A forlorn silhouette of a child was seen from afar as we slowly, yet excitedly, strolled towards that edifice that embodies the hopes and dreams of 11 disadvantaged children. As we get nearer, the silhouette takes the form of a little boy who now bears a broad smile on his face. He stood up, waving his hands in the air, eyes filled with joy, and shouted, “Ate! Kuya!”
First Episode of the EduCar
We smiled back, swallowing a lump of pain, knowing how difficult their condition is. But we masquerade that with loving smiles as we grasp the surprises, we prepared for them that day. We may not be there daily, but we know our presence gives them a glimmer of hope. Being present makes them feel that someone cares for them and that they’re not alone. This gives them a trail of rainbows despite their clouded state.
Second Episode of the EduCar
Our third EduCar episode emphasized the importance of studying well to reach their dreams. The club conducted an activity wherein the children drew an image of who they wanted to be when they grew up. To our surprise, almost half of the children dreamed of becoming soldiers.
Visualizing their Dreams through Arts
Surprising as it may seem, we also understood that they see soldiers as heroes, especially since some troops from the 546th Engineer Construction would join us to empower these young men. You can’t imagine their joy as they listened to the heart-moving story of Sgt Gilbert on how he became part of the Philippine Army. Like the soldiers, for sure, they also want to extend help to other people — the same way they are being assisted now. It could be a way for them to pay back when it’s their turn to lift others from mudded grounds. Since it is still not yet a reality, it now sits as their ultimate dream.
Children with a dream of becoming a soldiers had the chance to meet the Philippine Army
The children’s dreams keep them going. To dream is to fill themselves with a burning flair to take every small step they can, no matter how dwindling the path will be. And it is our mission to support them and be with them as they slowly reach these dreams.
It may sound ambitious to sustain our assistance to these disadvantaged children. But we know that with the support we get from kind-hearted individuals and groups, we can continue building their trail of rainbows until they’re strong enough to build their own.
