Kids Hungry For Love

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.

October 21, 2018 0

There’s No Place Like Home

~~Home is where the heart is.~~

He’s drifting away…….! Far beyond what he knows, far beyond where he wants to be and even further beyond where his thoughts can take him. He’s lost beyond words can explain, lost beyond his own understanding, so far gone that he can feel insanity clenching while he’s still trying to keep a tight grip on his sanity.

He’s almost lost beyond the point of no return but he refuses to admit it out loud or to himself, he refuses to accept that he’s lost his way! Too much pride and too much sadness, he clings to what little hope he has bottled up and powers through what seems to be HOPELESSNESS! As his brain fights to grab hold of the words, they manage to slip between the grasp and everything that clouds his mind remains unheard.

BUT he’s still determined and trying to get back home…..

To a place of comfort, to a place of security; to a place of trust, to a place where he’s free. Free from the sadness, free from loneliness, free from the burden and free from this journey that seems to have no destination. You see, he knows where home is or where it’s supposed to be, but he just doesn’t know how to get there. He’s a homeless man walking a path with no map, no compass and no plan but getting there.

There’s a well known quote that says “when it rains it pours”. This quote resonates so much with him because it’s just those nights, those rainy nights a ~~temptation~~ begins to overwhelm him, a temptation that whispers to him, “young man it’s cold outside, just knock on the door of one of these beautiful houses and seek shelter”. He’s only human so he considers the option. He considers how tired his feet are and how cold & wet outside has been. He considers how tough it has been walking streets night after night and alone. Regardless of it all, his HOPE and DESIRE to be HOME allows him to walk past all of these open doors without setting foot on the doorstep.

He isn’t guided by the obvious instruments that are granted to us to see, he uses what not even eyes can see and that’s the DESTINATION. Now, close your eyes and open your heart: The home that he seeks isn’t a structure nor is it a building, it’s a place where his mind, body and soul can live and feel fulfilled, for fulfillment is part of what he seeks.

Despite what I just told you, the home he seeks, HIS home that he is seeking is surrounded by walls. These walls stretch long and tall, as tall as Jericho’s and just as those, he is determined they too will fall.

You see, he’s not intimidated by any obstacle that stands in his way, as long as he finds himself on the right side of them. In most cases he prefers to be on the outside of walls, but in this case he seeks comfort on the inside. He’s a man seeking shelter and comfort, so all he really wants is to be trapped in a place he calls home!

He just wants to be trapped in your love..........

February 14, 2018 0

Dear Young Men, Being A Brother Is Practice.

Dear siblings, I’m not sorry to inform you that you’re all experiments.

Young men! Young, caring, loving men. Your life has more meaning than you may know, your role has more effect than you may think, your being has more pressure than you should have, nevertheless, here you are. Generalizing is a very tricky and sensitive way to go about judging who someone is, or in other cases, could be. BUT young men, the evolved status of your brother-ship has been tarnished by many before us, and we must begin to scrub away that stain. You see, being a brother is the first step to becoming a father. There’s a first for both, but there’s only 1 result, and that is to be GREAT at it.

I’ve been thinking on my role as an older brother for some time now. What I’ve done for my siblings, what I do for them, and also what I will eventually (be able to) do for them. I’m not in any way trying to create a formula or a fixed guideline, I’m simply trying to bring about awareness. My focus is to help you discover just how important you are, and just how important the process is for your siblings and of course yourself.

Before we continue I just want to make one thing clear. When I use the term “brother”, I’m using it as relation by bond and not only by biology. There is no way to run away from your responsibilities, just as there is no way to run away from your influence.

Being an older brother you will find yourself being quite involved in the lives of your younger siblings. Your role ranges from motivating, emotionally supporting, guiding, you’ll sometimes find yourself being a personal driver and at other times, a bank (of course without the payback part), and believe me when I tell you, the list goes on. It’s all an experience, it’s all an experiment. There’s no one way to be a big brother, there’s no one way to be a parent, but this experience is a start to figure out what works for you.

So dear young men,

YES, there is be a lot of pressure and there is a lot of responsibility. Someone will always be looking up to you, someone will always be watching you and you will always guide someone, just know that it’s all practice for raising your own (eventually).

It can be easy, but it will be hard. As long as you try, as long as you transform yourself into the right example, as long as you embrace your responsibility, you will make it work. The trick is treating your siblings how you would want to be treated, treating your siblings how you will treat your child(ren), treating your siblings exactly how you want your child (who will become a sibling) to treat their siblings. The first step starts with you, create a trend that inspires positivity!!

And dear siblings,

Just know that being an experiment doesn’t associate itself with negativity. You should be proud to have an older sibling that’s trying to perfect kindness and positive influence on you. Embrace the love and let the positive influence you.

Best wishes,

A brother trying to be a GREAT brother, a brother aspiring to some day be a GREAT father, a brother trying to lead brothers to be BETTER brothers.

January 17, 2018 0

Tag: love

Kids Hungry For Love

There’s No Place Like Home

My Words