My New Reality

2/13/09
The agenda for today is a tour of Ormoc. I am beyond excited to learn more about the city I’ll be living in for the next five weeks (or more accurately an hour away from with a good walk and jeepney ride). Where will I eat? Where will I exchange money? What interesting adventures might I find? Is there really a golf course like Wikipedia says? Not that I plan on golfing, but I am fascinated by the concept of a golf course in such a poor area.

Prior to beginning the tour we have one stop, the mayor’s office. Maybe I need to register for something? Nope, it is to meet the mayor, Mr. Codillo himself. Being the only non-Filipino other than Meredith, another volunteer who is leaving in a couple days, I have felt like a celebrity since I got to Ormoc. But this, this was definitely one step further. There were paparazzi, poses, and interviews. Really? I am just a volunteer, but a much appreciated volunteer.
Now for the tour! We leave the mayor’s office and directly in front of us is Centrum, the shopping “mall” that has an internet café and coffee shop where Eugene tells me past volunteers liked to hang out. Good to know. Next stop, a couple blocks away, is Gaisano’s. As we stand on the corner looking at this massive building with no windows Eugene tells me this is the “good” shopping. I am already intrigued. Then he points to the ATMs kitty corner of where we are standing and another internet café. Perfect. I should have no problem finding an internet café. But I am still curious about where I will eat, explore, etc. so I ask Eugene where we’ll be going next. Perplexed he looks at me and says that’s it. This is Ormoc!

This was the first time I realized where I truly was. Ormoc is not a tourist city. There is no McDonald’s. There are no maps to help me get around (although with everything I need within a couple blocks I think I’ll be okay). There are no postcards to send to family or friends (sorry). There are no Italian, American, or even Malaysian restaurants to choose from. Thank goodness the children love to play internet games otherwise there would probably be no internet cafes either. Ormoc is like nothing I have ever seen. When was the last time you have been somewhere that wasn’t infiltrated with American culture? Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE America (and will probably love it even more when I get back), but this is pretty amazing to see and be a part of (for a few weeks).

The other reality I experienced is the Holding Boys Center (HBC), which was a harsh reality. There are 25 plus boys and two girls ranging from 5 to 18 that are living at the center either because they were abandoned, do not have family at all, their parents cannot afford to take care of them for the time being, or their awaiting trial for a crime they committed. You walk in the gate and there is a basketball court and small room off to the right (where I’ll be doing non-formal education). Then there are two offices, one for Mama Gloria (the founder) and the other for about four of us to share. All of which seems fine until you walk past the offices. To the left is a room, just a tad bigger than the office four of us share where 20 of the kids sleep, keep what few possessions they might have, and share a single bathroom (which I won’t even begin to describe). The size of the room is bothersome, but it is the fact that only a few children actually have foam mattresses on the wire framed bunk beds they sleep on that are heartbreaking. My behind got sore on the two plus hour ride from Tacloban because of no cushioning, but to sleep on wire frames?

Then there are the juvenile delinquents. I was warned by Ate Agnes that they were “locked up”, but in cages that are about 3 feet by 3 feet is not what I was expecting. Some were in the cages and some were allowed to be “free” in the padlocked room. The “free” children were literally sitting on the windowsill with their arms reaching out of the bars trying to grab for me. My heart had moved from my stomach to my feet.

Just when I thought I saw the entire center Ate Agnes told me I could do down the other hall to see the kitchen. I walk to the kitchen and look around and think what a great space. It actually is a decent size and seems like a good area for the children to gather. As I turned around to go back to the office I saw James. James looks like he is about three, but I am guessing he could be as old as ten and just small from malnutrition. James was lying in a fetal position by himself in a wooden crib with an oversized shirt and no pants, diaper, or anything. This is where I almost died. Does anyone ever take care of James? How could they just neglect him like this? I am sure I’ll learn the answers over time, but I am not so sure I want to.

The kids, however, are a bright light in such a gloomy place. I fell in love instantly with little Jay who has one big tooth that dominates his smile and Joseph who is one of the studs of the HBC. I am excited to get to know all the others and think they are just as excited to get to know me by the way they dropped what they were doing and ran up to me only the second day I arrived.
As sad as I was to leave the comfort of Barangay 64 with the great community center and wonderful children I am somewhere that needs a lot more love and support which is exactly what I wanted. Now how much of a difference I can make in five plus weeks, probably not much, but if I can brighten their days and give them something to look forward to I will consider my trip a success.

Pictures to come...