Hope rekindled (May 2001 - May 2005; August, 2008 ---)

Hope rekindled
(Original posting August 31, 2008)

Saturday mornings are usually dull and uneventful. It’s either we’re catching up on our sleep or nursing a hangover from the night before. But last August 30, 2008 was different. Together with two representatives from Child Hope Asia, Glyr Delusa and Aileen Esguerra, eight GE Volunteers headed by Ann Lorrein Bayan gathered 30 street children and toured them to Museo Pambata in Kalaw, Manila.



Designed by William E. Parsons in 1907 and erected in 1910, the building in Kalaw, Manila is a traditional example of American architecture. Previously a home to the Museum of Philippine Art, it is now the Children’s Museum of Manila. As the latter, it is an interactive, visual feast for children of all ages. It boasts of several “themed” rooms where children can explore, play and learn all at the same time. I came up with names for these themed sections for descriptive purposes (ok, so I forgot how the museum people labeled them).

The very first room we entered was the Anatomy Room. Our entrance to this room was unique to say the least. We got in by going through a giant lady’s mouth, crawled on her tongue and bumped our heads on her tonsils. We walked on thru her throat and came out to with a deeper understanding of how our body works. After this trip, a fellow volunteer was kind enough to educate me more on anatomy and how solvents can keep you full for a day.





Next up was the Pamilihang Bayan (market) where we got to see replicas of typical Filipino livelihood like rice, fish, fruit and vegetable stalls, handicrafts, a barbershop, a shoemaker’s shop, a bakery, a news stand, a sari-sari (variety) store, a pharmacy and even a carinderia (eatery). I guess the kids’ favorite was the fire station where they got to dress up in fireman costumes and climbed onto a fire truck.

The Sports Room followed and we got to see he lockers of Philippine sporting greats like Bea Lucero for gymnastics & taekwondo and Paeng Nepomuceno for bowling. Of course, basketball will always have its section and in it were David and Goliath, I mean, Johnny Abarrientos and Shaquille O’Neal. The hit in this room, however, was wall climbing where they got to climb up to the ceiling and fall to the cushions below.




A museum tour wouldn’t be complete without a Filipiniana section where displays of Spanish, Chinese and American influences are aplenty. This section had more to offer though, for it also displayed a Spanish galleon (trader’s ship), a tranvia and a walk-in church. The kids got to rest in this room and did so by listening to one fantastic storyteller (ok, so I forgot her name too… I was listening to the story!). A special display of child heroes can be seen in this section as homage to acts of heroism by children, proving that selflessness and compassion knows no age.

The last room we explored was the Rainforest where we got to climb tree houses and one kid got lucky enough to bathe in the mini waterfall (lol!). As you may have noticed, there’s a lot of climbing that went on in the tour and for me, it’s the best kind of tour for these kids. Most of them have not set foot in a school or stopped before being taught how to read. Museo Pambata gave them a chance to learn without feeling inadequate. Unlike the usual antiseptic museums, the kids got to interact, experience, touch and feel everything. Their smiles and their laughter was proof of how much they enjoyed the tour and was more than enough of a reward for us volunteers knowing how hard life in the streets can be for such young, fragile bodies.

We took them to Jollibee for lunch and after, we held a puppet-making contest. Two winners, the most creative of the lot, were picked and given special prizes. As we came nearer to our goodbyes, a few of the kids stood up and thanked us for the special day. Glyr and Aileen also said their thanks on behalf of Child Hope Asia, adding how little acts of kindness like the tour give the street kids hope and help keep their belief that people still care for them. It is saddening to know that after we said goodbye, it’s back to the streets for the children. But with people like Glyr and Aileen and organizations like Child Hope Asia, we also hope there will come a time they won’t have to.

My Saturday mornings are usually dull and uneventful. But with GE Volunteers, I’m hopeful hangovers from nights before will soon be a thing of the past.