SOS: Stories of Successes

Everyone’s life is a story in itself.  As we continue writing it every second of our lives, most likely, we will notice that in our triumphs we’ve got good and sizeable company.  In our failures, however, we sometimes felt alone or, worst, abandoned.  Chances are though that our immediate families, if still functional, will surely lend a hand. Usually, moral support is endless and financial assistance is provided depending on how much they can spare.  Then, as Cinderella stories normally end, “we lived happily ever after”. 

However, not all life stories end that way.  In fact, some seemed anticlimactic and provide tragic endings.  So that, in life, more often, we say, success is relative.  The more successes, the more are the relatives.  Conversely, in failures, we are left orphaned.  

Though not true all the time, the very essence of such lines speak of the realities surrounding us. More often, we see them in dysfunctional families.  Families, that regrettably or not, had made wrong decisions.  Consequently, as has always been, their kids suffer the most.

Life, indeed, consists of several pockets or compartments of decision-making processes.  Decisions are made on concerns as trivial as to what dress to wear in a party or on serious issues that may address life and death choices.  No matter how trivial it may be, however, the fact remains that everything goes through, knowingly or unknowingly, a decision-making process.  The same can be said of decisions made by families (as an economic unit) too.  Unfortunately, however, though it (the family) is an economic unit and, therefore, their decisions shall have far reaching consequences, they seldom think of the implications.  Sadly, in fact, to some extent, they never think of their families’ well-being.    

For instance, economic decisions such as whether to work here or abroad, in what school are they going to send their kids, whether to rent or buy a house are done at the family level.  With this mindset prevailing, these kinds of couples/individuals tend to limit their number of kids so they can responsibly and comfortably raise their families.

On the other hand, some families simply have different economic agenda.  They look at kids as income producing properties.  So that, they dwell purely on a very stupid equation, the more kids = more hands to earn for them. Worst, they even try figure out earning more with very little investment.  They just let the mothers breastfeed the kids until they can walk, then, send them to the streets to beg.  Or, worst, as they reinvest their little kids’ earnings (by feeding them from their own earnings) and they grow taller, they (parents), acting as pimps, are using their kids for such immoral and illegal trade as cybersex or prostitution.  Simply put, these kids are used and abused.

As the law finally catches these irresponsible parents, the kids are literally left orphaned or abandoned.  Left to fend for themselves, they are exposed to immeasurable risks.  Thank God, an organization is just right there, the SOS Children’s Village, an international organization that cared to have one site in Talamban, Cebu City. It did not just offer a village.  With their dedicated house mothers (surrogate mothers) living with them (the kids), it provided a functional family that is strongly bonded by love.  That same love these kids sorely lacked and never felt even for once.  That same love that helped these kids find hope again.  That same hope they’ve practically lost.  (For all these, we say, kudos to the Project Director, Mr. Mario Victor C. Baang, Project Manager, June A. Layao, the house mothers and co-workers of the SOS Children’s Village Talamban for their wholehearted dedication.) 

Indeed, every one of us has a story. Hence, as we move ahead with our journeys, we shall continue to write them.  In doing so, we must take it upon ourselves that utmost responsibility to write a story that is worth telling; to write a story that is worth sharing; to write a story that is worth reading.

So that, our dearest kids in the village should bear in mind that in writing their stories they shall take it upon themselves to alter the meaning of SOS.  Yes, it is true, as they went into the village, it meant a distressed call, and that’s unchangeable.  But as they leave, hopefully, it shall mean stories of successes (SOS).

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