FELICITY

Day after our dance gig at Tomas Morato...

Despite the fact that I partied the previous night (It's a Friday, and it’s stupid not to drink in a cocktail event), I woke up early that morning. And I assure you, it's not a regular feat for me to wake up early on a Saturday. Or to be exact, it's not a regular feat for me to wake up early.

However, I really pushed myself to get up that day, because I know that it's a big day! Not for me though. It's a big day for the kids! Today is my department's schedule to visit our company-sponsored Gawad Kalinga (GK) village, the Pru Life UK GK Felicity Village, which is located in Parañaque.

I was actually over-excited to meet the kids because I have been looking forward to give them some goodies, and do the community some good. Because it's such a nice thing to do good to people! Oooh, I'm such a kind individual with a big golden heart. <-- Who is this person? Haha.

Well, the truth is, I really am excited. In fact, it is part of my bucket list for 2011 to participate in community volunteer programs this year (not just in one, but in at least three activities). Hypocrisy aside, this is my way of saying "Thank You" to God for all the blessings and comfort that I experienced. If you didn't know yet, I was a small-town boy who grew up playing in sewage canals oblivious to the comforts of metro-living. Most of my playmates then were either an orphan, an illegitimate child, someone whose family can't afford sending them to school, or all of that. I lived in a cramped neighbourhood where at least five households would fit themselves in an area smaller than a regular condo unit. And now here I am, living in the metro. Not really well-off, but earns enough to indulge in my pleasures. So I want to express my gratitude by reaching out to people who I shared the same childhood with.

We were scheduled to teach a few lessons to the kids and maybe paint a little some house units. Before the trip, I sipped a tall glass of simmering coffee to regain sobriety. *grin* I also munched a sandwich to store enough energy for the day. I can’t let the kids down, you know. =) I was so keen to see the kids that I didn’t even mind the fact that the subdivision was a little close to where my ex lives. I was that excited.

When we arrived at the village, we were greeted warmly. We met with the kids in the Multi-Purpose Hall, where we told them that the theme for that weekend is “good health”. We asked them to draw an image of a healthy child and a favourite fruit or vegetable.

Here’s a collage of some of the drawings:

Some pieces were really good, and kind of remind me of my early sketches. Collecting their art pieces put me in nostalgia, hence, I grabbed a crayon and scribbled my own piece.

Dahil echosera me, gumawa din me. Marunong din you?

My officemate, Jef, who is also a dance enthusiast, thought that maybe it’s smart to teach them a couple of dance moves. You know, dancing is a physical activity. <-- A good segue from our “good health” theme.

We were actually surprised at how good the kids were. After we taught the moves, we played some rather more familiar music and most of them danced. With their own even-more-complex choreography. With formations!

Lastly, we painted some railings in an apartment complex. We didn’t really finish painting since we ran out of time.

All in all it was a remarkable experience. We may not have made a big difference in the world, but we definitely made a difference in these people’s lives. And besides, it’s such a rewarding experience to see that you’ve made some kids smile. I think I even made a connection to this one, who didn’t let go of me until we left. *grin*

 So long, Felicity Village. We’ll be back soon.