Karinderia ni Mang-Urot (Feeding Program)

Even the richest Capital City, Manila does not escape the image of poverty, hungriness and homeless people.

Today October 30 I witness and enjoy being part of Karinderia ni Mang-Urot feed the hungry homeless people and street children.

This experience make my day so special sharing my time, appreciate life for being fortunate that I experience to eat 3 times a day, enjoy life and value education while other people live less fortunate.

In some other corner of different places like this, Quezon City Manila, even if there's a lot of great and nice looking establishment, sparkling and attractive lights from pubs, from simple to exclusive restaurant, malls and groceries store that seems like the City look rich and elite.

Probably it's so wrong, the visibility of poverty still there in every corner of every places, street children, homeless people, beggar, old man and woman who abandoned their families, ex-convict who just go around, drug addict, uneducated kids who speak vulgar and possible to do crime and expose to gambling, jobless and unfortunate people etc.

Every individual have their own stories. But still there are HUMAN and they have the right to treat well.

Tonight I met Mr. Benjie or well known Mang-Urot doing this for almost 3 years with his lovely daughter Brigette, feed the hunger people in corner of West Triangle, Quezon City. The way he help this hungry people is simple and direct.

Fill their starving and empty stomach to survive.

Now here’s my story.

It’s calm and relaxing Friday October 30th for me, my main plan is to visit the Capital City Manila to pass my Photo Entry for Volunteering Development Photo Exhibit and trying my luck to be part of the Exhibit for this coming December 2015.

After a long walk and done for my main purpose, I use my free time to enjoy and look around at the Quezon City Memorial Park and visit the Museum.

It’s started to get and dark and the evening comes. After taking my dinner near the West Triangle, I realize that I’m already near just a few blocks at the Karinderia ni Mang- Urot (Mr. Benjie). So I decided to contact Mang-Urot (Mr. Benjie) that I will visit and volunteering to join the feeding program this Friday night.

The Karinderia ni Mang Urot (KMU) is a soup kitchen put up for poor and homeless people for almost three years. And Mang Urot (Mr. Benjie) personally finances feeding the homeless people and street children three times a week every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night at 8 to 9 in the evening.

They cook the food at his home, and then he takes the food to a parking lot of Bank of Commerce on right corner at Quezon Avenue corner Examiner Street or the other side of Parking lot if it’s available.

There is no fancy decoration, tarpaulin or activity program, nothing but a simple setup of tables with a bowl of rice and soup.

 

Everyone is free to join for those who want to be a volunteer. (And I actually recommend you to experience and spend your time in this precious activity). You don’t need to pay anything or required to give money, but a labor of love and time is greatly appreciated. But of course food donations are very welcome. And for those who want to help to cook, you can also inform Mang Urot (Mr. Benjie) to drop by at Mang Urot’s house at 1 Dalisay Street, West Triangle. Quezon City. And cooking time is early before feeding time.

Before we start to do the feeding programs Mang-Urot (Mr. Benjie) share his few stories, wisdom of word and his life experiences why he is so dedicated and appreciate to offer his help to these people. So the volunteer have ideas and aware about him.  He’s not claiming his self as a Hero (while many people told him he is) but having a heart to spread love and mind to understand and help hunger people is simply enough.

To feed each and everyone who feel starving for foods.

For me he is a nice person exist for a good deeds, not everyone have the same thinking and doing this kind of actions, Mang-Urot (Mr. Benjie) for me valuing humanity and kindness. One of nice thing to know, his family supporting his passion of helping these kind of people especially his adorable daughter named Brigette.

And one of the remarkable words I heard from him is “As long as I live I will never stop helping people and feed the hunger”.

He is totally a great person that you can able to learn a lot of things and he also has strong faith in God. It’s truly my privileges meeting him, learning and adapting his compassion of fighting for the right of those less fortunate people.

And I myself witness that even those homeless people who live in this kind way of life; it’s their right to treat them well. They have heart and appreciate these small things being thankful, for them surviving the hunger this night and to the next day.

Food is a blessing and major necessity, many of the people every now and then, waste food and doesn’t have discipline to appreciate it, how important for us and to our body the nutrition we need.

Word is not enough how to describe my feelings torn apart being happy and sad.

I’m happy because my time does not waste but truly memorable (teary eyes).

Sad it’s because I seen and realize how really hard for small children at their innocent mind to live in this kind of way, surviving the hunger, surviving the cold at night, where to sleep, homeless, unable to study and build their dreams.

For those old people who just stuck in this situation and accept life that they are less fortunate and contented enough either it can able for them to eat to fill their starving stomach or no chance or choice but to sleep to forgot the hungriness.

But despite of poverty they can still smile and have the spirit of positivity.

I really wish that all human who have the heart and capable to help other who needs a helping hand even a small thing is always there and exist.

Now Mang-Urot (Mr. Benjie) is not a myth but a reality for me. He is truly a figure of a strong man with strong dedication and a big heart for homeless and poor people. He is such an inspiration and another great instrument from God to spread compassion, love and humanity.

For those who want to be part of his feeding program you are very welcome. And for those who want to share or give food donations like can goods, noodles, coffee and foods you can contact him at 09189106763.

I recommended you to experience this eye and mind opening activity. Always spread love, kindness and understand the meaning of HUMANITY. I will definitely be back again soon to be part of Mang-Urot (Mr. Benjie) feeding program.

I’m sending my gratitude and being thankful to Mang-Urot (Mr. Benjie), to her daughter Brigette and to my new fellow volunteer friends for this wonderful moment of my life. Share your stories with us once you meet Mang-Urot (Mr. Benjie) and being part as well of Karinderia ni Mang-Urot (Feeding Program).

Photo By: JazzrellRio

Love

JAZZ-SIMPLYTRAVEL

Home of the Love Locks in the Philippines: (Baclaran Church)

If Paris, France has famous Love Lock way back 2008.  Now the Philippines have its own version of Pont des Arts at The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Baclaran Church, Parañaque (South Area Manila).

Since the Love Lock Bridge in Paris, France already removed according to news, Philippines have a new attraction for those Filipino who wants to express their love to their special someone by hanging their own love lock, with initials or name and dedication message.

The love lock trend hit Paris in 2008. It involves lovers declaring their love by writing their initials or names on a padlock, fastening it to a bridge, fence, or gate, and then throwing its key into river below. This idea is about forever seal their love.

So where can we find it here in Philippines?

I myself intentionally visit The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Baclaran Church. To send my prayers to my families, friends and people who I really care for, my thankful messages, personal wishes and offering and light some candles as symbolize of hope. It’s time for me to feed my spiritual life to connect myself through God in traditional belief.

The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help also known as Redemptorist Church and colloquially the Baclaran Church, is a prominent Catholic National Shrine along Roxas Boulevard in Baclaran, Parañaque, a city within the southern part of Metro Manila, the Capital of the Philippines.

The shrine is one of the largest Marian churches in the Philippines and features the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help is popular amongst Filipino Catholics, and gave rise to the throngs of devotees who flood the church every Wednesday to attend Mass and pray the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. In Manila, Wednesdays are popularly called "Baclaran Day" due to congested roads brought on by pilgrims to the shrine. 

Glad its Saturday Afternoon so it’s not much crowded. I can really enjoy, going around and explore this miraculous Baclaran Church. 

There is one landmark and interesting spot in BACLARAN CHURCH compound those continuously attracting visitors, tourists and most especially a couple who express their love to each other.

Now I need to check and witness this interesting attraction Love Lock fence. 

The Love Lock fence is located near the second gate of the church, where you can also see the grotto which is a marker for St. Therese of Lisieux. 

She is patron saint of aviators, florists, illnesses and missions, not of romantic love or marriage.

Church officials certainly don’t mind the misdirection. They have decided to keep the love locks, appropriating them as allegories for their homilies on marriage, and its lasting, binding nature.

On the corner side there’s also a fence with a small wishing pond where devotees throw coins for wishes, asking for healing prayer, for good life or for safe journey, it’s also the place where they thrown the keys of the padlock they hang in fence.

LOVE LOCKS symbolize a dedication of Lasting Love.  

  
Although this modern era we can say that the population of single person is elevated at the moment and even the number of broken hearted people increase. That’s why there’s a lot of people feel cold and bitter about Love and never believe regards FOREVER.

The truth is no matter how hard to find and rare to have someone special in your life, LOVE is truly amazing; falling in love is wonderful feelings. It’s such an inspiration to live in this world. LOVE truly matters. 

Personally I’ve been fall in love but sadly it’s failed. But it doesn’t mean that I need to get mad in the world and feel bitter because it really causes me so much pain and hurting inside. Imagine this Love Locks around that proves LOVE is important and precious. How many of us, you, I and other people believe that LOVE is so special while we are living in this world. It’s not only pertaining about loving someone, but also the love we have to our parents, family, friends, relatives, people we care, our self, nature, even love for animals and love for god. Love is universal it just a matter that we choose special love finding the pieces part of our heart as we called the love of our life. 

To the special someone live in our heart. (The one and only). Which give us so much inspiration to be a better person.

And I do, I bring mine and hang my rosary and Love Lock dedicate to the recent person I was fall for. Even if he walk away from me, doesn’t prove that I’m not enough for his love, lessen his time and attention that makes me feel far away from him, even I fight for him but he didn’t do his part to fight for me and our relationship doesn’t work at all, the love I have for him is so special, I always include him in my prayers for his happiness, good health and find good life. I also made a Love Lock for him and to his beloved son as symbol of his undying love as a dedicated father. In which I adore to him the most (being a responsible man). Because I know how much his son really mean to him. And loving him continuously even in imaginary way is a symbol of my happiness inside my heart. And he is my happiness and I love him so much.

We failed, we lost, we got hurt and sometimes we never get what we want in our life. Because it’s for us to keep believing that God give us life to appreciate, learn and understand that there are great things destined for us but in the right time and right place. It is better one for sure. 

So be thankful that we are not selfish and letting hatred win in our heart instead we choose to love by taking risk and love because we feel happy. And no matter what the result is in the end, it might be successful or failed, still we find the happiness and treasure sweet memories the moment our heart start to fall in love.

The truth is LOVE doesn’t need to lock; LOVE doesn’t need to hang but LOVE simply needs to be faithful, genuine, strong, take a good care, value and most of all LOVE need to express through actions.

Even I myself believe in LOVE. And admit that LOVE is special.

I don’t see anything wrong about this LOVE LOCK fence, I guess everyone have the right to express and show their devoted heart loving their partners, lover, husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend or special someone by doing this way. In fact it’s a proof that many of us believing that LOVE truly last.

If you have time to visit this Miraculous National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Baclaran Church be sure that your first priority is to offer prayers and light some candles, follow by your intention to hang your Love Lock in fence or flick coin in wishing pond. And it’s better for you to bring your own unique LOCK and marker to write your initials or name. But if you don’t have, on the side corner of second gate near in market there’s a lot of lock vendor waiting for you in the entrance.

Don’t forget to share stories with us once you visit the Baclaran Church. Always remember LOVE wins.

Enjoy hanging your LOVE LOCK in the fence.

Photo Credit: JazzrellRio Photography

Love
JAZZ-SIMPLYTRAVEL