“Nobody is so poor
that he has nothing to give, and nobody is so rich that he has nothing to
receive.” Those powerful words are the words coming from Pope John Paul
II. Today, I’d like to talk about how a
one-week experience has changed a part of my life and what I’ve learned after
having myself immersed in a family and a community who has survived the
devastating typhoon Pablo.
It was last March 31 to April 8 when some of
the Arrupe volunteers, in which I am part of, and other student leaders of this
school joined the ASEP or the Ateneo Student Exposure Program of the Arrupe
Office of Social Formation held at Barangay Ngan, Compostella Valley. Before we
arrived at the place, I was expecting that I would be the one giving, that I
would be the one helping. I was thinking that I would be the only one imparting
something to them. But I was very wrong. It was, after all, a give and take
process. The experience and the people gave me a lot of wonderful learning.
First, appreciate and be happy with the little things you have. Every time I
see the children in the community enjoying themselves as they play tag in their
muddy and grassy field made me realize that I should be happy with and
appreciate what is given to me. Second, never take things for granted. Never should
I complain and take the things I have for granted. I have seen that most of the
people there just have enough and I feel that I am just too blessed having a
little more than them. Finally, they taught me that life still goes on.
Recovering from the loss of a loved one and starting over again is indeed very
hard. But they proved to us that their life should not stop there. They
believed that God is still in control of everything.
It was just
for a span of one week. But many things have changed. We imparted reliefs,
donations and helped in the building of their school. But the community also
imparted something to us- something that will always be remembered and
something that made our hearts humbled and grateful. As I conclude, I affirm
and recall the words of Pope John Paul II that indeed “nobody is so poor that
he has nothing to give, and nobody is so rich that he has nothing to receive.”
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