponsible mother who did not care anymore. Or a mother who would just wait for her children to grow up a little and let them be cooked on top of the garbage mountain. Along the way I felt anger thinking of little Mary Jane. She’s one of our outstanding students. I wonder, "Can she ever make it to formal school?"

In the afternoon, we were back in school with the other mothers and I read her letter.

The next day, I met her, Martina, a young mother of 3. She was smiling shyly in front of the school gate. She had just ended her night-shift at the dumpsite and had come to school immediately after work. We told her to have a of clothes after which we went to the government office with her. I realized how dignified she is. She shared how she worked harder now for the 3 children, since her husband left them last December. Her husband was a drug addict and drunkard, whose irresponsibility is well known to her children. The children even persuaded her to leave their father.

With courage she narrated that she needs to earn at least 150 pesos daily to sustain their needs. The dumpsite’s heat at times is really unbearable according to her, "It’s different these days. The sun’s heat penetrates the insides of my body.” She told me how much she earns. (27peos = 1 Singapore dollar)
1 kilo of coke cans (= 40 cans) - 30 pesos.
1 kilo of bottled plastic bottles (= 30 pcs) - 15 pesos.
1 kilo copper wires (which she would still need to burn) - 40 pesos.
1 kilo of plastic wears or old basins cost 15 pesos
1 kilo of plastics costs 50 pesos can cost 20 pesos.

All this depends on her skillful senses on top of the mountain.

Mary Jane once share with me that her dream is to be a teacher. She reads very well and her Math is excellent. Martina told me that Mary Jane once told her that she buy a big house for her and she would not let her father in. Martina brags about Mary Jane’s independent character. At times she sells fish balls and no one can trick her with the payments.

All this time I saw Many Jane as just a 7 year old kid. I often look at her and sense the innocence, the warm smile and light heartedness that I fail to see in the other overly-burdened kids. I realized how a mother’s love fills the empty spaces that probably fills her. Martina revealed to me the wonders of the greatest LOVE.

Braving the heat of the sun, 7am to 5 p.m a day; digging through the garbage piles; going beyond any sickness. Letting go of the pains which her husband caused her. Supporting the needs of her three children. Dreaming for them and helping them achieve the dreams one day at a time, fills my heart with the pride for a mother’s life; a gift from God like Martina.

Let’s take a moment to pray for her and the many other Martinas surviving in Payatas. May her story be a source of light, of God’s providence and care. Let’s pray for the many Mary Janes receiving such unconditional love. May they fill the other empty hearts around and let them realize the greatest value of suffering and love.


P.S.
Tita Letty gave a slot of the birth certificate funds for Mary Jane. Touched by the mother’s honesty and persistence. Truly there is so much more that what meets the eye.

Through My Eyes - Payatas Kid's Photo Team

The photos you see below have been taken by team of 7 budding photographers, all kids, kids who live in the Payatas Dumpsite of Quezon City.
They are Nicasio, Arnil and Cherylin (brother and sister), Joshua, Erwin, Angiecel and Clare Ann.

Through generous benefactors, acts29 has been able to provide cameras and film and development of the films for the children. For the 1st time, the kids are going out to see a world beyond their dumpsite. They've been to the mall, fast food, Quezon city park and in mid April we hope to take them out on a jeepney for another exciting journey beyond the dumpsite.

The Through My Eyes project aims to help these children record what they see around them and tell others about the world as they see it. We want to help the children dream beyond the dumpsite. Some of these children are at-risk of becoming full-time scavengers or taking on other full-time jobs to support their families. We've started work to get the children's birth certificates processed thanks to the efforts of our full-timer, Mayb. With the birth certs, the children can get into mainstream school and pursue formal education. Hopefully the children can also get benefactors to sponsor their education. we want to eradicate poverty and we believe empowering children with an education is the way to go. We also believe in empowering the poor by giving them a platform to voice their stories.

We hope to publish a photo book the kids have done that will speak their lifestory And that the proceeds from photobook will fund their educaiton. Well, it's still a long way to go but nevertheless we're hopeful. At this moment, we praise God that Joshua is back with the team after having gone missing for a while. We've lost touch with Arnil and Cherylin. Mayb's been searching for them since they shifted. Let's pray for these kids and that their parents would let them continue their studies.

CHIJ Youth Mission in the Phils November 2007

Thanks to St Joseph's Convent CHIJ YOuth Mission and to Chloe, Kelly and others who have put this video together!