banlud

whenever there is enough time after some field work, i usually end up here surfing here in SM netopia. two days without checking leaves me 50 to 75 mails in my inbox. not that it's a real surprise since i belong to several e-groups.

anyway...

there is no real idea for this entry. just a need to have something posted.

i just came from our community school in compostela valley. the one which in danger of closing down if there are not enough children. unfortunately, even for NGOs, cost-efficiency is still an important matter to consider when supporting a project. and the more students benefitting the program, the more cost-efficient it is. but then that issue is not the post here.

with around 64 communities under our assistance, i could say that i enjoy banlud the most.

my sleep there was most terrible because the insects were feasting on my bare flesh and had several attempts of entering my ear. unfortunately, though the failed in that quest, they succeeded in entering my nose. how so i do not know. i just woke up with a weird sensation in my nose. euw. for some strange reason, it ended up in my throat. indeed the nose and throat belong to the same tract, but how the insect ended up there, i also do not know.

there are no decent comfort rooms where i stayed either. so i had to go behind the house and pray that no one would be coming my way with their flashlights while i fertilize the earth.

quite uncomfortable. defintitely not the reason why i love the place.

at least, bathing was fun. we took a bath in the river. which thank goodness was clean and clear. there was a slight guilt in my heart knowing that somehow i am polluting it but i wasn't left with any choice. i bathed in boxers and spaghetti strap commando. figured it would be easier that way. only to find out my boxers had a hole by the but. eeek! am i ever so glad i wrapped myself with a sarong while walking the whole stretch of the sitio to the river! whew! it would only be the teacher and the coordinater who would have had a small glimpse of my fanny. hehehe!

but that is not the reason why i love banlud.

the children adore me there. why, i have no idea. but since they are familiar with me already, they keep greeting me endlessly "good morning, mam angie," "good afternoon, mam angie," and other forms of salutation. while classes were going on, they kept looking and looking at me especially when they recited as if seeking my approval.

those kids remind me what the joys of this job are. those kids are the reasons why i have difficulty deciding whether i want to leave this work and look for some thing else. those kids tell me that i would rather be an actual teacher than one who runs programs.

and it will break my heart if ever upper management do decide to end our support for the program there. the teacher is wonderful. she keeps the children in rapture with her lessons. she is able to discipline them well, with just the right amount of firmness and kindness.

it would be a shame if that happens. i'm praying they are able to keep their part of the bargain so those children continue to have something great. and so i can be continually reminded of what love and service is all about.