THE DREAM

A former co-worker and a friend who is now based in Seoul, South Korea shared this story to me. I am fortunate that the source of the story allowed me to post it in my site. I altered nothing. Hence, it is exactly as I had received it. By the way, this is a true story. In fact, if I am not mistaken, I know the boy in this story. Anyways, This story is good because every body dream of having a good house, an improved state of living, a higher education. I am not an exception to that. However, this boy dreamt for another being. A dream that started during younger years and transcends up until adulthood. Is that noble or not? You and only you, my dear reader, could confirm.

Three decades ago lives a young boy in a remote town north of Manila, Philippines. He used to attend a public school on their neighboring barangay. Every morning he would wake up early to fetch water and fill their big clay jar of water for their daily use while his younger sister cooked their breakfast. After that they will walk 20-25 minutes to go to school. During lunch time they would walk again the same distance, have lunch in their house and go back to school, and finally at the end of school day, they would walk again to go home. He and his sister had to do this because their daily allowance is just enough to buy one small piece of bread during recess time.

Everyday that has been their routine since he started going to school. But everyday this boy would pass by a home for the aged being run by a very good priest. He then later learned that this shelter relies heavily on donations and volunteers to keep it going. Sometimes they would stop near the house’s gate and peek inside. There he could see some people known to him are cleaning the house and the yard of the compound. He also learned that he has some relative that go there on Saturdays to help to the laundry. How he wished to help too in that shelter, but since he is very young then, he is afraid to ask as he maybe scolded. Then he said to himself, time will come and I shall be able to help this home for the aged. Every once in a while he would stop at its gate and will said to himself someday…………..and asked God to give him a chance to help the shelter. As he remember the word from the bible “ask and it shall be given up to you”, but one has to wait for HIS time on when it will be given to you, because HIS timing is so precise whenever HE gives what we asked from HIM.

Time flies and he was able to finish high school and he has gone to college. His college days were not easy. There were instances that he has to stop his college years he has not enough money to go on. Every summer vacation, he would ask his father, a carpenter, to allow him to come to him to work in a construction site hoping to save some money to continue his studies. It has becomes difficult for his father to send he and his siblings to college at the same time so he has to help his father anyway he can. There were times that he has to borrow money from his relatives for their allowance for a day. He was able to borrow only after hearing harsh and painful words. Almost every other day that has been the story. But he never gives up, he would always pray and ask God for help. Until he finally finishes his college studies and he recall his dream.

On the his first year after graduating college, looking for work is not easy, but after months of trying and frustrations, he was able to find a job his first. Salary was small, just enough for his daily needs, not even enough to buy him some clothes that he wish he had. So after six months he quit and looked for a new one, lucky for him he finds one. The salary was better than before, Christmas season comes and the he receives his first bonus and 13th month pay, he was so happy. Days before Christmas he went to the supermarket nearby to buy some grocery item and brought it to the home for the aged, and said to himself, ”so long I have waited for this day, and now here I am” and thanked God for the opportunity to help given to him. From then on every year before Christmas or whenever he receives bonus from the company he is working, he would go to the shelter to bring something in fulfillment of his long time dream and also encourage his siblings to do the same. Now he has his own family and nothing has changed, he is still doing it not only during Christmas season but whenever there is an opportunity to do it. He always brings along his wife and their children whenever he went to the shelter to teach his children the beauty of helping and giving.
As his father would always tell him, “helping others is a good deed even if you have nothing”.

So, what do you think? I am correct or am I right? [ Oopps… I suppose that gave you no option, right ? heheheh]

The picture above was taken from http://www.abc.net.au

Always take care of your selves and till my next entry.