New Found Friend

Just this day, I never felt so blessed in my entire life.

Our company decided to finally push through with an outreach activity and upon discussion of the employee engagement committee, they have decided that we will be going to the Chosen Children Village Foundation located along Silang, Cavite. 

Chosen Children Village Foundation, Inc. aspires to provide a permanent home for abandoned, neglected and surrendered children who are mentally and physically challenged. It also aims to provide a training ground for the growing children under its care to maximize their potentials and help them become productive and self-reliant members of the society despite their disabilities and limitations.

Even though the call time was obnoxious and the 3 hour ride was bumpy, I guess everyone was just looking forward in lending a helping hand to our community.

I like to introduce someone to everyone. If you can see the photo below, that’s my new found friend, Paul. He’s currently 12 years old and is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy with occasional seizures. 

His favorite color is green, loves Christmas lights, indulges in a lot of Spaghetti, watched all the High School Musical movies, can sing Tik Tok perfectly, and his most admired superhero is Spiderman. He is my new found friend.

It all started with the program director giving us a tour along the village showing different cottages for different disabilities and limitations. Then suddenly, this kid just managed to approach me, mumbling words that I can’t understand. I leaned forward to hear him better then he told me, “My name is Paul”. 

Then it all started.

I started introducing myself and then asked him a series of questions for interaction. Though he can comprehend and respond in the English language, there are times where it’s really difficult to understand him due to the disabilities in speech patterns — caused by the effects of Cerebral Palsy. 

From the morning onwards, he went along with me and I bonded along with him. I actually admire him for his strength since he always asks me to not push the swing as he can do it by himself. He even climbed the monkey bar on his own.  Such a strong kid for someone with Cerebral Palsy.

But the best part that really made my day was the time he looked at my colleagues — who was teasing me at that moment — then said, “Don’t mock him. He’s my friend”. My emotions started to get all mushy, and I was all smiles when I heard those sweet and heartfelt words. From then on, I never left his side throughout the day. 

My colleagues were even giving hints of jokes as they have told me that his papers are already being accomplished for me, whilst others were more serious as they were informing me that he found a brother in me. I guess I always wanted to know what it feels like to have a younger sibling to take care off which is why it never become a difficulty for me to be attached to him regardless of his limitations. 

I never got the chance to properly say goodbye to Paul when we left, but now that I have thought of it, not saying goodbye may actually the right choice. Not because I don’t want him to be more attached to me but because I know in my heart that I’ll be back for sure. 

Thank you, Chosen Children Village Foundation for giving me this opportunity to appreciate my life further. Thank you, Paul, for teaching me to respect myself more often and to be strong despite the hindrances in life.

Thank you.