REPORT AND REFLECTION
On Smokey Mountain II visit
Smokey Mountain dumpsite is located in Tondo,
Manila nead the north harbor. It was the poorest area in urban Manila. Before
Smokey Mountain II there was Smokey Mountain I which was a place for 30.000
dwellers lived. On 1995 the Philippine government became concerned about the
bad international image because of Smokey Mountain I and closed it. Once, the
slum dwellers were relocated in temporary shelters. But on 1998, Smokey Mountain II was opened as
a dumpsite for metropolitan Manila.
Population in Smokey Mountain II estimated
about 1.700 families and each one has
average four children. They are informal settlers from the provinces with
little or no education at all. They came from many other places in Philippine,
traveled to Manila by boat and landed at the North Harbor. They came without
any money. They live in small shanties, too small for core and extended
families staying together under one roof.
Their livelihood is scavenging or collecting
junk items such as glass and plastic, bottles, scrap metal, wood, plastic bags,
rubber items, tires, computer parts, iron, and also making charcoal. They can earn money about 100-300 PHP / day
(or about 2-7 USD). It was reported that not only adult people who working as a
scavenger, but also many children from 5 years old doing the same things. There
are no public schools and hospitals nearby the dumpsite. They live with limited
supply of electricity and clean water. Environment is hot, humid and dusty
during dry session, but cold and muddy when it rains. Shanties are easily
damaged by tyhoons. Crime rate is high.
UCCP Tondo Evangelical Church Community
Ministry reported that in the dumpsites there was methane gas from decomposing
garbage and is inhaled by the residents. If we see that area, there were many
flies swarm the garbage heaps and also we can smell smoke from burning wood
from charcoal making activities. Many people suffer
from respiratory and skin diseases and also malnutrition. It happened because
many people eat from recycled food, called bangbang.
So they have these foods from restaurants and hotels, and they warm it again in
deep fried in cooking oil. They know that kind of food is
not good for their health, but it is cheap.
The UCCP Tondo is recognized in the Smokey
Mountain II Community as the pioneer in putting up a day care center for
children. Through this ministry, UCCP Tondo puts into practice the UCCP’s
vision, mission and goals.
UCCP Tondo Evangelical Church adopted Smokey
Mountain II community in 2007 with the goal to serve the poorest of the poor children
by giving them free education. The church believes that education while still
young would someday empower an individual to free him/herself from the bondage
of poverty.
We met Bess
Cruz as a program coordinator who explains about UCPP Tondo Evangelical
Church Smokey Mountain II Day Care ministry. She explained what UCCP Tondo Evangelical
Church doing in Smokey Mountain II.[1]
There is one-classroom school, stands on
compressed garbage made by plywood, and concrete floor. There are toilets and
playground equipment on compound. There are 50 pupils study in this school
every year.
They learn to read, write, count, and these
knowledges are integrated in other subject such as science, music, arts and
social studies. Two session are held from Monday to Friday, from 8 to 10 o’clock
and 10.30 to 12.30 pm. Each class has 25 pupils. The school provides free
education which includes tuition, school supplies and textbooks, 2 sets of
uniform, rubber boots, sandals or slippers, and daily food.
The school has a teacher who grew up in the
community Mrs. Roxanne, supervised
by a head teacher from UCCP Tondo church, and assisted by volunteer. The church
opens an opportunity to volunteer from abroad.
Pupils are integrated in church activities and
worship to introduce the Gospel to them. The church takes them to the Park and
the Zoo, hosts Christmas parties provides relief packs in time of natural
calamity and medical mission with a partner hospital. The school also helps the
children to continue their study in public school for elementary level. But not
all children continue their study in public elementary school because their
parents do not have enough money to pay the cost. Instead of continuing their
study, many children have to help their parent collecting garbage. Even, after
school all of them help their parents collecting garbage. They have to help
their parents earning some money for daily meal. But when they are in school, we
saw that all of them were very enthusiastic and eager to learn and knowing new
knowledges.
Reflection
For there will
never cease to be poor in the land.
Therefore I
command you, ‘You shall open
wide your hand to
your brother,
to the needy and
to the poor, in your land.’
(Deu 15:11)
When I heard about Smokey Mountain for the
first time in first field education preparation meeting on January 30th,
suddenly I felt that I have to be there. I did searching about Smokey Mountain
in internet. I only got plenty information about Smokey Mountain 1 that was
closed in 1995. I found a lot of pictures of Smokey Mountain Children. All of
this put me into big concern and interest to visit Smokey Mountain by myself.
One of my reasons was because I did children ministry in Gereja Kristen
Pasundan. So children and their welfare are my concern.
I felt really sad seeing the condition of
Smokey Mountain people. They live in slum area without healthy
neighborhood. It can be understood
because literary they live upon garbage, and they have their meal from the
garbage. But it seems that they were able to overcome all difficulties and may
be, still have a dream to have better life. That’s why in my mind, what the
people of Smokey Mountain need is not a pity, but sympathy. And to have sympathy
to them is to be with them, being with the people to encourage and empower
them. I believe that similar situations like in Smokey Mountain also took place
in many places, including in my place Indonesia. Just like Jesus said, “For you always have the poor with you…”(Matthew
26:11), we cannot close our eyes from such reality. We have to open wide our
hand to our brothers (and sisters), to the needy and to the poor (see Deu
15:11).
The smiling children in school and around that
area while my visit there, was a great help to me to understand that there is
hope even in the middle suffering situation. They just ran around joyfully with
dirty faces cover with dust or mud bringing small light of hope everywhere. I
felt that their happiness and dynamism come from themselves. As a result, no
matter how difficult their situation may be, they find joy and happiness. But in the same time, I realized that smiles
can or will be diminished as a consequence of anxiety concerning their future.
That beautiful and innocent smiles can or will be changed become scarce as they
lament their life and past.
Then I realized that what UCCP Tondo do among
Smokey Mountain 2 is correct and in the right path. What they do in Smokey
Mountain 2 community, especially with the children is empowered them and
encouraged them to have dream about better future through education. I believe
many programs can be planned and designed for Smokey Mountain people. But I
think that what UCCP Tondo do with their community ministry at Smokey Mountain
2 is right. May be we face difficulty to change Smokey Mountain 2 situations
and also the people. Because may be most of them (adult people) already get
used to live in Smokey Mountain, or some of them already gibing up and losing
their hope. But with education for the children, we can plan a better future
for the children. So they can help themselves to overcome their struggles and
suffers. They can help themselves liberate from poverty and hopeless
situations. It means that there are still more things we can do for the
children for their future.
I also found that those children were very
friendly. Their friendliness was amazed me. They just warmly hold my hand and
walked with me without suspicions, without any negative thoughts and without
any prejudices. They can laugh and walked happily just like an ordinary child,
typical children. But they are not ordinary children. They are special. Their smiles
and happiness was there even they live in such poor situation. They can teach
us a lot.
Same smiles of children from Smokey Mountain 2
was shaking my heart and mind questioning myself about the basic of life, of
happiness and the meaning of life. Questions that bring me to one important
thing that should be done by all of us. We have to thankful enough to God
because God already gives us life and change to live in our life meaningful. We
are often complaining about many things to God. We feel that we are the most unlucky
people in the word. But actually we have everything in our live. Try to learn
from, at least the children of Smokey Mountain 2. Their happiness come from
inside, come from themselves and not because something that belong to them in
their life. That is the reason for keeping such ministry among children of
Smokey Mountain. A prove of love, not only with words or tongue but with
actions and in truth (1 John 3:18). So bless the teachers who dedicated their
life teaching those children to have dreams and hope for better future.
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees
his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love
abide in him?
1 John 3:17
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