A Fruitful Friday

By Leeanne Sy
 

Last Thursday, I received a prompting that I should go to He Cares Center after Daryl’s invite, but I ignored the call of the Holy Spirit to go there on a weekday. Good thing that the father of my students informed me that we wouldn’t have any classes the following night. “God, You really want me to go there, huh? I want to make my Friday special, so I will go even if my body wants to rest. No more excuses!” I said as I spoke to my Father during my prayer time.

I was supposed to observe Rapha, a French volunteer, teach the street children last Friday morning, but I already scheduled a date with my mom in the morning, so I told Daryl that I’d be coming over after lunch. He told me that the program would be over by then. (Awww!) There’d be no more kids, but I could hangout with the other people there. I had two agendas in mind: to drop off the used clothes and to interview Bro. Joe Dean Sola, founder of the He Cares Foundation, for our “project.”

I arrived at the Center without being toasted by the summer sun. Much to my surprise, I was met by a drizzle, so I ran to the center where I saw a teenager who pointed me to where my friend was. Daryl and Nanay (the Iron Chef of the kitchen) were already busy peeling potatoes, preparing for the feeding program the next day. Although I don’t jibe well with the kitchen, I got my own peeler. I started peeling away as Daryl updated me with what happened in the morning. He laughed at me whenever the big potatoes jumped out of my small hands. In one of our CG meetings before, he taught me how to open a can without using a can opener, but using only a knife, so he has a license to laugh at his former CG Head.

“Ouch!” I cried as I peeled my nail. “That was a close call!” I told them that it was just a nail. By the time I started peeling the carrots, Daryl said that I was improving. I told him that the carrots are just easier to peel than the potatoes. We also peeled mangoes for dessert.

At past one, they started to eat their late lunch (I had mine earlier), but I still joined them for dessert because I didn’t want to isolate myself in the kitchen and talk to myself. The preliminary interview with Bro. Joe Dean started over lunch. I grew silent when he and the household boys (former street children under his care now) reminisced and talked about gangs, violence, rape, drugs, and death (words that seem taboo to my ears). I tried to absorb their words while I controlled my initial reaction which was fear. “I thought those things only happen in movies,” I reflected. They also named places such as Delta, West Avenue, Pantranco, the vicinity of SM North EDSA among others where crimes were prevalent before. I know those places by heart. I often pass them by.

“If you look at those places now, they’re mostly clean (figuratively and literally).” Bro. Joe Dean related. “They’re (the gangs are) not there anymore?” I made sure as I was thinking of avoiding going to those places. “No, they’re not there anymore,” Bro. Joe Dean assured me, “because they’re all here,” and we all laughed.

After lunch, Ate Vangie arrived, and we finished peeling and cleaning the potatoes (they did all the slicing). Time for me to say goodbye. Daryl offered to accompany me to the jeepney stop. I told him that he didn’t have to do that since I was not scared. He informed me that the place is not safe because there are people who get or kidnap children and women to sell their organs. “Oh, great! Now, I’m an easy target,” I told myself. I’ve been to the place for almost three months now, but I haven’t encountered any goons yet. Good to know that my guardian angel still works full time.

While I was inside the jeep, I tried to digest their stories. I also checked out the places they mentioned. They were right. The places are now relatively clean. Phew! The coast is obviously clear. I only saw a street child or two, three at most, near SM North EDSA. Even Pantranco appears safe during the day. I also alight there at night when there’s no more jeep in Araneta Avenue. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

I had a very fruitful day, all right, and to cap it all, I caught a glimpse of the orange-blue sky on my way home. What a way to end my ordinary-turned-fruitful day!