Soulprints - Amyline Quien Ching

The miracle of will

There is nothing that a person cannot do if he so wills it.
Such is the gift that God has given us— the power to take the helm and to challenge any storm, to recreate a map that has long been drawn, the power to become even better than the best that we could be.

It was but an ordinary day.
Smiles of triumph and screams of victory rang across the field of De La Salle University- Manila where hundreds of kids milled around to compete in the “For the Kids (FTK) Mini-Olympics.” Some were by the soccer net, perhaps dreaming of becoming the next Pele. A couple chose to rule the basketball court, lugging the ball in their hands with a look of pure determination that it was surprising that the metal ring did not move on command. Others elected to turn their dreams of stardom into reality as they rendered their own version of the Otso-Otso onstage.
They danced with such pure unadulterated joy that no amount of swallowing could not dislodge this huge lump that suddenly formed in one’s throat. For once the lens come into focus and reality sinks in, the hands that clutched the ball so tightly would become misshapen and the voice that so vibrantly sang the lines “Tayo’y magotso-otso…” would stutter. One would then realize that the head that furrowed in concentration belongs not to an ordinary kid but to a child with disabilities.

A time to see

Blind is not the man who cannot see but the man who could see but refuses to.

It is easier by far to live in the shadows of ignorance, to pretend that everything is a wonderland. But reality bites and it bites hard. And at eight in the morning, that day, Reality glowered its staggering head for the hundreds of La Sallian students, who volunteered to be their ates and kuyas. For though it is an issue that has occupied the pages of one’s psychology books, it is not something that would normally crop up over a cup of brewing coffee.
“Unlike in some countries where people with disabilities are given special privileges like discounts in transportation fares, here in the Philippines, people could not careless,” says Cristy Cañizares-Gacuma, director of Teacher Mom, a special school in Makati.
Cognizant of the need to raise the veil of ignorance and unravel these social truths, the Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA) has continued to organize the mini-olympics. First organized in 1984, FTK has since grown from 30 hearing-impaired children into 453 participants from 29 special schools and centers. Physically and mentally challenged children competed in a host of sporting events that include Standing Long Jump, Basketball Shoot-out, Walkathon and Softball Throwing. The participants also showed their running prowess during the relay games. And just like in the Olympics, top performers were awarded medals and certificate.
“We are really grateful to COSCA. Through this, younger children are given the chance to compete and enjoy the company of other children,” mentions Cañizares-Gacuma. Sports, according to her, is an avenue where they could find their niche. A lot of her students have developed a love for different sports. One of them, Roxanne Salve Ng has actually won gold medals in bowling at the World Special Olympics, which was held in Ireland.
“Playing motivates them because they feel that they somehow belong,” she continues.
In fact, the students themselves are the ones who would remind her of practice sessions and scheduled games. Roxanne, for one, hefts the pin three to four times a week and notches in a 130 to 180 points.
“Masaya… Gusto ko magtuloy,” exclaims Roxanne in halting Filipino, jumping up and down, over and over as she was reminded of her first love— bowling.
Impossibilities have no place in a heart who wants to believe in the impossible. Development may take time but through hard work and patience, they can make a difference in their chosen field.
“These kids have so much potential. They could even surpass the achievements of people with no disabilities. They just need someone who believes in them,” Cañizares-Gacuma maintains.

A time to share

Oftentimes, we become so caught up by what was’ and what will be’s that we forget to look at the what is.

But more than friendly competition, FTK opens the eyes of the students to the social truths around them, letting them examine their lives in the context of these issues. Selfish as it might sound, sometimes people need to confront reality in the face before they could make sense of their own lives. Spending a whole day in the company of these precocious little kids has a way of changing one’s perspectives— making one appreciate what God has chosen to give.
“Some of us are really fortunate, with good jobs, good families but our good fortune should let us forget that there are people who need our love. These kids remind us of the need to stop for a while and think of ways to be of help to others.” says COSCA formation coordinator Gaily Villanueva
Perhaps worth more than a couple of hundred pesos in donation is the time that the 600 or so student volunteers have given despite their already bursting schedule books.
“It is an opportunity to touch hearts, to teach much and transform lives, to share the gift of love and bring to life the spirit of volunteerism and community work,” mentions Monina Banaynal, Dean of Student Affairs of DLSU-Manila.
And despite having to chase their wards across the De La Salle grounds and act the personal slave for the whole day, each drop of perspiration is well worth it.
“Yes. It can be tiring but the moment you see how happy the kid is, it all seems to go away,” reveals Sandra Yuson, a 2nd year Medical Student.
And what is a couple of hours spent under the raging rays of the sun compared to a heart that is ready to serve?
“Far more than expertise, these kids need your commitment, your willingness to go the extra mile. Education, experience, these are important but useless without the heart,” shares Cañizares-Gacuma.

A time to believe

The soul knows no disabilities, no defects except those wreaked by men themselves.

We are not born equal.
In the face of the realities of physical and mental disabilities, it would be the height of hypocrisy to say otherwise. And yet at the heels of the extraordinary achievements of individuals with disabilities such as Roxanne as well as Manny Bagsit and Dennis Balan, who have recently won medals in the flower arrangement and photography competitions in India, one realizes that we are indeed equal, maybe not in body nor in mind nor in status, but where it truly matters— in the soul.

posted by Amyline Quien Ching @ 11:14 PM