I was in downtown this morning. The everyday lives of people on the streets, inside offices, banks, supermarkets and department stores went the usual ways. After going to my bank, I decided to go to my attended church in the city and join people in there for lunch. On my way on the streets of San Pedro and Washington I saw them. They were there last year and they're still there up to now. Sitting on the sidewalks. Others were lying still. Looking thin and hungry. With dirty clothes on. Barefooted. Holding grimed plastic cups. Begging for coins and food from passersby. At times I choose to ignore them but there'll be days I'd voluntarily search for a five-peso or ten-peso coin from my purse to drop into those empty containers they have.
Many times I'd pretend in my thoughts in which I were one of those who can live all night long on the streets, lying on tattered carton boxes and covering myself with messed-up plastic sacks. I'm just grateful to God and thankful to my parents that they had afforded to shelter me under a well-fixed roof surrounded by sturdy cemented walls, fed me well and even gave me things that weren't that necessary to live on. And as I am now on my own with a family, God is still so good blessing me with a husband who is responsible in making money to feed his wife, his daughter and to support the whole household. My praises to God.
I am not 'yet' a billionaire for me to gather all those people I just saw and give them home, work & food. They may have their own histories why they are there and why they are called beggars. As of this time, all I could offer to them are some coins, packs of biscuits and a prayer.
