"Ganda" to their Eyes

I love kids.

I say this with all passion and sincerity that I can ever find within me. That's why my whole soul lit up when we, the volunteers for the Gawad Kalinga project of the Student Council, were welcomed by a group of kids as we enter their community. At that certain moment I realized that it was going to be worth my Sunday and that it's probably one of the very few good decisions that I've made this semester...

Their warmth, their ability to make you feel appreciated, that spark of hope that you see in their eyes everytime you assure them that if they do what they are told, things'll be better never fail to make me feel calm and assured too. It's very therapeutic to be surrounded by kids who are full of life, who are willing to have fun with you, to sing, laugh and to dance with you... never minding how complicated the real world is, never minding that you only met. It's that trust that they give you once you put yourself out there... it really is a glimpse of what the world should be. It's a glimpse of how people should think. No hidden questions, no underlying meanings, it's all visible and honest, it's a gamut of beautiful things waiting to be enjoyed and indulged in.

Every hug, every kiss, every tug in the arm, every smile, every ask for help, every look, every game, every dance step, every story, every song, every colored page... everything that's been given to me by them are treasured. One of the kids made me promise that I won't erase their pictures in my phone... one of the kids made me promise that I'll come back... one of the kids asked me if I can just live there. They even call me "Ganda" for crying out loud, kids don't lie remember? Haha... I felt rejuvenated, I felt overwhelmed by gratitude, I felt loved...

I love kids. I feel that they're God's way of telling me not to lose that OPTIMISM that I always pray for. They're God's way of showing me how beautiful and simple things really are. It was definitely a sign, the sign that I've been praying for the whole week.

I still believe. After all, I'm "Ganda" to their eyes... and to my eyes, they are GANDAS and GWAPOS... I will come back. It's my turn to give them something.

Catherine: Ate, asawa mo ba un? [Tingin kay ____]
Euns: Hindi no...
Catherine: E sino asawa mo? sya? [Turo kay _____]
Euns: [Pwede rin.] Ha? Hindi, haha...
Catherine: Sinong asawa mo?
Euns: [boyfriend nga wala din e.. argh] Wala pa ako asawa.
Catherine: E bakit?
Euns: [kung alam ko lang din kung bakit] Kasi bata pa ako.. katulad mo, pag bata pa, kailangan mag-aral muna mabuti para matupad natin un mga pangarap natin. Diba? Promise mo na mag-aaral ka mabuti ha?
Catherine: Promise!