Our Hopes

Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal said; “Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.” (the youth is the hope of our contry)

I am thinking, is this statement still applicable on our youth today? and on the youth of the next generation?

Poverty, Drugs, Sex, Pornography, Violence, Exploitation

These are the factors that affecting the mind and behaviour of our youth.

I am riding a bus this morning, when a child, about 10-11 yrs old, distribute an envelope asking for “barya” (coins) to buy food. Poor child. If you are going to ask me if I give her a money, my answer is no. why? It’s because I’m not sure if she is just a victim of poverty or exploitation. Even though she’s a victim of poverty, it is better to give her food than money. Nowadays, there are lot of people/organization that are exploiting children, they are using them to ask money for themselves. On the other hand, some street children asked for money to buy on Drugs.

Nowadays, sex is also an ordinary topic for the youth, that is why lots of them bear children before they reach their twenty’s. Violence during childhood, specially if this is inflicted by their parents or relatives, mark on their minds that creates an untrustful youth.

If this will be the scenario for our youth, will they still be OUR HOPES?

Behind their Smile!

I saw these photos taken by a friend. It’s really nice..

They are streetchildren and behind their smiles is a reality of life that they endure… poverty!

Playing in the dangerous street, asking for food or money to buy food, swimming in a flooded street…

and still, they can SMILE!

How about you? do you have lots of problems? are you always pressured in your jobs? and because of these things, you CAN’T SMILE!

Pity.. look again on the above photos and remember, they are street children and at the young age, they encounter a very serious “cancer” of our society and STILL THEY ARE SMILING!