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PBO Outreach Program: Bahay ni Maria


PBO (Pinoy Bloggers Outreach) invited me to join on their second outreach program at Bahay ni Maria (House of Maria) located at St. Joseph Cardinal Village, Brgy. Sampiruhan, Calamba Laguna managed by Missionary of sisters of Lady Fatima. 

This is the first time that I visited an old age home of 21 neglected and abandoned women. The experience was awakening that for almost an hour I was just looking at them in the corner, trying to find reasons why they ended like this… abandoned by their families. I felt a knob on my heart. Tough they all said they were happy. I could help but think it was, because that was the best they have seen or they had no option left.

I found myself comparing everything I saw to what I was used to- No TV, lack of closets, sleeping in  a wooden bed and just a single armoire that must have held all their belongings, while most of us have both that is barely adequate storage for all of our clothes, having the slickest phone, iphone 5s or BBZ10, that many of us don’t need or use anymore and so many factors we all take for granted.

As I was making all of these comparisons in my head, I realized something even sadder, they don’t even wants all those things that we are so privileged to have, yet we don’t say THANK YOU often enough. The basics they need are what we do not even think about, like proper food and clothes. Their food is basic, they do not have much of a choice, I was especially thinking about us during lunch breaks and how we complain about eating the same food but for them they are just grateful for what they get.

Times, when I visited a rural area and I was looking around, and seeing the totally different lifestyles it reminded me to count my blessings. After visiting the old age home, I was reminded even more to be thankful for what I have.  I remember on how I complain a slow WiFi connection in a resto or hotel or poor service I’m getting from my mobile provider.

However, much more of all these materials and superficial things is LOVE and FAMILY. After visiting the old age home and seeing those who truly have no one left, except for GOD, who they worship devotedly, broke my heart. So we have to be thankful for the many people who love and care about us. 

A celebration of Life and death
            Remember to love your parents...We are so busy growing up, we often forget they are also growing old.....
     The most beautiful thing in this world is to see them smiling, and knowing that you're the reason behind that smile.
 
Lola Emeng! dancing to the tune of gangnam style...energetic ang lola mo! winner!
ito pa ayaw pa kabog ni Ate Inday! partner  pa sila ni sister Evelyn!
Joanne with Ate Arlene! perfect moment!
Sister Evelyn and  Sister Catherine missionary of sisters of Lady Fatima
The visit was hard emotionally and mentally.  It provided me with a new experience but with their huge, ear-to-ear smiles to us on how much they appreciated our visit so much and seemed entirely oblivious to how much they affected all of us with their stories and how indebted we were for the opportunity to sit down and speak with them. I personally was very affected by this novel experience and putting everything I felt into words was exceedingly difficult. 

From this valuable time we should cherish every moment while our parent or grandparents are still alive, young at heart. I truly hope that we can get the change to visit them again and do something more to make a little difference in their lives, like they did to us.

To the PBOers/ bloggers behind this project...thank you! for the heartwarming experience and to the other volunteers! God Bless us all!

"We share not because we have much but we know what it feels like to have nothing"
 “Volunteers are not paid-not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless”
                            
Life is Good!  

Comments

  1. Ang ganda ng mga shots... grabe kuha yung emotion...

    Ang pinaka fave ko eh 'yung:
    "We share not because we have much but we know what it feels like to have nothing"
    “Volunteers are not paid-not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless”

    Super Spot on!!!

    Kitakits sa next outreach!!!

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    1. thank you Senyor..for being patient to me...alam mo yan...i asked you many times with the sched of this outreach:) Big thanks to you!

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  2. Ang gaganda ng quotes ah! Pang beauty contest ba yan LOL. At hiyang-hiya ako sa picture ko. Eto ang ebidensya kung bakit nalipasan ng gutom si Lola Olen.

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    1. lol..nice meeting you glentot! wait ka e post ko yong pics mo sa bb ko yong kumakain ka sa jobe....lol

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  3. nakakalungkot yung sinabi saken ng isang lola sana daw kuhanin na sya ng pamilya nya.. more than anything else yun talaga kelangan nila, family...

    ganda ng mga pictures and i love the last quotation :)

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    1. thank you....yong isang lola rin nag wish na sana man lang daw mag visit ang isa sa mga anak nya:(

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  4. ang bongga ng quotes. winner! iba talaga ang kurot sa puso pag mga lolo at lola noh? good job guys! :)

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  5. i am so happy and proud sa inyong lahat sa success ng PBO and whats worth of all is the realization and lessons learned out from the outreach. everything u said sissy is true, totoong totoo yong we keep on complaining on the things we have in our life yet itong mga lola contento na sila sa ano ang meron sa kanila dahil like u said they had no option left.

    all ur post from this project sa pagvisit sa mga lola, made me think of more of pushing my dream. they are close to my heart siguro kasi i grew up with my grandparents while parents are away working. i was oriented also na sa lahat ng clientele (referring to child, youth, women, men, elderly etc.) ang dapat bigyan ng attention is yong mga lola at lolo na na-abandona ng kanilang pamilya. in fact my final paper last sem is all about the abandoned lola and lolo in the street.

    i asked my mom one question before "why you are so busy planning an institution for these old people why not these children who lived in the streets" and she simply answered me that "ang mga bata na nasa daan, maraming kukuha sa kanila dahil bata sila, maraming walang anak, nakafocus ang gobyerno sa mga bata dahil sa kinabukasan nila, ang matanda na nasa daan, u think may kukuha sa kanila? wala. now tell me what u think?" Tumahimik ako at nanatili sa aking isipan ang sinabi ng nanay ko thats why now, i am working hard to continue one dream my mom left me, yong mabigyan ng magandang buhay ang mga lola lalo na nasa institution through united nation, at yan pa ang hindi ko alam pano ko pasukin yan at hanapin pano ako makapagsalita at ma-relay ang boses nila sa organization. dahil kahit sino at kahit tayo we wont like to end up sa isang institution, even the foreigner na naging culture na nila ang tumanda sa home for the aged.

    sorry at humaba ang post hehehe na carried away napakwento sissy hehehe

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    1. lalah...i hope that dream will be materialize and for sure PBO will support:) Goodluck and God bless!

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  6. Another heartwarming story fron the event:) Saludo ako!

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    1. Ate Joy...I know you are one of the person why this event was push through... thank you! God Bless and keep us inspiring:)

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  7. ANG CREEPY ng smile ni sister evelyn...

    hhhmmmmm.......

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  8. Saludo talaga ako sa inyong lahat :)

    May God always bless your kind hearts!

    Keep it up!

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  9. ewan ko pero parang kinukurot ang puso ko sa bawat picture na nakikita ko...

    thanks sa pag share...

    Congrats sa PBO!

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    1. You are welcome and looking forward that you can join us on the next PBO outreach:)

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  10. ang ganda ng mga shots mo sunny! anyway my point ka naman talaga!
    at agree ako ganda nung last quotes!
    henyway nice meeting you sunny regards kay ate tiny

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    1. my pleasure Mecoy! ikaw ha ang dami mong sinabi about skn patay ka pag magkita tayo ulit...lol

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  11. Nakita ko nga sa post ng ibang bloggers na kasama ka sa outreach. Hinintay ko makita yung take mo sa ganito. Kaya inabangan ko yung post mo. Medyo maty katagalan sunnytoast. Haha.

    Pero natutuwa ako na may distinct light and happy tone pa rin ang entry na ikaw lang ang kayang magbigay. :)

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    Replies
    1. Sorry for the delay...na busy mode ako and thank you..na appreciate mo ang style ng blogging and writing ko. I will make sure to keep my entries with sunny attitude..I guess we all need it:) God Bless!

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  12. Remember to love your parents...We are so busy growing up, we often forget they are also growing old... so true. Kung pede lang sa Bicol na lang ako so I see them everyday. Life's too short and sometimes we have no choice but to be away.. Some choose to leave, well, on this 21 lola's case.. hay, nakalimutan sila..pero indi ni God ..

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    Replies
    1. We have the same wish June and by the way it was nice meeting you for the second time:) hahahaha!

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  13. see you sa next outreach! nice meeting you. and it was nice spending the time with the elders :)

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    1. sorry sa kakulitan ko but I was happy that i was able to convince her to stay and join the swimming:) next time babawe na ako:)

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  14. see you po ulit sa susunod na outreach :D

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  15. Thank you for being part of this outreach! See you again, and more power sa PBO! God bless!

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    1. Kuya Mar..I know you are one of the pillar of the PBO and thank you for sharing your heart desire with us! God Bless you!

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  16. Very touching activity. Godbless you, guys.

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  17. Sunny! Thanks for coming and tagging Tiny along :) Really wonderful how at events like this, where we aim to help, we get helped too - in ways where we come to realize so many things. Your realizations are great and so true.

    Til next PBO event! See you! :)

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    1. Thank you and congrats! Zai for this successful event:)

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  18. i realized something don sa sinabi mong "We are so busy growing up" tapos yung parents natin tumatanda. three years na kasi akong di nakakauwi don sa amin. pero grabeh noh. paano kaya naatim ng pamilya nila na ewan yung parents nila like those elderly people in bahay ni maria.

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    Replies
    1. kaya nga eh..I tried to find reasons why they ended like this… abandoned by their families. I felt a knob on my heart.

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  19. Si Lola Dancer (Emeng) ang nakakuha ng aking atensyon. Nakakatuwa talaga ang mga lola na napapasayaw kahit hindi malaman ang step nito, naalala ko yung lola ko. Congratulations sa PBO!

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    1. I agree...She was energetic and her smiles brings joy to my heart:)

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  20. Siguro kung nakasama din ako sa second outreach marami din akong realizations.

    Continue to be a blessing :)

    more power to PBO ...

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    1. I look forward to see you on the 3rd outreach program:)

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  21. Wow! this is a great experience, nakaka touched! I miss my Lola. :(

    Jewel Clicks

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  22. The experience was indeed life changing. Not only were we able to do something good for the grannies, we were also reminded of the importance of our own grandparents, as well as of the blessings that we have in life.

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    1. And it was nice to see you Marjorie so I guess I should see you on the third PBO event:)

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  23. It was nice meeting you and hope to see you on the 3rd outreach program sana ma push through..kaya natin 2!

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  24. Wow! I marvel at your experiences... and what a great group. If it's in Manila and is done on a weekend, it would be good to join in next time :)

    I like your reflections, being in this place must've made such an impact on you. Great! Thanks for sharing this.

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  25. Very Nice!!! Keep Touching..........

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