Hapag ng Pag-Asa revisited

This time last year, I wrote what readers said was a “touching” story about Hapag ng Pag-Asa by Joey Velasco, which is a reworking of The Last Supper with streetchildren instead of the apostles sharing a humble meal with Jesus. The Hapag so moved me that I decided to give copies of it to my friends here and abroad, more than 25 so far, who I’m sure would really appreciate it and its heart-rending message.

Joey has painted other versions of The Last Supper — with rebels as Jesus’ apostles, etc. — but the one that has the greatest and, I would say, lasting impact is the Hapag ng Pag-Asa. Not many people know the story behind it, so for their information I am printing the following excerpts of a chapter on Joey Velasco from the book Yayee 4: Embraced by God by Fr. Arsenio C. Jesena, SJ:

“The idea of painting Hapag ng Pag-Asa — The Last Supper, Christ with streetchildren — came when I felt the need to remind my children about counting blessings and appreciating the food served at table. Blank space, five feet by ten feet.

“I kept on saying to them, ‘Let’s save money, let’s think of hungry people,’ but it seemed that my words fell on hard ground. They wouldn’t listen.

“As a father whose life was in danger, I wanted to share with them in a few weeks what I would have preached to them in a score of years.

“But the words were not enough, so I thought of giving them a visual reminder by painting something that was big and provocative

“And so I looked for subjects, for models. I went to the cemetery, I went under the bridge.

“Initially, I regarded these children as found objects, because I had never known them personally. After paying them a little money, after feeding them some cheap noodles, I disappeared and painted in my studio alone.

“That was the start of my journey. Whenever I looked at my painting every morning, I would hear voices; I would hear that painting speaking to me. I was not the one looking at the painting; the painting was looking at me.

“I was not looking at the ragged children. They were looking at me, they were observing me, and they would keep on haunting me.

“So after one year, I had no choice but to allow myself to be disturbed and to go back to my studio, gather the Polaroid pictures of the children, and look for every one of them. It was only at that point that I really started to know them intimately and to consider them my friends. Then I really saw the treasure in each one of them; because in going back to them, I was also going back to myself.

“I learned a lot of things I had never learned from the university or from rich people, from powerful people. I learned from these children.

“Before, they were just the ordinary children I saw around, the ordinary landscape of the city. Now I viewed them in a different way, perhaps accompanied by my relationship with the work I had done through that painting. So our relationships became deeper.

“They taught me so many values, each of them! Heroism, bravery, courage, even Gospel truths — I learned from them.

“People would always ask me, ‘What did you give them? What did you teach them?’ I would always reply that they were the ones who had given to me, they were the ones who had taught me, and they were the ones who had fed me.”

Joey has reproduced pocket-size copies of Hapag ng Pag-Asa, with the following poem titled Poor Kids in My Pocket at the back:

I carry this picture in my pocket,

a simple reminder to me that

no matter where I am,

Jesus and the poor kids are always

in my midst.

This simple card is not a claim stub

to withdraw some blessings in return.

It is not a ticket to free me from guilt

nor a good luck charm to protect

me from harm.

It’s not even to tag me as a man of charity

for all the world to see.

It’s simply an understanding

between Jesus and me.

When I put my hand in my pocket

to bring out my wallet.

it is NOT for alms-giving.

This picture just makes me remember

that I must have a heart to share

that a part of me has to be offered

in simple service and deeds

to the countless little children

whose future is obscure,

who suffer and shiver in the dark

whose voices are unheard,

whose nightmares come at daytime,

and whose monsters are real.

It’s a symbol of my nearness to God.

So, I carry this little piece in my pocket,

reminding no one but me,

that I can give hope

if only I care.

(Note: Joey Velasco is now in the States for a two-week exhibit of his works, starting on Monday, Nov. 3, in L.A. and San Diego in California, and in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Beneficiaries are the 12 Hapag kids of Negros and the 12 Hapag kids of Cagayan de Oro.)

What’s up?

• Congratulations to Vhong Navarro and Toni Gonzaga (photo) for the success of their newest movie, Star Cinema’s My Only U, which opened at over P11-M on Wednesday, Oct. 29. And also to Cathy Garcia-Molina who also directed the last Star Cinema hit, A Very Special Love, which stars Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz.

• Happy birthday to Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos (Nov. 3 which is also the birthday of Tony Paño, The STAR’s Travel Editor); Armida “Tita Midz” Siguion-Reyna and son Carlitos (Nov. 4); and Gabby Concepcion (Nov. 5).

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