In-loved with my Profession (Part-2:The Turning Point)

An old man was sneaking outside the bulb wire perimeter fence of the school,calling the attention of one of my students who is religiously listening to our discussion.During that period, I was conducting a class to a section who occupied the community stage as their classroom,reason why we can easily see who is passing by down the road.The man who was looking famished and drained was carrying an untidy looking lunchbox on his right hand,and an old dirty sack emptied with vegetable on his left.

One student excused himself from me and ran towards the old man and got the lunchbox.I've known from his classmates that Eusebio hasn't eaten any breakfast yet.He was waiting for his father to give him money at recess time,so he can buy something to fill in his empty stomach.His father has to sell vegetables in the "Tabo"(a vernacular term for the traditional meeting where farmers,middle men and sellers market their products)at the upper Sitio to earn money so he could buy rice to cook for his family.But his father did not come for recess,probably Eusebio was already very hungry now.It's 10 minutes to 12:00 noon.Suddenly I felt something inside my heart melting.

Another father arrived.With the kind of motorcycle he is using,I'm sure he is a "Habal-habal" driver.He also stopped near the side of the fence,calling another student from other section.He is the student,who according to their MAPEH teacher,has the remarks as "Severely Wasted"in his Body Mass Index (BMI).Now I know why many of our learners are malnourished.My mind reached my own lunchbox.I have plenty of foods there.I brought them even I know I can't eat all of them.I still full with my snacks eaten last recess time and my stomach is not yet ready to eat lunch.

The strange emotion I felt deep inside me grows even wider.It made my face hot that I needed to go to the toilet to comfort myself.There are tears in my eyes.I wiped them quickly so I can go back to my class instantly.

I SAW ANOTHER PARENTS...ANOTHER STUDENTS...THEY ARE ALL PAIL,THEIR BONY FACES AND EYES ARE LONELY,THEIR ARMS ARE WEAK AND DARK,THEIR CLOTHES ARE OLD AND UNTIDY,THEY ARE HUNGRY...BUT THEIR ACTIONS ARE FULL OF DETERMINATION.THEY ARE STRONGLY DRIVEN BY THEIR AIMS AND ASPIRATIONS AND MOST OF ALL,THEY ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT AFTER ALL THESE TUMULTS AND CRISES,THERE IS A BETTER LIFE AT THE END.

They feeling of pity I had a while ago was changed to embarrassment.I realized they are better persons than me.I easily loose hope;they are strong.I believed it's impossible to change the system;they are constant for their goals of savoring change for the better.I took the routine as compliance;they sent their children to school to the best of their financial capabilities.Because of them,I got the stronghold on the principle:TEACHING IS NOT JUST A PROFESSION BUT A VOCATION.

Being a teacher assigned in a remote critical place is a special pastoral duty to perform.If I cannot change the system,I will start changing the mind of the people who in the future will get into the system.It is the same point telling, "Think globally but act locally."

Now I'm happily teaching in a public school where all students are like my own children,my co-workers as my siblings and my administrators as my parents.