Last February 2, 2007 all of us (the seniors..) went to Gasa sa Gugma in Mabolo. It was for our CWTS outreach program. At first I thought that what we'll be doing in there will be obliged (in the sense that we really have to help the people there). But when I was already there you will realize the situation of the elder people.
Seeing old people there having a hard time standing up and talking made me really feel bad. I pity the people there because they were just abandoned by their relatives. Because of that I remembered my deceased grandmother. When she was just like them, she was also having a hard time standing up. But despite that, I was still happy because at least my aunt who was taking care of her then really cared and loved her. Unlike the people there in Gasa sa Gugma, they have no relatives to take care of them and love them.
When we were already there, we immediately took care of one elder. When we arrived there we knew that they were going to have a mass. So we immediately helped the lolos and the lolas to stand up and go to the chapel where the mass was going to be held. Each of us tried our very best to help the elder people so that they can attend the mass. Some of them couldn't stand up so the main stay attendants there held them through wheel chairs. But then some of them were really stubborn. They said that they would rather talk and stay where they are than to attend the mass. So we did not force them anymore and instead listened to what they had to say.
My attention was called by a certain lolo Diosdado. He was really talkative and was tellinmg us about his childhood experience. Ofcourse all of us listened. He said that he was sorry for his grandmother because his mother keeps on quarelling with his grandmother. He also keeps on saying that we should always listen to our parents and always stay close to them because no matter what comes up to us, our parents will always be there to support and love us. He keeps on repeating that we should also respect our parents because they were the ones who brought us up and we should always thank them for everything that they have been giving to us. He also told us about how much he loves his daughters, his wife and where he lives. He also told us that his daughters left him in there because his daughters would like to find money to be able to sustain his needs. He still hopes that someday, someone will fetch him from there.
The next elder I met was lolo Andres. He keeps on insisting that he was still 50 years old but we didn't complain. He told us how he loves movies and he also told us about his idols- Fernando Poe Jr. and the president Estrada. He also told us about his likes and dislikes and told us many things. But I guess he's having a memory loss because he keeps on repeating some things over and over again.
After this I still met a lot of old people there and I was able to know some of the experiences they had when they were still younger.
This activity made some of my classmates and batch mates cry. I almost cried too. We saw their hardships there even for a short period of time and I felt their pain. I felt the loneliness in their hearts and I also felt their will to be with their loved ones again. This also made me realize, why would some people leave their lolos and lolas in institutions like gasa sa gugma? Shouldn't they be the ones who shoul take care of them?
In the Philippines, we were all taught the values of respect, courtesy and most especially close family ties. We were always used to the scene in every household where all family members are staying with each other even with a tight budget. From the lolo, lola, mother, father, to the children and even the children of their children. I was always used that we take care of the elder mambers of the family. I even took care of my grandmother when she was still alive. I believe that the family shoul take care of each other even to their last breath. We are not obliged to do that but at least that's our way to say thank you to them for everything they have been giving us. I think it's not right to abandon them like that. At the end of the day, would you like to have the same situation as them. I guess not. Who wouldn't want to die in the presence of their family? We should just take care of them rather than abandoning them. Our lolos and lolas need our love, support and understanding and I believe we should just give that to them.
Spread Love and peace to your lolos and lolas. Give them the love they deserve.
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