An Interjection

An Interjection On Knowing the True Taste of Water "You may know that I believe it takes a village to raise a child. Well sometimes it takes a volunteer to raise up that village- to give that village a feeling of what is possible." Hilary Clinton It also takes a little free will of a volunteer to illustrate how caring and sharing could evolve into action. The mere presence of a volunteer, I believe is a way of giving partners not only a feeling of what is possible but also the positive thought of “yes, we can do it”. I always believe in the value of volunteers who opted to do something even if it is only quantified to be a little. Edmund Burke once said: “nobody makes a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little." This was my inspiration and I didn’t want to commit that greatest mistake because I fear to help for I only have a little to share. The little thing that I shared has resulted to a life changing experience, when I came to know the true taste of a water. In 2006, a year after I came back from my volunteer work in Pakistan, I was sitting in my office after a frugal lunch when suddenly I felt an abdominal pain. In the past three days I have been busy assisting street children for their health needs. As a social worker, I look for different medical institutions which can provide free medical check-ups for these homeless kids in Kalaw St. and Luneta Park. The pain gradually progressed in the evening and I started to suffer from a fever. The result of my laboratory the next day suggested that my liver is inflamed. My SGPT is raised above 50, indicative of a liver disease. My terrible condition has brought me back to my memories of a Pakistani boy who taught me one important lesson of kindness and love. I vividly remember my encounter with Asad Muneer who I met in one of the sweetshops I visited in Sialkot District. In my way to Sambrial, a village in Sialkot, I could smell an acrid odor coming from the factories. Sialkot District of South Punjab is considered the export doorway of Pakistan for leather, sporting goods, surgical instruments etc. That day was my schedule to visit the various shops for surgical instruments operating in the villages to see the extent of child labor problem in Sialkot. Through an interpreter, I’ve got a chance to interview Asad Muneer: “What do you want to become in the future?” I asked him. “I want to be a doctor” he replied with his head bent down. “Why do you want to become a doctor?” “Because I want to help my family since my father died of illness.” Joltz B. Meneses 2 Knowing the True Taste of Water “In what ways are you going to achieve your dream of becoming a doctor?” I’ve got a silent reply. Asad dreams of becoming a doctor to help his family after his father died of hepatitis three months ago. But realizing his dream is different from just dreaming. For Asad dreaming is a priceless way to get a costly reality, and he knew he would never be a doctor because of his present circumstances. He is only a doctor in his dream. I decided to visit the house where Asad lives so I could spend quality time with his family. Asad appeared on the doorway carrying his youngest sibling. After the usual exchanged of greetings, he led us into the house. The house is unkempt, furnished only with one stand fan and two steel beds. Asad is 9 years old and the 8th child of 11 children of Abida Muneer, the mother. Abida is maudlin of their condition after she was widowed. ‘Two days ago we have nothing to eat and often our meal is simple roti and water, my family is very poor.’ the mother explained her family’s wretched condition. She did not want her children to work in the sweatshop but there was no other choice; this hapless situation forced Asad and his brothers Kamran and Shoib to work in the surgical instruments shops. The mother lamented that their life became more miserable when her husband died of illness. He died of hepatitis because he was never brought to the attention of a medical -3- doctor due to fear of the high cost of hospitalization and treatment. The death of the head of the family had left a dent on their economic life. .‘We only survive through the help of our neighbors by giving us tael (lard), cheny (sugar), masala (spices), ata (flour) and gandam (wheat)’ Looking at the teary eyes of the mother, I realized how the spell of hepatitis has infected the family. One child also died of hepatitis a month after the father passed away. The poverty condition of Asad’s family is dehumanizing. It has fallen into the trap of deprivation and vulnerability and the only defense left is the hope that life could be better in the next life. In spite of their condition, Asad is active in attending his Non Formal Education class which BUNYAD has to offer to combat child labor. The hope in his eyes kindled as he chirruped the Naat-Rasool-E- Maqbbol, a song of praise for the Prophet Muhammad. He is optimistic that their life could be better with having an education and that he rests his dream on the mercy of Allah. It was one humid weekend when I visited the family again. Abida was delighted when she saw me visiting them again though I saw the contortion of hardship on her face, which reminded me of the family’s distress condition. My presence was what I could offer in solidarity with the family. I have proven it many times that this little way called apostolate of presence could bring glimmer of hope. I thought that my time and my presence were the greatest things that I could do to sow hope. I know that villagers will remember me by coming into their homes no matter what they have and who they are. Joltz B. Meneses 4 Knowing the True Taste of Water The humidity at noontime had caused me to perspire a lot. It was an uneasy feeling doing fieldwork during this kind of season. I already used up all the water in my bottle and I badly needed for a few more drops of water to quench my drying mouth. Water is gold during hot season. Potable water is scarce in the villages. Asad seemed to understand my needs. Without uttering a word of excuse, he went into the kitchen. After one moment, he came back with a half-full glass of water. He offered it to me. He was smiling as he was giving me the glass of water. I hesitated to receive the offer because of a reproachful thought: “The water is dirty. The glass is contaminated with hepatitis virus.” But I knew that the offer was a sincere gesture of kindness and love. To turn it down means turning down the work of love. I closed my eyes. I sipped the water. That moment, I am not sure enough if the water is clean or the glass is free from hepatitis infectivity. But one thing I am sure about, that moment when I drank the water, it is the freshest and sweetest water I ever tasted in my life. Yes it was, knowing that the water was the last dip from the water jug the family have for that day. It was given to me by -5- Asad who has less to offer. It was the greatest act of kindness I ever received. It was indeed an experience of my spiritual awakening when I came to know the true taste of a water. After a year of settling back to the Philippines, I continue to live my passion in volunteering by working with the children found in the streets of Manila. The faces of the street children remind me of the condition of child laborers in Pakistan. And being infected with hepatitis, I fully knew well and share the pain and suffering of these disadvantaged children. And in 2008, I left again for a volunteer work in Mongolia. I served as volunteer social work adviser of Save the Children- UK Mongolia Program. I was assigned in Dornod Province, a more or less 20-hour drive by land from Ulaanbaatar. I encountered Asad again with those Mongolian street children I have encountered in the "holes" nestled up to hot water pipes which they consider a home during the long winter season. Those Mongolian children from very poor families I came to visit in a temporary shelter they called Anna Home, and the children I came to live with, with their families in the ger. They were happy in spite of their condition. They were even happier than the most of the children in well off families. Having everything does not guarantee happiness. Having less in life makes them free. Indeed it was an irony. Free to live with less dependence on money. Free to live life without obsession for fashion, without gadgets and advance technology and without luxury. – All these are true taste of water, inspiration for life and life full of inspirations. Joltz B. Meneses 6 Knowing the True Taste of Water Part One The Will to Volunteer By etymology voluntary or volunteerism means in Latin as voluntarius from voluntas which refers to as “will”.

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