Street Stories

Camping Experience: Minda Hears a Small Voice

Street Stories
Hear from the children themselves...

SUSAN: Ano ako ngayon, 15…7 years old pa lang, nandon na ako sa SM, namamalimos kasi don lang kami nabubuhay, kasama ko magulang ko/ ginugulpi ako ng ate ko/yun, naglayas ako/ Ngayon, nagtitinda na ako. Kanya-kanya kaming magkakapatid mula nang mamatay ang magulang ko.

Nagkasasit ako sa baga - ilang beses na rin ako nagpacheck up sabi magpahinga ako, binabalewala ko yon kasi kailangan ko ng pera.

(I am 15 now... when I was only 7 years old, I was at SM begging since that was our only livelihood, with my parents. My older sister would beat me up then. So, I ran away. Now, I am selling - each of us siblings did this ever since my parents died.

I got sick in the lungs - many times when I had a check up that they'd say I need rest, I wouldn't listen since we needed the money.) mark

MARK: Matagal na akong tinakwil. Walong taon pa lang ako, sabi nila, may iba akong magulang, pero hindi ko na hinanap kasi sila nang nakagisnan ko. Noon ako

natutong gawin lahat para lang mabuhay, kahit may sakit, babangon ka, para mabuhay, ganon lang yon.

Kanya-kanya kaming tulog, merong Banco De Oro, May Paramount, may LBC.

(It has been a long time since I've been disowned. At age 8, they said, I had different parents, but I didn't look for them since I already grew up with the people I knew to be my parents. That was the time I learned to do everything just to survive, even if I was sick, I'd still rise up, to live, it's just like that.

Each of us would have our own place to sleep on the streets, some at Banco De Oro, some at Paramount theatre, others at LBC.)

SUSAN: Ako, Kuya, naranasan ko, yung tyuhin ni Grace, pag nakikita kaming natutulog, nanghihipo.

(Me, Kuya (term for "older brother"), the uncle of Grace, when they see us sleeping, touches us.)

JOHNNY: Sa kotse, sabi sa amin "Sama kayo?"

(People in the cars would tell us "Come with us?")

NENG: Dapat nga bababa yung isa, kukunin ang isa sa amin, sabi ko, "Takbo na!" Mahirap na.

(And then one of them was getting down the car and planning to get one of us, I said, "Run!" You know, that's gonna be hard.)

MARK: Napasama ako kay Kuya Joe Dean, unang pasok sa simbahan, hindi ko alam kung bakit, lumuha ako/ Sabi ko, makikinig na lang lagi ako kay Kuya Joe Dean/ marami na rin akong nagawang masama…nalulon sa mga…rugby/ naging ano rin ako, shoplifter…lahat nga… Sa ngayon, hindi ko masasabing nagbago lahat pero sinusubukan ko pa rin baguhin.

Pag kakain ako dito sa umaga, parang may basbas, kahit hindi na ulit kumain kasi may panalangin/ galing sa mabuti/ pag galing sa masama, parang walang kabusugan.

Simple lang ang pangarap ko, tahimik, gaya nong Pasko, nag-party tayo, parang naramdaman ko, may pamilya.

(I was able to go with Kuya Joe Dean, the first time I went inside a church, I don't know why but I cried, I said, I will only listen to Kuya Joe Dean, I've done a lot of bad things already... taken rugby, became a shoplifter, everything... Now, I can't say everything's changed but I've been trying to change it.)

SUSAN: Pangarap kong makatapos ako ng pag-aaral, tutulong sa mga batang nangangailangan gaya ng ginagawa sa amin ni Kuya Joe Dean.

(It's my dream to finish schooling, to help kids in need just like what Kuya Joe Dean is doing.)

Camping Experience
Minda Hears a Small Voice

During our year-end retreat in December, the streetkids were allowed to seim after a full day activity of retreat, confession and Holy Mass. Minda, a 21-year old steetchild was enjoying a late afternoon swim with fellow streetkids when she suddenly felt faint and weak. She slowly sank till she reached bottom. The children thought that she was just enjoying the swim trying to reach the bottom. But Daniel noticed that she was not moving anymore. He pulled her out but she was unconscious by then.

Bro. Joe Dean rushed to her side and tried to recall his first aid. But he blacked out! He could not remember a single lesson from his Red Cross First Aid training. He carried Minda in his arms and drove to the municipal hospital. The doctors advised them to go to the Heart Center. But where will they find an ambulance? God heard them and sent one. The ambulance of the Municipal Hospital was bringing a patient to the Marikina General Hospital and agreed to bring Minda along. Two volunteers, Sis. Weng and Melanie, took care of Minda all throughout the night.

After a few hours, the doctors pronounced Minda out of danger. They even allowed her to go back and join the group in Montalban.

During the sharing time the next day Minda recounted how she hear a small voice whisper to her these words, "huwag kang susuko, lumaban ka, huminga ka nang malalim." Minda obeyed and with all her strength, took a deep breath. Looking back, Bro. Joe Dean could not help but cry at the love and mercy of the Lord. He also realized that the Lord blocked his memory from adminsitering CPR becuase Minda's ribs are so delicate from 2 accidents she had in the past. Had he done CPR, more damage would have come Minda's way.

We also believe that the Lord answered the prayer of all the volunteers and the other kids who gathered and stormed heaven with prayers while Minda was unconscious. We were rattled by that accident but we know that God had a purpose for everything. He wants us to trust Him more and really know that His is in control of everything.