By Hanna Flores
In the past weeks, the Kapatiran-Kaunlaran Foundation Inc. (KKFI) held outreach programs that I was lucky enough to be a part of – the “Project Slippers” in Barangay Pamarawan in Malolos, Bulacan and the “Wow Christmas” in the Manila North Cemetery. In these two activities, about 250 people were given new pairs of slippers, free haircut, free massage and early Christmas presents.
It was really great to see how we made people happy. You could see it in the spark of their eyes and their big bright smiles. The volunteers were also inspiring because despite the heat and long travel, they remained approachable and accommodating. You could sense the enjoyment radiating from them all throughout the program.
It reminded me of the reason why I chose this career path in the first place – to touch lives and make a difference. However, the journey is no rainbows and butterflies.
The life of a humanitarian aid worker is never easy. We are expected to fight the ills of society and yet we must remain hopeful, positive and patient at the same time. What most people fail to realize is that we are no superheroes; that just like them, we are also humans with emotions. We get tired, we get frustrated, and, sometimes, we feel helpless.
What we do can be overwhelming. There are times when we question the impact of it or whether our efforts really matter. Nonetheless, despite our inner turmoil, we still want to be able to give our best. Regardless of our current state, we want to be able to make people see that there is still goodness in this world; that there are still people who are willing to go through lengths just to put a smile on their faces – the kind of smile that will also put a smile on our faces.
And we do this because they are worth it.
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