A true story, based on a first person account, about children who do not give up faith and dignity in the face of adversity. They are the emerging nobility of the Century.
The mountain biker was tired and hungry. He had to stop to buy few pieces of banana fruits from a roadside eatery. The energy-giving fruit will enable him to finish the regular biking exercise that his Doctor advised to improve his deteriorating health.
He was almost done with two fingers of bananas when he noticed two children scavenging a nearby garbage dump. “Garbage pickers”, he mumbled and quickly turned around to sip a small amount of water that he brought with him.
In the Philippines, there are thousands of street children who do bits of work to earn few centavos. In the cities, they do chores like watching cars while the owners are shopping, shining shoes, selling newspapers, selling fried peanuts, cigarettes and chewing gums and cleaning windshields. In small towns, hauling goods for sellers during market days, gathering firewood from recently flooded rivers, and fetching water from artesian wells are typical things that children do.
Garbage picking became a popular means of livelihood, in fairly recent times, not only for children but also for unemployed adults. Materials like discarded metallic cans, basins and pans, waste papers and plastic bottles are aplenty in garbage dumps and can be sold to traders of recyclable materials.
The biker did not like garbage pickers having had a bad experience with them. One time, he saw garbage- picking children dismantle and ran away with his newly purchased TV antennae.
The biker was about to re-embark on his bicycle when he heard the little girl picker spoke aloud to her elder brother. “Brother, please pick up the little one… he is looking at the diners. It’s a shame”. He turned around and noticed a little boy, about 5 years old, standing near him, biting his fingers. He stood there silently, not asking for food from anyone although he was obviously hungry.
The older boy quickly crossed the street and gently pulled away the little one who politely obeyed. The eatery vendor noticed the scene and spoke to the biker. “You know, it’s a pity. They are good children” The vendor proceeded to relate that the children come from a decent family. Both parents were working previously but their father had a stroke and was paralyzed. And that their mother passed away while the father was still in the hospital. The children resorted to picking garbage to meet their daily needs and for their father’s medication
The biker was dumbfounded. His soul was touched. Not knowing what else to do, he bought few loaves of bread and gave them to the children. They politely refused at first. The little girl shyly muttered, “Thank you Sir. It’s alright… we will just buy some after we have sold our pickings”. The biker explained that they needed to have something to eat and go home fast as it was starting to rain, to which the little girl calmly replied, ‘Its okay Sir, we are used to it”. The biker explained that the rain can make them sick and if they are sick there will be no one to take care of their father. Reminding them of their sick father changed the children’s mind. They accepted the bread.
The little one started munching his loaf right away, but the biker noticed that the older boy did not eat. When the biker asked why he is not eating, he smiled and was about to explain when the little girl interrupted. “It’s because today is Sunday, Sir. On Saturdays and Sundays, he only eats dinner and me and the little one just breakfast and lunch and no dinner. From Monday to Friday, because he goes to class, he is the one who eats breakfast, and the little one, father and I, dinner. But if we have enough sales from our pickings all of us will have breakfast, lunch and dinner”, she continued. "Why wont all of you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and just share amongst yourself, whatever little food there is”, countered the biker. The young girl reasoned that their father wanted that her older brother goes to school with full stomach so he can catch up with the teacher's lessons. “When my brother finds work, we will all stop picking garbage. You know… he is first honor”, she declared with confidence and the little one smiled nodding with pride.
Caught by surprise, the biker turned his back to hide his tears. He went to his bike and pretended mending it until he gained back his composure. Finally, he got on his bike and approached the three children to bid goodbye. They, in turn, cast their grateful smiles at him. He took a good look at all of them especially at the small boy and patted his head.
The biker pondered on the fate of the children. They have a positive outlook at life, which can propel them to better state. But they can never change their being motherless. The little boy can no longer feel the sweet warm embrace, care, and most of all, the love of his mother forever. Nobody can fill the emptiness created by her untimely death. Even positive events in their lives will only remind them of her and make them wish of her presence.
Awakened from his deep thoughts, the biker picked the last 100-peso bill from his pocket and handed it to the children. This time they strongly refused prompting him simulate a threatening look and jokingly said to the girl, “I will punch you in the nose if you will not accept it”. She smiled as she extended her hand to take the money. “Thank you Sir, now we can buy Father’s medicine”.
He then turned to the small boy and noticed that his right hand was holding a half-filled small bag of garbage pickings and his left hand, a worn-out toy car. He waved and bid goodbye to the little boy and pedaled towards the mountain, thinking about him. He surmised that, by the way he held and stared at his toy, the boy did not give up his childhood completely. Hope had not deserted him.
While pedaling across the mountain trails, the biker’s thoughts wandered back and forth between his own life and that of the children’s. They made him a few bucks poorer but they have given him more. They have taught him that bleak moments in life cannot change the beauty of one's heart. The three children, who, sometimes, cannot eat three times a day, were still able to hang on to their dignity and to what they believe was right. They represent a contrast to most of us who are quick to point out to our misfortunes, when enduring the karmic penalties for our past mistakes. In them, he learned to hope for better things when good things go the other way. They taught him that there is a God who will care for them, even as He exposed them to a trying experience meant to draw them to Him. God is preparing them to become the new nobility of the century, His silent messengers.
(Note: The original of this story is not this writer’s own. Its source is an email posting to the CITAA: Las Vegas Forum organized and administered by the Alumni of Association of the Cebu Institute of Technology, Philippines. The email originated from Vincent Paul Cavada who neither claimed the story to be his own. Vincent cited Mark Igot as the originator. Both of them work with Lexmark-Philippines. The story belongs to them. This writer is only the messenger.)
What an amazing story. I feel humbled and near to tears.
Reviewed by Marigold Johnson
1/8/2008
This is another beautiful story, Regino. Written with such simplicity and wisdom that it leaves one feeling renewed in faith and lightens the heart. Keep these coming and be blessed.
I've read about this story posted in the CITAA Las Vegas Forum and thought that scenes like this happen everyday. But as I read it again, you told the story in a way that somehow touched my soul. The children's deep faith was shielded by a kind of innocence and resilliency that only the Good Lord can provide. As for the Biker, the old saying happened to him: "The smallest good deed is better than the grandest of all intentions". Excellent piece, Sir. Thank you for sharing.
George Washington wrote of the necessities of personal nobility and bearing during times of adversity. He found them to be godly. It is interesting that these children exhibit the same traits when they are missing among many people. This is an uplifting piece as well as being thought provoking. Thank, Regino...Jerry
"Silent Samaritans: The Emerging Nobility of the Century"
This is an outstanding well rounded and formed write.
"God is preparing them to become the new nobility of the century, His silent messengers."
I have never seen this with my own eyes however I have had many Filipin friends that have told me that it is true. They shared to me that they themselves escaped this type of life or the potential to have this type of life.
Thank you for sharing this exceptionally written piece,
From the Heart of an Artist Quiet Storm
Note: Since my husband's cancer surgery 4/25/05, this book content has been integrated into the public speaking content for audiences interested in a sassy approach to personal and/or community awareness events. Another chapbook on intimate love poet
