Doesn’t matter how many we are…

We’re not robots, we’re humans– we get tired too.

After two consecutive days of going to different relief centers and deploying relief goods to different areas, we still decided to do it the next day. However, as the saying goes:  ‘When your body’s talking to you, better listen.’  We did listen and we took a seat for the day. Thing is, not all of us did.

At first it there were just the six of us. We went to Ateneo but the place was over-manned. There was a post there that a place called RFM needed volunteers. We went to RFM but unfortunately, one of the cars was needed to be sent home before sunset because one of its headlights was broken. Then luckily, another friend came by. From one car, we’re back to two. Two cars going to a place unknown but brave enough to tread it.

When we came to RFM, it was piled-up with relief goods but man-power indeed lacked. It was like a pile of sugar with an incomplete colony of ants.  We were immediately asked what we wanted to do. The famous phrase for us: “We want to be deployed.” We all wanted to extend help in the best way we can and deployment, we believe, is what we could offer. Only that every time we try, it really takes forever for us to do so.

Today was different.

It was amazing how quickly we were deployed. As we signed-up, no car or driver is written on the registration. They badly needed deployment even if we arrived around six in the evening. Problem is too many load, less cars.

Most of the bags of food and boxes of water would not fit in the car. An angel came, one of our friends came in with their truck. Deployment then was made possible. On our way, traffic killed time. To the point that we were being called a couple of times because the people were really getting hungry.  Gladly, with all the chaos, we got thru.

We went to Brgy. Bagong Silangan, Brookside (near the Marikina faultline). We got there around 9 pm. The road going there was very narrow and pain-staking.  Pain-staking because it hurts to see empty houses, clothes and people smothered in mud. As we passed by them, they were all looking at us not really filled with hope but with emptiness.

It took us a short time to move the goods to the site. It’s amazing though because three cars fed 300 people. I could only wish we had a Hum-v or a military truck so we could bring more. Most of the people thanked us for coming but truth is, they didn’t have to tell that. For somehow, we felt that what we did is nothing really of gratitude but just pure benevolence and just fulfillment.

Again point is, it doesn’t matter how many we are…

We’re humans,  it’s innate that we feel for others. It doesn’t matter how many we are,  if we move to show love, it can and will touch souls in ways that are invincible but mutual.

Written by Fatima Palma

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