ERNESTO E. MAIPID, JR
As I push deeper through my mid-sixties, I feel more urgently the need for life assessment and spiritual preparedness. And as I do that, the years of growing through 25 years of Gawad Kalinga prominently come to the fore.
Back then, it was a tough dream! What would you make out of bringing together the rascals and wayward of the country’s biggest squatter colony in a camp to hopefully make them ‘see the light’ and reform their lives? But miracles do happen. At sundown that weekend, knives, knuckle bars, killer weapons were surrendered, bringing the tough dream to a shape of hope!
The journey of a generation that followed now speaks of so many lives touched by the cause of pursuing the poor’s lift out of the miserable web of social uncare and indifference. We initially sought them out, wanting to get to know them better and understand their plight. We found, though, that, as we repeatedly returned then, ’til today, deep compassion welled within touching base with our humanity, realizing our poverty of spirit and their richness of heart.
The poor teach us the cardinals of a happy life. By them, God honors our sincere desire to touch the woundedness of the destitute!
Beyond all the material gifts we can bring them: a home, a means of livelihood, food, health, education, it seems to us, what matters most is presence. They give value to the visit, a show of concern for where they are and how they are doing. The friendship that ensues becomes their priceless treasure. A woman leader dropped a note, after our long covid months, and said, ‘Ang swerte ko naman, nakilala ko kayo!’ (I am so lucky I got to know you.)
The relationship carries on to realize their personal worth, what they are capable of, that working together is not an impossibility (if they try). Together, there is much in store for everyone! As we see these gains from the meager ‘five loans and two fishes’ that we invested, we happily wonder at God’s miracle in both our lives: the ‘receiver’ as well as the ‘giver.’
We further discover that there lies in many, a ‘goodness’ that waits to be tapped, encouraged, coaxed out! These ‘goodness’ put together have paved the way for GK’s mission in the last quarter of a century, something that no one ever imagined in the beginning. All we did was plod on, believing that we were doing good in GK and leaving the rest to God.
These miracles unfolding before us have caused us all deeper faith and a stronger witness to our lives. Today, even as we stand amidst perilous times, we commit, to just giving our all, to how the Spirit calls us to give our best, to the common good we are led to.
I began the journey at midlife; I am now at pre-departure. I am still at it! I continue to be energized, seeing God at work, multiplying the humble resource that we forward, and causing miracles in many lives. I am humbled at the worth that God has given!
In 2003, the year GK was formalized, I had a stroke that nearly took my life. Today, I recall that ‘turning point’ of God’s grace! There was more to see! There will be more to see!
*’Gawad Kalinga is a global movement of nation-builders who are committed to expanding the work and advocacy of caring and sharing throughout the world.’
‘In these times of the pandemic, GK continues to inspire the more than 3,000 Philippine communities it has established in the last 25 years to lift the poorer communities in their surrounds, focusing on key issues of poverty: hunger, homelessness, landlessness, education, and water.’
With these, we hope to make our efforts appropriate so that we can bring this fight to the heart of our national consciousness to end the poverty of 5 million low-income families by 2024.’
You pinned it, Ernie! Having been part of the beginnings of Gawad Kalinga, your article is the best yet ever I have heard from people who have worked with the poor! Secondary to our personal relationship with God is our deep connection and relationship with others borne out of love and respect. Thank you very much for your wonderful insight.
I believe that when one feels good doing simple acts of charity, then there comes fulfilment. Sometimes, we are not aware that with the de-cluttering of things at home , we also are helping others make good use of things which were difficult to “let go” at the start. God provides solutions even if we do not ask for it!
Done.
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