More insights about our beloved TD kids

To end the home visit, we visited the last residence. Near St. Mary’s, just around the corner of the street, is the Tan residence where John Kevin or simply Jeck lived. When we got there, his grandmother selling products in their sari-sari store welcomed us in the house. We were surprised when we saw a big Sony TV, soundsystem and many other pieces of fine furniture around the small space in their living room. There were two bedrooms, one, with a double-decker bed, and the other, for Jeck’s kuya. The kitchen was spacious enough, located at the rear end of the house. Apparently, Jeck’s dad works in Japan, so that explains why they have a new model of Nokia brand cell phone in the house. His grandmother brought us drinks from her store and then we talked about Jeck’s progress. We learned that he topped a lot of English tests in the past and his grandmother even showed us a plaque on the wall honoring Jeck’s past success in school. His grandmother told us how hard it is for Jeck’s dad to live and work in Japan as a driver. He earned enough Japanese Yen to sustain the family back here in the Philippines. As we talked, his grandmother expressed that she never had any problem about Jeck’s study habits. First thing he does is to review his lessons. He never even gets the temptation to watch TV right in front of him when he studies. We were very proud to tell his grandmother that we hoped that Jeck continue his study habits. We hoped that the family continues to support Jeck eventually until he reaches High school.

Some more sights...

The endless road of hope...
Looking on towards the future...
Innocence blooming...

Reflection #05 - Home Visit

House number 3: Rhena Malibiran’s residence. The house was a shared apartment building which shelter other people. It is very near Mariz’s place, only walking distance is required. Although her older sister and parents weren’t there, we talked instead to her neighbors and guardians who shared the apartments with their family. The house was apparently good-looking from the outside and in, providing ample living space for Rhena’s family. Inside their room, there is a living room, sofas, a kitchen, a dinner table and adequate spaciousness for inhabitance. She would study in her room all the lessons and homework there was from late afternoon to early evening. Maybe that’s why she has little to problem about her grades. Her neighbor/guardian talked to us about Rhena’s progress. She would have a good study time during the day. Although the conversations were short, we learned a lot about Rhena and how good it is that she studies well, supports her sister and lives with her neighbors, and guardians.

Reflection #04 - Home Visit

In Jhemar Taborada’s world, studying is always the last thing on his mind. First, Jhemar wasn’t even there. Where was he? The answer: playing basketball with his friends. After we called him out, he guided us to their home and we met his grandmother. Jhemar’s parents were separated, she told us. He was born when his mother was only in her teens. Unable to fully support all her children, the mother asked Jhemar’s grandmother to raise him. We think that because of this unfortunate separation of family ties, Jhemar was unable to fully experience life with his parents at a young age. Their house was very small. It was part of a series of small apartment-like homes in the area. It was behind a small gate, where other houses were very close to it. Inside, the refrigerator, wooden chair, kitchen and bedroom could be seen already. That was how cramped inside the place was. When we talked about Jhemar’s progress, we found out that the root cause of his failure in school is the common ailment, laziness. “Katamaran, sa wikang Pilipino.” Every now and then, he would go home, play basketball, watch TV, get tired and drift away into slumber. Homework? Not done. No time left. Sleep was the essence of the moment. After we and his grandmother lectured him about the hardships of life and how to deal with difficult schoolwork, the answer was to always at least practice or do the homework right away. After homework, he could play. That simple. We do hope that Jhemar learns from the home visit so that he can arrange his priorities. It would definitely be a big plus for his grandmother. We then went to the third house which was a lot nearer to the school than Jhemar’s. Theirs was a long walk away from St. Mary’s.

Reflection #03 - Home Visit

The first house we visited was Mariztelle Javiniar’s residence. When we arrived there, the grandparents of Mariz were the people who accommodated us into their abode. Her parents weren’t there because they had somewhere to go to, out of town. The house was barely two-story. There was a small stairway that led to an upper level of the first floor. The dining table, bedrooms, kitchen, and other rooms were located on this upper level. The lower level, where we sat down and talked about Mariz’s progress presently had their TV set, their living room, chairs, and other pieces of furniture like paintings, artworks, etc. The door was very near the living room for easy access. Outside of their house, their sari-sari store was located on the left side of the lot. The house is near the school, and can be reached by walking. As we conversed about Mariz’s progress in the living room, her grandparents seemed so enthusiastic to entertain us also. Her grandfather told us that he himself would teach Mariz that English and Math are two of the most important areas in learning anywhere. He shared experiences of how he teaches her by making her read newspapers in English and solves math problems herself. Her grandmother, on the other hand, shared to us their unfortunate state. She wished that they could have provided better for the children, but still, was content and happy enough that we, her granddaughter’s tutors have given Mariz an alternative learning experience in TD. She said that even if they were not able to send Mariz to a private school, they would work hard to make Mariz pass grade school and eventually go into a local high school in the area for her future education. They thanked us both by reporting glad tidings about Mariz’s progress. They hope that we and their granddaughter work together to attain a common goal: personal development. After that, they bid us goodbye, and Mariz accompanied us around the neighborhood to go to our next student’s residence.

Insights - #01

Some weeks back, I, together with my co-tutor, Cai Ignacio, went to our kids’ humble dwellings. This experience helped us realize how lucky we are. We are in the Ateneo hating math and thinking about where to drink beer after school hours, when there are people out there struggling just to crawl their way into finishing grade school because of their financial inability. We also realized from our kids’ parents how important TD was for their children. According to one parent, her daughter would be very excited every Tuesday morning since she would have a chance to enhance her skills during the tutoring sessions. We too are excited every Tuesday morning. Not because we are going to play an important role in the kids’ lives, but because of the fact that we are thinking, “Pare Tuesday, tatlong subjects lang tapos freetime na!” After the home visit, I realized, we cannot treat some other people’s education, their life as free time! It was as if we were holding their future in our hands before, and we were just playing with it. After the home visit we promised to ourselves never to treat a Tuesday like that never again. As hard as we can, we will try to make TD something that will make them achieve and help their families in the future. Lastly, we also realized the heartbreaking truth that some parents have lost hope on their children. There was one parent who was actually training her daughter to become a good maid someday! We told the parent that her daughter was performing poorly in math and she just replied, “Ok lang, magaling yan magwalis at maglaba. Masipag na bata yan.” In our small way, I hope we can still change this girl’s future. We hope that in helping her learn, we can change her mom’s mind, that she can make a difference in the future. I know that TD won’t make the kids earn money for their future education and I also know that TD alone would not change that stupid mother’s mind. But we can make it the first step.

Some sights we saw...

Saturday Sunka-Fest...
The little sibling...
Kids on a Saturday morning...
Sampayan Blues...

Prayer

Dear Lord

Due to the lures of this world, we often find ourselves indifferent and apathetic towards the sufferings of others. We ask You, therefore, to grant us a clear mind and to strengthen our will to act boldly according to Your Word. May Your eternal love continue to shine brightly to those in dire need for Your presence will certainly be of comfort and strength to them.

Amen.

Reflection #02 - Home Visit

Another insight that struck many of us concerns a lesson we just had in one of our Tulong Dunong classes which is that of justice. In visiting the homes of our T.D. students, we were able to discover a different side of them; a side that is often hidden behind their cheerful and youthful faces—the side of poverty. Learning about their difficult and often complicated conditions was disheartening, and so we felt compelled to do something about. Although we are not able to help them in terms of finances then as T.D. tutors, we felt challenged to give to them what is actually due—a wholehearted preparation for every single tutoring session.

Reflection #01 - Home Visit

After finishing a long afternoon spent on our home visit, it was apparent to each of us tutors that, indeed, there were new insights to be pondered upon. The value of simplicity, unfortunately, has been declining amongst the youth. At this day and age wherein worldly material seems to be already the measurement of a person, practicing simplicity is undeniably a hard thing to do. However, after being exposed to what poverty truly is to some people, one can not help but realize that he has, indeed, more and should be content as to what he has, after all, to live a life of simplicity, is in fact, what God calls us to do.

Tulong Dunong Blog Site Declared Open

This is the official blog/project of

Christian Ignacio
Caloy Sagun
Paul Mendoza
Jovic Raymundo

for Tulong Dunong SY2005-2006