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faith0929 53F
28 posts
3/7/2008 10:24 pm

Last Read:
8/27/2008 9:55 pm

The Basureros


An Inspiring Story...

"Some one forwarded me this email and it really touches my heart so I would like to share it with you..."

Ever since it was diagnosed that I am having a possible heart enlargement in the last APE, I have exerted more effort to do physical exercises.

I do jogging during week days and do long - ride mountain biking every Sunday.

But this Sunday is a special Sunday to me. While I was on my way to the mountains of Busay (cebu) hoping to strengthened my heart by this exercise, instead, I personally encountered a heart-breaking scene that changed me.

I already passed by the Marco Polo Plaza (formerly Cebu Plaza Hotel) when I decided to stop to buy bananas at a small carenderia located along the road. I haven't taken any solid food that morning so I need fruits to have the needed energy to get to my destination - the mountain top.

I am almost done eating with the second banana when I noticed two across the street busily searching the garbage area. "Basureros" I said to myself and quickly turn my attention away from them to sip a small amount of water. I cared less for these kind of actually; to make it straight, I do not like them, and I do not trust them even more.

You see, several times I have been a victim to these kind of who are pretending to be basureros looking for empty bottles and cans when in fact the 'plangganas' , 'kalderos', and 'hinayhays' are their favorites.

I remember one afternoon while I was watching a Mike Tyson fight when I noticed that the TV screen suddenly became blurred. I checked outside and saw two young basureros running away with my newly installed antenna.

Hatred may be a little bit stronger word to describe my feeling towards these basureros, but I do not like them honestly not till I met these three .

I was about to embark on my bike again when I heard one of the two , a girl of about 7 or 8 of age saying aloud to the other, a 12-yr old boy, "kuya si dodong kunin mo kasi tumitingin sa mga kumain, nakakahiya, only then that I noticed a small boy standing near to me biting slightly his finger. He's a few inches shorter if compared to my 5 years old (but I knew later that he's also 5 yrs. Old).

Though he did not asked for food to anyone in the carenderia, the way he looked at the customers who were eating , enough to convinced me that he intensely craving for it. The older boy then quickly crossed the street and gently pulled out the little one who politely obeyed. As I watched the two crossing back the street to the garbage area, I heard the tindera saying "kawawa naman yung mga batang yun mababait pa naman. I learned further from the carenderia owner that the are from a good family , both parents were working before, and that their father got a stroke 3 years ago and became partially paralized and their mother died of heart attack while their father was still confined at the hospital. The parents were still in their early forties when the catastrophe happened, and the became basureros since then to meet their daily needs and for their father's medication.

Deeply moved by what I heard, I went to a nearby bakery and bought 20 pesos worth of bread and gave it to the who initially refused including the little boy. "Sige lang po, salamat na lang, bibili na lang po kami mamaya kung makabenta na kami, the young girl said to me.

I explained that they need to go home because it started to rain. "Nasanay na po kami, the girl answered again. Again, I explained that the rain can make them sick and if they'll become sick there's no one to take care of their father. Upon mentioning their father, they nodded and accept the bread but I noticed that the older boy did not eat.

When I asked him if he does not like the kind of bread I bought for them he smiled but as he's about to explain, the little girl, who is the more talker of them interrupted, "Linggo po kasi ngayon, pag sabado at linggo hapon lang po sya kumakain, kami lang po ang kumakain ng agahan pero di na po kami kakain pagdating ng hapon si kuya lang po. Pero pag lunes hanggang biyernes, kasi may pasok, si kuya lang po nag-aagahan, kami hapunan lang pero kung marami kaming benta, kami pong lahat (kumakain) she continued. "bakit kung kumain kayong lahat, hati-hatiin nyo na lang kahit kunti lang ang pagkain? I countered. The young girl reasoned out that their father wanted that her older brother to come to school with full stomachs so he can easily catch up the teacher's lessons. "Pag nagkatrabaho si kuya, hihinto kami sa pamamasura, first honor kasi sya, the little boy added proudly. Maybe I was caught by surprise or I am just overly emotional that my tears started
to fall. I then quickly turned my back from them to hide my tears and pretended to pick up my bike from the carenderia where I left it. I don't know how many seconds or minutes I spent just to compose myself; pretending again this time that I was mending by bike.

Finally I get on to my bike and approached the three to bid goodbye to them who in turn cast their grateful smiles at me. I then took a good look at all of them specially to the small boy and pat his head with a pinch in my heart. Though I believe that their positive look at life can easily change their present situation, there is one thing that they can never change; that is , their being motherless. That little boy can no longer taste the sweet embrace, care, and most of all , the love of his mother forever. Nobody can refill the empty gap created by that sudden and untimely death of their mother. Every big events that will happen to their lives will only remind them and make them wish of their mother's presence.

I reached to my pocket and handed to them my last 100 peso bill which I reserved for our department's bowling tournament. This time they refused strongly but I jokingly said to the girl, "suntukin kita pag hindi mo tinanggap yan. She smiled as she extended her hand to take the money. "Salamat po, makakabili na kami ng gamot ni papa, she uttered. I then turned to the small boy and though he's a few feet away from me, I still noticed that while his right hand was holding the half - filled sack , his left hand was holding a toy ? a worn out toy car. I waved my hands and said bye bye to him as I drove towards the mountains again. Did he just found the toy in the garbage area or the toy was originally his - when the misfortune did not took place yet? - I did not bother to ask. But one thing is crystal clear to me, that inspite of the boy's abnormal life, he has not given up his childhood completely. I can sense it by the way he held and stared at his toy.

My meeting with that young basureros made me poorer by 100 pesos. But they changed me and made me richer as to lessons of life.

In them, I learned that life can change suddenly and may caught me flat footed. In them, I've learned that even the darkest side of life, cannot change the beauty of one's heart. Those three , who sometimes cannot eat three times a day, were still able to hold on to what they believe was right. And what a contrast to most of us who are quick to point out to our misfortunes. In them, I've learned to hope for things when things seem to go the other way.

Lastly, I know that God cares for them far more than I do. That though He allowed them to experience such a terrible life which our finite minds cannot comprehend, His unquestionable love will surely follow them through. And in God's own time they will win. GOD BLESS!!!


faith0929 53F
26 posts
3/10/2008 5:56 am

    Quoting ESTRELIANA:
    FAITH0829 I DON'T KNOW WHY I TRIED TO READ YOUR BLOG COZ WHILE I'M READING THIS BLOG MY TEARS JUST STARTED TO FALL, IT IS A VERY SAD STORY AND WHOEVER SENT YOU THIS I'M GLAD THAT WOMAN STOPPED IN THAT MARKET AND BOUGHT SOME BANANA AND THE LIFE OF THOSE KIDS, MADE HER REALIZED WHY THEY PICKED UP FOOD FROM THE RUBBISH BIN, THATS WHY ME I AM NOT RICH I HAVEN'T GOT MUCH MONEY BUT I FELT HAPPY IF I HELPED MY FAMILY COZ THEY'RE VERY SPECIAL TO ME MY HUSBAND SAID OKAY WORK WORK WORK AND GIVE MONEY TO THEM SOMETIMES HE DOESN'T LIKE THAT IDEA GIVING MONEY TO MY FAMILY ESPECIALLY NOW EVERY FORTNIGHT I HAVE TO GIVE THEM MONEY ITS LIKE I AM OBLIGATED TO DO THIS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THEM TO SUFFER OR TO GET HUNGRY I THINK THATS WHY I AM DOING THIS, I KNEW MY DAD GOT A PENSION EVERY MONTH BUT HIS PENSION IS NOT MUCH EITHER ESPECIALLY I GOT THREE NIECES LIVING WITH HIM AND MY YOUNGEST SISTER, MY THREE NIECES THEY'RE IN THEIR HIGHSCHOOL ONE IS GRADUATING THIS COMING END OF MARCH AND I CAN'T JUST LEAVE THEM OR NOT TO HELP THEM TO SEND TO SCHOOL ESPECIALLY MY ELDEST NIECE SHE'S SMART HER AVERAGE IS 90 OR OVER THAN THAT AND SHE'S THE LEADER OF ROTC ANO NGA ANG MEANING NG ROTC? I THINK ITS OFFICER TRAINING CADETS HOW ABOUT R WHAT THE R STANDS FOR SILLY ME DON'T KNOW THE MEANING ANYMORE WELL ITS BEEN A LONG TIME I HAVEN'T BEEN TO SCHOOL :d
    I'VE BEEN A MOTHER FOR 19 YRS NOW AND I AM TOO LAZY TO READ COZ I CAN'T STAND READING IT MAKES ME HEADACHE UNLESS IT IS INTERESTING STORY LIKE THIS ONE.

    BY THE WAY SORRY IF I READ YOUR BLOGS AND WROTE SOME OF THIS NONE SENSE ITS PROBABLY NONE SENSE TO SOME CHATTERS BUT IT REALLY TOUCHED ME JUST LIKE THE WOMAN THAT GAVE THOSE KIDS SOME BREAD AND A 100 PESOS JUST TO HELPED THEM A LITTLE BIT MADE YOU FEEL HAPPY THAT THINKING YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING THAT MADE SOMEONE HAPPY TOO.
Hi Estreliana... thanks for reading my blog..Actually the reason I post this kind of forward messages like this is to share it to others so it can inspire us.. it's a really beautiful story and it really touches me too.. just like you,i also cry when i read this story.. You're a truly kind hearted person and it's really nice to help others.. I believe in karma & I know that you will be bless because you're doing good to others...God bless you sister...


ESTRELIANA 104F
10 posts
3/10/2008 4:12 am

FAITH0829 I DON'T KNOW WHY I TRIED TO READ YOUR BLOG COZ WHILE I'M READING THIS BLOG MY TEARS JUST STARTED TO FALL, IT IS A VERY SAD STORY AND WHOEVER SENT YOU THIS I'M GLAD THAT WOMAN STOPPED IN THAT MARKET AND BOUGHT SOME BANANA AND THE LIFE OF THOSE KIDS, MADE HER REALIZED WHY THEY PICKED UP FOOD FROM THE RUBBISH BIN, THATS WHY ME I AM NOT RICH I HAVEN'T GOT MUCH MONEY BUT I FELT HAPPY IF I HELPED MY FAMILY COZ THEY'RE VERY SPECIAL TO ME MY HUSBAND SAID OKAY WORK WORK WORK AND GIVE MONEY TO THEM SOMETIMES HE DOESN'T LIKE THAT IDEA GIVING MONEY TO MY FAMILY ESPECIALLY NOW EVERY FORTNIGHT I HAVE TO GIVE THEM MONEY ITS LIKE I AM OBLIGATED TO DO THIS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THEM TO SUFFER OR TO GET HUNGRY I THINK THATS WHY I AM DOING THIS, I KNEW MY DAD GOT A PENSION EVERY MONTH BUT HIS PENSION IS NOT MUCH EITHER ESPECIALLY I GOT THREE NIECES LIVING WITH HIM AND MY YOUNGEST SISTER, MY THREE NIECES THEY'RE IN THEIR HIGHSCHOOL ONE IS GRADUATING THIS COMING END OF MARCH AND I CAN'T JUST LEAVE THEM OR NOT TO HELP THEM TO SEND TO SCHOOL ESPECIALLY MY ELDEST NIECE SHE'S SMART HER AVERAGE IS 90 OR OVER THAN THAT AND SHE'S THE LEADER OF ROTC ANO NGA ANG MEANING NG ROTC? I THINK ITS OFFICER TRAINING CADETS HOW ABOUT R WHAT THE R STANDS FOR SILLY ME DON'T KNOW THE MEANING ANYMORE WELL ITS BEEN A LONG TIME I HAVEN'T BEEN TO SCHOOL :d
I'VE BEEN A MOTHER FOR 19 YRS NOW AND I AM TOO LAZY TO READ COZ I CAN'T STAND READING IT MAKES ME HEADACHE UNLESS IT IS INTERESTING STORY LIKE THIS ONE.

BY THE WAY SORRY IF I READ YOUR BLOGS AND WROTE SOME OF THIS NONE SENSE ITS PROBABLY NONE SENSE TO SOME CHATTERS BUT IT REALLY TOUCHED ME JUST LIKE THE WOMAN THAT GAVE THOSE KIDS SOME BREAD AND A 100 PESOS JUST TO HELPED THEM A LITTLE BIT MADE YOU FEEL HAPPY THAT THINKING YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING THAT MADE SOMEONE HAPPY TOO.