Lights and shadows

CEBU, Philippines - I had the opportunity to visit Cebu when I was invited to the Board meeting of the Sacred Heart Parish on February 17.  I stayed a few days to meet various people and the members of the Christian Life Community.

This visit brought me much joy, among which was the fact that five of the working scholars of our parish are graduating this year. I was especially consoled and proud that one of them, Claudette - a civil engineering student, was graduating cum laude.  She had to overcome a lot of handicaps to attain this. 

Another consolation was Donabel, the sister of our sacristan, who came from a farmer family in Davao, and who almost gave up pursuing a college education when she met seemingly insurmountable problems and challenges adjusting from a public rural high school to a city college. With my encouragement and giving her a second chance, she was already finishing a four-year college degree, the first to attain a college education in her family.

Another parish scholar already has a job offer before her graduation.

These are the lights - stories of success.

However, there were other stories that made my heart cringe in pain.  One student had to limit herself to eating twice a day, to help pay the hospital expenses of her father who suffered a stroke.  How could a student in her situation study well in school?

There was also a second year student who wanted to drop out of the scholarship program and start working, to help her mother who was suffering from cervical cancer. This student had been performing well in school. One of the brighter working scholars, on his last year of college, was also contemplating of dropping out because he had no means to take care of the many expenses for graduation.

These stories are the shadows - stories of hardship and desperation.

I encouraged these students to hang on.  Finishing college could mean a lot of difference to their future.  I promised to help them find the means to get them through their problems.

When I think of my own life-journey, I come to realize all the more how God has been so good to me. Although I lived through World War II and the Japanese occupation of our country, my parents cared so well for us ten children through hard work and self-sacrifice such that we did not experience hunger. And all of us siblings completed at least a college degree of our choice without any problem.

I feel a certain responsibility toward helping the less fortunate students who have to struggle so much to get an education.  I wish and pray that people who have the means will not squander their wealth in useless pursuits, but instead extend some help to these young people in need.

May this Year of Mercy inspire greater compassion among us. (FREEMAN)