Journal 9: Service Learning Journal Part I - Meeting the Children of Dela Paz Laguna

Its not surprising for me to have this kind of activity, this is usually integrated in the La Sallian Education and will define you as a La Salle graduate versus the others. Thats what i thought of during the planning and preparation prior to the actual visit. As a product of La Salle I had been engaged in civic engagements in the past, helping communities, promoting social justice and education.

But then my perception of the usual civic activity changed the moment I saw the kids.

I had social activities before in some Areas of Tondo and Cavite but this kids really are special. Ive never seen children from slum areas as cooperative and shows values. Realising its a result of our very own group mate - Maureen`s dedication for years. 

Here´s a brief summary of how this community of children started:

The Dela Paz Kids’ Bible Study was a fruit of the one-month training of Christian Leaders on Evangelism which I attended in Hawaii last September 2012. There I learned the importance of making disciples from Matthew 28:19-20 and passing on the faith to the next generation (Psalm 78:1-8). As soon as I got back to the Philippines, I immediately applied what I’ve learned in Hawaii.

It was October 7, 2012, Sunday 3PM, when I first gathered my nephews, nieces and other kids in our neighborhood. Eight (8) of them came and joined the first session held in the terrace of our house. The following week ten (10) kids attended. As the weeks go by, the number of kids attending increased. Currently, there are around 30 to 34kids attending on a regular basis, ages 5-13.

God, as the anchor and initiator of this weekly kids’ bible study, has been very generous as well by sending other youth workers. First, He sent Hazel Lleno, who was my co-member in Tinig at Himig Ng Kabataan Choir. She then invited other choir members, parish youth workers and other sisters from a newly established charismatic community in Binan, Laguna called Light of Jesus or more famously called Kerygma Family. Now, there are 12 youth workers alternating each week in teaching the kids.

Every Sunday we teach them the love of God, different action/worship songs, how to pray, how to love one another and the gospel of the day or words from the Bible. At the end of every session, after nourishing their souls, we give them snacks to eat. It is challenging to manage them all especially when there’s only one worker handling the session. But through the months, I have noticed how they have grown in the area of prayer. They can now do a spontaneous, vocal prayer on their own and I have seen how they have known Jesus in a more personal and intimate way. With the youth workers’ prayer & discernment, the group is now named “Beloved Dela Paz Kids”.

Through this weekly kids’ bible study, I believe it is not only the kids who have been transformed. I observed that even adults listen to the talks we give and the songs we teach. They too enjoy each session and even my mother no longer agrees that we miss one Sunday teaching the kids. I am sure that this initiative is slowly building up our community in Kalye Siete, Victoria Subdivision, Binan, Laguna. Sooner or later fruits will come out of this effort and transformation will be seen in the lives of, not only the kids but the adults as well. May the Name of Jesus be praised from one generation to the next. To God be the glory!

-Maureen A. Ramos

Connecting with them is not really hard at all, they are all so well mannered. I saw how real kids are actually acting, most of my cousins and children in my family doesnt have much interaction with us anymore since the age of technology and digitalization came in. But this kids reminded me of my childhood, I am not born rich. My parents are really hard working supporting us; me and my brother we were raised in a very laid back and humble community. Things just started moving fast for me since high school, when I started being competitive and belonged to a straight A class which eventually landed me a scholarship in La Salle. I was just like them - the kids of Dela Paz wanting to be someone one day wanting to prove things and help people.

We asked the kids what they wanted to become in the future and what are they going to do to achieve those since a part of our goals for the service learning is to hone the value of being success driven and patient. They were asked to drew their dreams while we also did ours and shared it in groups.

I was moved hearing them telling stories why they had those dream. There was a little boy who specifically caught my attention, he is different in the group. Diagnosed with ADHD and when he started telling his dreams - he said he wants to be a rescuer and save people's lives. Apparently, his family just moved to Binan after Yolanda.

Most of these kids talk like adults... they have so much stories to tell, so much experience that even I was foreign to.