by Barbara Stankowski (Manila/Switzerland)
For five years, we were part of the Servants Manila team and lived in Barangay Holy Spirit. This June, we returned to Switzerland for good because of the age of our two boys and their education. We gave a lot of our appliances, toys, and clothes to our neighbors and friends. Children of poor families barely have access to books; therefore, we gave our children’s books to our community worker Mani. Her house is a meeting point for numerous kids and teens.
Joy of books
The next day, Mani sent me a picture and wrote about it: “Look how much they enjoy your books!” What I saw moved me to tears: Four youth are sitting around “Where’s Waldo?”, a book that brought a lot of joy to our boys. Fascinated and focused, the four were looking for Waldo, the little globetrotter in his pullover with red and white stripes, amongst one thousand other small figures.
Life in Manila appeared to me like being in the mid of a “Where’s Waldo?” picture. In this mega city, you’re always surrounded by dozens of people, houses are built wall by wall, streets congested by cars and busses. Lining up is everyday business. It’s loud, noisy, and full of people. In Manila, you find the perfect scenes for a “Where’s Waldo?” book.
The boy on the left side of the picture is Benito*. We got to know him because one of his younger brothers was a student of our literacy program. When we went to a camp on the Tanay farm with kids from the literacy program, Benito accompanied his younger brother because his mother couldn’t accompany him. During the camp, Mani talked to Benito. And so, Benito started to tell his story: He is 18 years old and has eleven siblings. As he didn’t have a birth certificate and his family was moving several times, he could only finish grade 3. Neither his parents nor his teachers cared for his education. When he was asked what he was doing all day, he said he’s just gaming on the smartphone.
Being Seen
Benito also mentioned that he was sad about this situation and that he’d like to go to school again to finish first elementary and then high school. Mani listened to him attentively and showed interest for his life story. She invited him to the weekly teenager gatherings. Benito’s eyes shone, and I felt it was the first time since long ago that someone showed interest in him, saw him, and listened to him.
Shortly after the camp, Mani told me that Benito has been attending the gatherings of the teenagers. And not only this, but he has also been very engaging and has become a supporting member of the group. He regularly practices reading and writing with Mani and has started to learn to play the guitar on his own. As his parents were not supportive, Mani accompanied him to his former place to get his birth certificate. It took them one whole day. Benito needs his birth certificate to finish school.
Seeing others
Recently, the youth group started a kind of older brother/older sister project where the teens choose one child whom they want to become an older brother or sister for, a kind of alongsider. Together with a friend, he has become an older brother for twins whose father was killed two months before.
I’m touched by the positive changes in Benito’s life. All these changes started in the moment when Benito was seen by Mani. Until this point, Benito was just one of the hundreds of characters on a “Where’s Waldo?” page. One, whom you overlook in the big crowd. He didn’t feel seen by his parents nor by his teachers who may not even have realized that he didn’t go to school anymore. But Mani saw him and paid attention to him, with an open heart and a listening ear and genuine interest.
I’m thankful that I have learned through Mani that sometimes just something simple is needed to make change happen.
*name changed
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