Earlier a neighbor came over. After talking to her for a couple of minutes, we got to talk about her brain cancer. She was hoping that the healing mass of Fr. Suarez will cure her of her brain tumor.
I was deeply saddened by her pain. I kept thinking, "If I had only a couple of millions to give to her --" A cancer treatment here especially if it's brain cancer would cost her a couple of millions at least. Because her family does not even have enough money to buy food, she's just waiting to die.
The same story went with two of our neighbors. One had tuberculosis. He didn't have money for his medicines so he lived a life waiting to die. He got worst each day. He was living to die. Another neighbor had diabetes. He died from it and he was only 34 years old. He left his widow and his three kids to fend for themselves. The woman now is sleeping around for food.
It's hard to pretend that everything is okay if you're living here. The life stories are just way too harsh for me to even pretend that I'm Alice stuck in the hole. You cannot be Peter Pan here either. I cannot pretend that Mary Rose, our neighbor's daughter is working in Singapore, when I know for a fact that she's a prostitute selling her wares in Manila. It's difficult to close your eyes to those kinds of truths that smack you right on the face.
I cannot be the middle-class bitch here. Poverty is just too way damn close for comfort. In fact, it's just on the other side of the fence.
Feb 22, 2008
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2 Gorgeous People Said --:
We ought to do something more than dole outs and charity. Community organizing and development might be of help. Networking too must also be useful. I am also struggling what you are struggling.
That is just so sad Tinggay, but that is the harsh realities of life especially when you have trapos pillaging the nation's coffers dry.
I wish I also have an easy answer to these problem...... this is just so frustrating.....
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