I have a colleague and classmate in the academe whose works are great by capturing the essence of touching community lives with his photos. One particular shot he shared deeply moved me and stirred caring emotions in a degree more powerful than before.
Personally, I am grateful we are sharing our humble home with a family we adopted from a barrio; furthermore, my profound empathy reaches out to the townsfolk represented by this father and son tandem. I have my own “mag-ama”; I can picture my husband and son[s] toiling to survive and provide for the family. How great it is to witness their fortitude.
Our socioeconomic status should not stop us from working hard. Whatever place you have in the society, it is for you to live selflessly and purposefully. It is for you to be an extension of God’s works, redistributing the wealth he gave us and not merely amassing it for personal use.
He would make a great leader someday. In many ways he already is. By leading Aquinians into the spirit of volunteerism, he and his team enlivened God’s purpose for them to empower communities.
With this utterly touching photo he shares: “An mabooton na mag-amang namidbidan ko sa gilid kan tinampo. Malumbayon magtaram si Tiyo. Nagpapahingalo sinda ta hale pa sana sa pagtinda ki Niyog. So P15.00 na nababakal buda pipakudkod ko sa saudan kan Legazpi, P5.00 sana an pabakal ninda. An sabi, tama na an na presyo ninda ta may pambakal naman sindang pagkaon.”
Then in the same post he shared, I replied: “i am deeply touched with this picture of determination to live and being simple at that, sir Rico De Mesa Manallo. Thank you so much for posting worthy ones like this, meaningful, paternal and heroic. Sinda an tunay na mga inspiracion sa lambang katauhan. With your great role as instructor of community services of AUL, you tap the hearts of many more willing to reach out, help and uplift without asking for something in return.”
