Four days after it was announced that Tacloban City will be under quarantine, I remember Christian and his family who lives in a mountain side near STEFTI school. One of the poorest among the poor. They are four siblings, his father is a tricycle driver and a PWD mother working in Manila as a helper or housemaid just to support their needs. I went to visit them and they were very happy that I went to them in this time of crisis, the father was even crying when we handed over the rice and some canned goods. After two weeks we went back to visit them again and brought some goods and we discovered that they did not received yet any relief from their barangay. The father even said ” maupay pa kamo ikaduha ba hatag pero amo barangay wa pa gud kami katatagi” – good that you came here again to bring us something, our barangay hasn’t given us anything yet.
Another instance, I chanced upon seven construction workers from Cebu who have been locked down in our barangay. From time to time I would bring them goods from my friends and the Focolare family, I would also provide them masks. In one of the relief distributions they became frontliners, for they were the ones carrying the goods and they also helped in repacking. So, they sort of having been “adopted’ in our barangay, and at the same time beneficiaries of the relief goods.
One day, at 2 pm I saw a food panda delivery boy in a corner where buko juice is sold. I asked him if he already ate lunch. He said, not yet sir, “magutom na ngani wa pa ako nakalunch” (I am already hungry because I didn’t have lunch yet). When I handed him the food pack and something to drink I saw his big smile. From a very tired and hungry looking face to a happy and energetic one. And he said, “Damo gud nga salamat!” (Thank you very much). Also the two other buko vendors, to whom I handed pack lunch were also happy and said: sir libre la gud ini!? Salamat madamo sir! – (Sir, is this for free? Thank you very much!).
Hearing about the stories of discrimination of our frontliners I was even more pushed to help them together with some gen and with the generosity of my friends and our intern members by preparing food packs and drinks just to assure them that we are all one in this cause and that we heal as one. We felt that we needed to put into practice now, more than before the spirit of #bayanihan. In every hospital we went to deliver the packed foods, in every checkpoint and barangay we visited we received so much gratitude from them for the concrete love and care we showed to them. But we even went beyond our plan to reach out to the frontliners, we also had the chance to do our concrete act of love to those who are most in need and hungry, who make their living by the street.
All in all, we were able to distribute 1,207 food packs and drinks already, 280 washable masks and 50 surgical masks to our dear frontliners. We also observed and practiced certain protocols in order to be safe and to love even more.
Our adventure to love those in need didn’t end there. When I saw the post and interview of a mayor of Tarangnan, Samar, some friends immediately helped me gather goods. And in just a short time we were able to send help, and reached out to a cancer patient who needed to undergo blood transfusion. And there are still many concrete ways we found to be of service to people who are greatly affected by this pandemic.
Having done all these things by loving the neighbors, I experienced the immense love of God and this is manifested in his promise of a hundredfold. I also felt so much loved by the members of the local community of the Focolare. One day, I was surprised to find a pack of a hundred of kalamansi in front of our door. They were brought to me so that I may be able to prepare a healthy drink to boost my immune system in order to fight Covid19.
Aside from this, a doctor sent me fruits and vitamins. Now, together with my batchmates in high school we are preparing to donate 60 beautiful Personal Protective Equipments at a Covid19 testing Center. And just two weeks ago I received a small amount of money, good enough to start again my small business, which is the fresh fruit juices. But this is not just to generate income for myself but in order to be of service to others. It is a small business for a cause! As it started several have also shown support to it, small gestures like telling me to “keep the change”.
I truly experience the love of God, he is so good! I feel more and more that I need to be rooted in the present moment, and then His Will is manifested. All these experiences are not just mine, they are a collective expression of people who have decided to put love into practice in order to love Jesus in all those we meet. I am actually just another frontliner running the errands of love!
