Love in Action

I never thought I would take part in any movement. I rarely go out and I didn't like being around with many people so I didn't expect seeing myself doing community service. My focus were solely on my family and my studies. I don't even pay attention to different extra-curricular activities in school.However, time leads me to get involved in my community and in my city when I was an elected youth official, to be part of a children's advocacy after college and to have the chance to become a volunteer in Arise Philippines Youth Movement Incorporated.

I firmly believe in the power of 'we'.I've been inspired with the vision of Arise which is standing for what we believe in and becoming a channel of change for next generation by conducting conference for youth  leaders, medical, dental and optical services, child feeding, giving away free medicines and construction of public toilet.

On July 31, we were in Barangay 31-D where the community toilet is constructed for the official turn-over.With the help of the Australians who have burden for Davao, the vision has turned into a reality.Arise Davao 2013 is looking forward to donating another toilet that will be located in Matina Aplaya. A study shows that there's a presence of  coliforms in Punta Dumalag caused by improper waste disposal of people living along the shoreline. With this, Arise has chosen the said barangay where the project will be implemented.

The movement believes that helping a community by giving support to the septage and sewage ordinance of the city will give honor to the Creator of everything and not to man.It requires passion to get yourself involved. You don't need to be in the position to lend a hand.Giving service is one way of showing your love.

"True success can only be measured at the end of our lives by how we utilized what we had to serve society and honor God.This is the only success that can never be taken away from you" -Book of Hope

Can You Lay Your Own Life to Save One? #BAD11

Food is a basic necessity as we all know. We are aware of how important to have something to put into our mouth to sustain our daily routines.It's essential to keep us going.Without food, life is incomplete. I have seen several videos that show the different faces of hunger, poverty and malnutrition. Two weeks ago, the academic head of the school I used to work with posted a video of  Ester and Sam who suffer severe malnutrition in Uganda on my facebook wall which is filmed in the summer of 2008.I felt something hard struck my chest. I couldn't hold my tears. Then here's Achyut Sharma's video introduced to me by my cousin two days ago about an old man eating his own human waste because of hunger.

Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho and I-Witness are GMA network's award-winning documentary news and public affairs television shows in the Philippines that open our minds to what is really happening around us. There's one episode that show a family who doesn't eat three times a day. Their meal is composed of rice with cooking oil and soy sauce, rice and coffee, sweet potatoes and boiled bananas. They eat the same kind of food everyday. What do you think about their health?

I remember a classmate during my sophomore year in high school who confess to me how they get their food. Her father would go to McDonalds every night to collect bags of leftovers, scoop for still-good chicken, fry it and serve on the table.

It's unbelievable that these devastating things exist in my country! It's very shocking and upsetting to know that some Filipinos who live in very remote areas eventually die due to hunger where modern medical practices like liposuction and facial plastic surgery are actively performed. I never thought that we might be as terrible as Africa.

This post is in relation to Blog Action Day 2011 that coincides with World Food Day. May we understand that there are really people who starve and suffer everyday because of food scarcity.Think of even simple ways to lessen this tragical fact. Give and share. Be reminded that you are given blessings including the food you eat that we sometimes forget to acknowledge. Getting too much? Why not share?

Author Thomas Carlyle tells how, when he was a boy, a beggar came to the door. His parents were out and he was alone in the house. On a boyish impulse, he broke into his own savings bank and gave the beggar all that was in it, and he tells us that never before or since did he know such sheer happiness as came to him in that moment. There is indeed joy in giving.

Would you do the same? Would you have that kind heart in an instant?

Food sustains life and you can save a life by giving.

At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done.We will be judged by 'I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in'.~ Mother Teresa