help – Esoteric

I need to tell you about my day today. Today was such an amazing day, shared with amazing people, creating amazing cherished memories.

So today a group of us, me along with other exchange students, went to a city in the Philippines called Antipolo City to assist the FEED Philippines Organization. “Their work focuses in organizing feeding and nourishment programs in public schools and the poorest of poor communities in the country”. The community that we went to today was a former dump site in the city of Antipolo. Despite the unsanitary conditions and excess amount of garbage being on the location, families who could not afford different living conditions made this site their home.

Before going to this community, we were briefed by some of the members of the organization on what to expect; like what they do, living conditions of the families and also the amount of children that they help. It was so emotionally overwhelming having to take in all of that reality. It’s just sad to think, to know, to hear that there are people…..CHILDREN living under such unfortunate conditions. You know, it’s one of those things in life that you know happens, you see it happens, but its just not something you can get used to. But as they continued to tell us about the work that they do, it also formed a good feeling because you also hear the positive impact that they are having on the different communities and with all of the children. We were really educated today on the life in different parts of the Philippines. It’s was really good being able to hear the different insights of the life in the country.

Just in case you were wondering, it wasn’t only story time. Each of us were occupied by helping prepare the meal that the kids were gonna eat for the day. Some focused on the rice, some on the chicken and some on the eggs. So while our ears were occupied listening, our hands were just as occupied. We were so many that the cooking process took little to no time, so it didn’t take long before it was time to meet the kids!

As we entered the area walking the streets, we were immediately approached by many of the kids and greeted by so many people. It felt as though they were so amazed and happy to see us in the community, not knowing WE were the amazed and excited ones to be able to be there and share our love with them. It was so comforting being immediately hit by such kind and positive energy. All of the kids were so open, so friendly and soooooooooooooooooo energetic hahahahaha. Before we got into the church yard of the community, we were already fully engaged with the kids, playing random games and making jokes with them.

While in the streets we thought the kids that were already playing with us were all of the kids for the day, but as the gate for the church opened up we realized that we were wrong. There were so many more kids waiting, and joining in on the fun. There were kids everywhere; kids on both arms, on both legs, and your back, and yet more still wanted to jump on the kids that were already hanging on you hahahaha! Sadly, we had to tone the fun down a bit, just for a short bit. Just to formally start the day off we had an assembly where we prayed first, then the kids were informed why we were there, and then we each introduced ourselves to the kids so that they could be more familiar with who we are. The kids we so open to us, so happy to meet us, to hear us say hello, to say our names, just to have our company. Although they seem interested in us introducing ourselves, they seemed more interested in playing with us. So we made that introduction part short because who has time to talk all day when we can be outside playing right?! Hahahaha. During the remainder of the day we actively engaged with ALL of the kids. We set up different groups and played different games with them such as; duck duck goose, musical chairs, red light – green light – stop. These were just some of the games we played, and of course we joined in on the fun and participated in each game. It was so heartwarming to see the beautiful smiles on each of their faces. To have a day filled with laughter, joy and love, that is what I call a perfect day! But even perfect days come to an end, sadly that end came for us too quick. It took us so long to leave because we couldn’t stop saying goodbye and having fun with the kids, and they weren’t ready to let us go either. It was a bitter sweet ending of our day. The kids followed us as far as they could just smiling and waving while we did the same. Heavy goodbyes to kids who made our day and filled us with smiles!!!

These kids may be living a poor life according to the standards of society, but as living proof they prove that money isn’t the source of happiness. These are kids that don’t have the luxury of having guaranteed meals everyday but yet their stomachs isn’t all they’re looking to fill. These kids showed me today that LOVE is enough to keep you going, LOVE is meant to be shared. They are all hungry for love, and I am grateful that today we were able to fill not only their stomachs, but their hearts.

Everywhere you are in the world there will be children who are living a less fortunate life than you. Helping them out, making them happy doesn’t require anything more than showing that you care. If you can, I urge you to connect with an organization or someone who can take you to see kids who are hungry for love. By sharing love you will be amazed by how fulfilling you yourself will feel too.

Wednesday September 6th 2017. Just as 22 years before that, my island, my home will remember this date.

While the foreign media, local media, many foreign and local individuals may choose to highlight the negatives, I believe that the positive should not be overlooked. The world, just as much as you and I, are aware of this disaster caused by Hurricane Irma. This horrific, ugly storm that took away so much from so many people. I believe that the experience, the memory and the visuals are sufficient to tell the story for itself. Hours of that terrifying experience is more than enough for one to live through, so why is there a need to force these victims and the rest of the world to live through it again?

Can you imagine, or even try to imagine what it was like living through such a monstrous disaster hour after hour not knowing when it would end? I’m talking about 200 mph wind, gusting , whistling, pressuring through every crack that it can, tearing apart everything it can grab hold of. Heavy rain pouring with no signs of letting up, flooding everywhere and everything that touches the ground. Being trapped in your house, walls shaking as if the storm itself held onto them trying to pull them apart. With such fury and anger, hearing your roof tearing away bit by bit, all you can do is HOPE….yes HOPE! that whatever is fastening your roof will be strong enough to withstand the horrifying grips of Irma. What a scary feeling, what a scary thing to imagine, because that’s all I can do, IMAGINE. I wasn’t there, I didn’t experience this, so all I can TRY and do is translate a fragment of the feelings my friends and family expressed to me.

Wow! Just rethinking the stories has me shook. But as I said before, my focus right now isn’t the weaknesses that Hurricane Irma exposed about my people, but the strengths it did. My Sint Maarten people, YOU are survivors, YOU are strong, but most importantly YOU are ADMIRABLE. Through it all where the odds weren’t in their favor, they are still rising above. Through it all when so much was taken away, they are still rising above. ADMIRABLE is the only word I can think of that can give you an idea of how strong they are and how progressive their strengths are making them. We’re almost a few days short of a month post Hurricane Irma and SXM is already crawling, in some cases even walking. Yes our legs aren’t strong enough to make the steps alone, but we’re getting there. Power is restored to most parts of the island, and so is water. Businesses, banks, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and stores are opened and more are opening as the island progresses. Today, October 2nd 2017 schools are already getting back into full swing, so our kids can already get back intp their routine. Cleaning efforts are being executed on a large scale, so the streets are being cleaned and debris are being cleared around the island. The port is already operational, the airport is undergoing its repair process, but is functional for military and relief aircrafts. Now you tell me, just a few weeks after such a devastation, how can you not be impressed? My island may be small, but we have big hearts!

You know what makes me smile most? The sight of St.Maarten operating as a community. All hands are on deck, everyone is helping one another get back on their feet one way or another. Great initiatives are being made by banks and other other business through these tough times to help alleviate the strain of the people. So as much as it hurt to see my island in the state that it is in, it’s heartwarming to see the progression of the people. One can have nothing else but a smile to see the strides being made, to see how we as people are maturing in the right direction.

So tell me, how can I focus on the bad and the ugly when there is so much beauty happening right in front of my face? My home is being rebuilt brick by brick, house by house, not alone, but together. Together with the help of its people, together with the help of our fellow humans & earthlings, together with the help of the relief efforts, and together with the help of the family and friends of Sint Maarten that’s living abroad.

I’ve always been proud of my island, and this just makes it more clear as to why I am! As I’ve seen so many mention and I love it, “Sint Maarten is just temporarily closed for renovation, we’ll be back soon!”.

Just a FEW pictures of the positive progression that is happening and been happening on St.Maarten: