Matthew 18:4
"Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven"
Last Sunday we had a photoshoot at Bulungan, Coastal Road, Paranaque City. We all met at SM Mall of Asia around 2pm and then convoyed our cars on our way to this wet market along coastal road. As soon as we parked our vehicles, a lot of children ran toward us and eagerly volunteered to guard the vehicles.
We spotted more of these friendly youngsters at the dock of the market, just a few steps away from the parking area. And as what adults expect from kids during free time, we found them playing and having fun. So without wasting a moment, we started taking pictures of these children, who unsurprisingly were very fond of being in front of the cam. They were playing non-stop, doing impressive stunts and unusual poses.
As we explored the marketplace, we discovered some kids who were hammering concretes, chopping woods and gathering scraps from a recently demolished squatters’ area. These kids were diligently helping their parents build a new place for shelter. Then as we went further inside, we saw a number of fishing boats docked nearby and fishermen carrying sacks of mussels. These mussels were eventually brought to laborers for cleaning. Small heaps of mussels filled a portion of the market and the cleaners sat beside their share. We learned that cleaning mussels is one way for these people to earn money, and to earn more, children at very young age were encouraged to help. We have noticed that these children have become experts of this craft – cleaning mussels with sharp scissors, that is – judging by their speed and manner of cleaning.
For merely half of a day, we saw the risks and the hardships these children face. We have realized that despite these, they can be genuinely happy and content.
And once again, we were reminded of how blessed we are…
