As part of our activity for Values Education, we grouped ourselves into three and went out to seek beggars that we can feed and interview. Our goal is to reflect on the love of God, which is linked to the passage 34 “I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. (John 13:34 (Amplified Bible).” While doing our round-up, we saw this child, at the staircase of our local wet market. His name is Alfredo.

We approached the boy, and asked him if he would like to have a meal at Jollibee, he agreed and went with us. We ordered him Chicken Joy, and let him eat first. After he’s almost done eating, we carried on to interview him. Alfredo is one among four siblings, and he’s only 7 years old. His parents are Lando and Anna, his father is a pedicab driver and the mother stays at home, while he and his other siblings go out to beg for money. Alfredo needs to acquire PHP40.00 before going home, this way they can buy rice to eat, when he accumulates his quota and comes home early, he will still be told to go back to the wet market –which is two rides away from their home, but he does this by walking, to beg for more money. His eldest brother, which is only 10 years old, need to come up PHP100 for his contribution to the family. Alfredo was supposed to be in first grade, but his father decided to pull them out of school so they can continue begging instead. Their father’s wage from being a pedicab driver goes to his drinking habits. His mother drinks too. This is how our conversation/interview went:

Interviewer: Madami ka bang kapatid? (Do you have other siblings?)
Alfredo: Opo. (Yes.)
Interviewer: May nag-aampon bas a inyo? (Are there anyone who wants to adopt you?)
Alfredo: Opo, pero ayaw ko. (Yes, but I don’t want to.)
Interviewer: Palagi ka bang pinapalo? (Are you often spanked?)
Alfredo: ng walis tambo (of reed broom)
Interviewer: Dahil? (Because?)
Alfredo: Hindi kami naghuhugas ng pinggan. (We don’t wash the dishes.)
Interviewer: Anong trabaho ng tatay mo? (What does your father do?)
Alfredo: sidecar
Interviewer: Bakit ka nanghihingi? (Why do you beg?)
Alfredo: dinadala ko sa bahay. (I bring it home.)
Interviewer: Magkano inuuwi mo? (How much are you bringing home?)
Alfredo: PHP40.00 (Fourty pesos).
Interviewer: Anong ginagawa nyo sap era? (What do you do with the money?)
Alfredo: Binibili ng bigas. (We buy rice.)
Interviewer: Lahat kayo namamalimos? (Does all of your siblings beg?)
Alfredo: Opo.
Interviewer: Anong trabaho ng nanay mo? (What does your mother do?)
Alfredo: Wala. (None).
Interviewer: Umiinom ba papa mo? (Does your father drinks alcohol?)
Alfredo: Opo.
Interviewer: Mama mo? (Your mom?)
Alfredo: Walang trabaho. (No work.)
Interviewer: Anong oras ka na umuuwi? (What time do you get home?)
Alfredo: Gabi na. (When it’s dark.)
Interviewer: Anong oras kayo umaalis ng bahay? (What time do you go begging?)
Alfredo: Tanghali. (Lunch time)
Interviewer: Pano kung kaunti lang ang nalimos mo? (What if you only have few?)
Alfredo: Pinapalo ako, kaylangan PHP40.00. (I get a spanking, it needs to be PHP40.00)
Interviewer: Ilan kayong magkakapatid? (How many siblings are you?)
Alfredo: Apat. (Four.)
Interviewer: May kapatid ka bang babae? (Do you have a sister?)
Alfredo: Opo
Interviewer: Pati sya namamalimos? (And she also begs for money?)
Alfredo: Opo.

My group consists of three; two mothers and a mother-to-be. Half of us wanted to cry at the state of this child; he was filthy and hungry. He longed for school, but this too was taken away from him by his own parents. Since we only have four hours of class, two which we spend for discussion and two more to look for this child to interview, we we’re sad that we had to cut our time short with Alfredo, we all had to go home.

Back in school, we talked about his situation and we’re amazed at how these parents are able to put up with something like that, when it’s getting dark and not knowing where your child is. Nowadays, you will find a lot of dangers out in the streets, if adults can get victimized, how much more an innocent child. And there’s also the concern of the child learning other vices, or becoming a rugby boy (children sniffing solvent).

21  Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.] – Colossians 3:21 (Amplified Bible)