Payatas is a place in Quezon City where garbage is deposited. Conservative estimates show that about 10 tones of garbage from the Metro manila are deposited there every day. Thousands of families have built make-up houses and considered Payatas their rightful place. People there collect from the garbage whatever they can recycle or re-use, sell these and make money out of garbage.
We, the participants of the program of 'Cadre Training on Leadership in 2014-2015, on 19th-22nd January 2015 held the exposure in Payatas. We departed from Vincentian Hills Seminary, where we stayed at 08.30 am and arrived at Payatas church at 10:30 am. On the way our hearts filled with questions. How is the Payatas situation? Where will we live? What jobs will we do? picking up garbage? sell in the market? or ...? Our hearts were full of questions about what will happen during our stay in Payatas.
We, the participants of the program of 'Cadre Training on Leadership in 2014-2015, on 19th-22nd January 2015 held the exposure in Payatas. We departed from Vincentian Hills Seminary, where we stayed at 08.30 am and arrived at Payatas church at 10:30 am. On the way our hearts filled with questions. How is the Payatas situation? Where will we live? What jobs will we do? picking up garbage? sell in the market? or ...? Our hearts were full of questions about what will happen during our stay in Payatas.
Personally I prepared my heart in prayer that my presence may be a blessing to my adopted family who live in the surrounding environment and I believed that God provide the best to my adopted family. I expressed that prayer every time before exposure.
Upon being in Payatas, we were welcomed by Father Emilio (CM) and several people including our adopted families. Father Emilio gave a brief information about Payatas and we were handed over to our adopted families. We stayed in those families and there were ten of them.
I lived in the area Violago in the family Leony Neneng Vallente but Usually called Mrs. Neneng. She is 56 years old. She is a widow with one son. The whole time she has is only to serve God and others. Mrs. Neneng is a simple person, faithful, prayerful, grateful, active in the environment and the church, in solidarity with the little people, and love to share with those who are poor and marginalized.
Through this exposure I learned a lot from a mother whose life just rely on God. She never complained. She spoke only of gratitude and love to God and Mother Mary. Thank God for this precious experience. Through them I can learn the real meaning of life.
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