CHAPTER 38
Election time again, people are just too busy to support their respective candidates. Some are already fighting against each other just to show loyalty to their supported candidates. Obviously, supporters do this because of the desired power they could use over the other. Some also would support a politician in exchange of money. Most of the times they solicit from the politicians repeatedly. Hope and pray, election this time will be blessed by God and the people would no longer be divided and this country become a better place to live. As the song goes, “what a beautiful country which we are living in, if we only have care and share enough, no one’s gonna be sad.”
Adna just remembered when she was young. There were lots of people in the house to serve in the election. Papa Mar was a leader of his politician friend. Adna just enjoyed watching them who were too busy and foods were provided to them. Adna also met the politicians because they came to Papa Mar’s house during campaign period. Papa Mar’s support was because of friendship and not because of money. He was a doctor for the whole family of Papa Mar. When Adna went to the sick candle vendor, he was brought by Adna to the house of the candle vendor where he saw the situation, when they look up they could see the sky and when they look down, they could see the uncemented floor. The doctor turned politician told Adna, “what a big
heart you have.”
There are good politicians who has the calling of serving the people with fairness and not because of political color. Their intention is merely loving God by helping their fellow constituents. They belong to a family with dignity and of good moral values. They know their real purpose God has given them to uplift the human dignity of every individual without much gain for themselves. Just like the doctor who became head of the city, he could have declined helping Adna in treating a poor patient;, he had no personal gain for what he did because he did not charge money for that and no fame because there was no media covering the help he extended. It was solely a silent act of mercy that other politicians would not do. The doctor who is a good politician is not alone, there are also other persons holding high positions in the government who have the heart to help others
without any gain for themselves and it is merely because God is with them. They were those who helped Adna in her last work as missionary, the legal clinic.
The biggest hope of Adna is that these politicians can make the prices of foods and other basic commodities become very affordable to every ordinary citizen of the country. God has destined everyone to die but at most those who are poor would not die being poor and not even tasted the delicious foods because of its unaffordable prices.
Adna went out of their house to buy something at the small store nearby. She was holding a small pack of biscuit and along the way Adna met a friend and they talk for a while. Adna turned around because the biscuit she was holding was snatched by a small boy who immediately ran away. When Adna reached home, she told Lex, Azia, Al the second and Al about what happened. They could not believe a small boy would do that. Adna told them, “ the small boy could be very hungry that is why he snatched the biscuits in my hand. The parents no longer provide him with food or money to pay in anything he needs.” The reason to steal is definitely hunger, Adna said.” Adna continued, “ let’s do something about it.” Al the second suggested to his mom, “ why not give them biscuits, chocolates, candies and toys during Christmas?” Azia also suggested that before Christmas Eve, the children in their place must eat rice and hot dogs so that they would not be hungry on that very special day. Lex offered money to buy the gifts for the children. Adna would spend for their packed foods too. The toys and chocolates be distributed days before Christmas and foods be distributed on the 24th of December. Adna asked Al the second,”we will prepare for fifty children, would that be enough?” Al the second answered, “ i think so, mom.” It started with fifty children, then seventy, then one hundred. Last Christmas, the number of children had reached two hundred fifty. One child would not just ask for one gift as he/she still has younger brother or sister at home. When Al the second who do the distribution of gifts would ask them to bring their younger brother or sister, they left and then return carrying their younger siblings. Adna would ask Al to go with her to the mall to buy additional gifts as many are still waiting at the gate of Adna. They would not go home empty handed. It is now two hundred fifty children not only in Adna’s place but children from distant neighborhood. Since Al the second had this charity work, the children in Adna’s place no longer steal. One time, Adna saw a young girl playing dirty soil on the ground. Adna told her, “wash your hands, you will get worms from the dirty soil.” The young girl did not listen to Adna, she continued playing the dirty soil with her bare hands. Adna said to her, “if you won’t stop playing the dirty soil, then you will not be given gift on Christmas.” She stood up right away and told Adna, “am i going to use soap when i wash my hand?” Adna answered, “yes, that is good.” She ran towards her house to wash her hands. Adna told Al, “the young girl is not afraid of the worms, she is afraid of having no gift on Christmas.”
Most of the parents with vices no longer give importance of the special and joyous celebrations like the feeling of a child to open her gift on Christmas Eve. Being a child is just a one time part of life and if a child miss the good experiences of being a child, the parents could no longer bring back the time. What had been missed could no longer be filled in. The so called moments in life. Some would say the MOMENTUM.
Politicians have all the resources and connections to feed the less fortunate to have food in every meal. If Adna who is just an ordinary mother and wife had eyes in her heart to see and act on the very need of every person young and old, the need of good food, the need of every child, new toys in every Christmas, cakes with candle to blow on their birthdays, what a beautiful life it would be.
Adna is grateful to politicians whose heart have eyes to see the needs of their least constituents, they who do not just cross their arms and do nothing. Jesus clearly said, “WHAT YOU DO TO THE LEAST OF YOUR BROTHERS YOU DO IT UNTO ME.”
