Insights from the Soup Kitchen

 Location: Typhoon Ondoy Victims, Pasig

 Evacuation Center @ ULTRA

October 5, 2009

Knowledge Channel Soup Kitchen 

1) 95% of the kids and adults i saw don't have slippers

2) A lot of the kids are resilient. Staying at the evacuation center can be like a prolonged picnic..., with many new friends to make, and eating on the floor with a bigger family - about 3,000 members in the new family.

3) It's the moms who are really stressed. They constantly worry where to get the next meal for the family (or for her infant), how to treat their sick children, and how on earth are they going to rebuild their homes again when there is nothing left to start over with.

4) Children don't hold back in expressing their happiness. So when they smile at you, you feel that they are the ones bestowing you a gift, and not the other way around.

5) There is still so much to be done. It's overwhelming. But the things you cannot do should not stop you from doing the things that you can.

6) Being interviewed on the spot is not as easy as it looks. =)

7) It is a humbling experience.  I know deep down it could have easily been me, or my family, in that evacuation center.  Everything I have could be wiped away in an instant.  I don't really own anything.

tough lessons

lessons i am learning recently:

1)  It will take time for parents to truly see the "adult" you

I just had an awkward but honest conversation with my mom.  We are not the type of family that talks about thoughts and feelings, so those two minutes of talking felt like having constipation  -- its gruelling, but I'm glad for the release.  She doesn't approve of some of my life choices, but she already knows that I'm not seeking her approval.

2) when it niggles, pay attention

I had a niggling feeling that i was forgetting doing something last week. I got sucked in the vortex called "everyday urgent tasks" and promptly forgot about the niggling feeling. Turns out I forgot to email our foreign resource person that our event is re-scheduled (for the Nth time).  Now she has a flight going here, and the event aint happening. damn.  pay attention.

3) recognize the silver

I appreciate the random kindness of my officemate. i didn't ask for it, but i got an assist that i needed.  =)