Pagbuwag sa hadlang ng pagkakaiba

“May ‘pinanganak nang maputi,
May ‘sinilang na maitim.
At may tao ring naninilaw:
Sa ibabaw ng mundo.

Maging ang mata’y iba’t iba.
Ilong ay agad napupuna.
May matangkad at may pandak,
May mataba’t payat…

Kahit dila ay may pag-iiba.
Maririnig pagbabago ng tinig.
Sa pag-iiba ng mga pintig
May malumanay, mayumi…”

Hindi ko malilimutan ang mga titik na ito ng awiting aming ipinanlaban sa Pambansang Patimpalak ng Maramihang Pag-awit, halos 25 taon na ang nakalilipas. Tulad ng karanasan ng nakararami, ang pagkamulat sa pagkakaiba ay nagsisimula sa panlabas na aspeto ng buhay ng tao. Sa paglipas ng panahon, unti-unting namumulat ang tao sa katotohanang maaaring maging hadlang ang mga pagkakaibang ito sa adhikaing pag-isahin ang lahat tungo sa kabutihan at pag-unlad. May mga taong hinahamak, naaapi at natatapakan dahil na rin sa mga pagkakaibang ito. Ang katotohanan ay may mas malalim makapagpalayo sa mga tao. Bunga nito ay mas matinding pang-api o pagbabalewala sa mga itinuturing na “mababa sa lipunan.” Naririyan ang pagkakaiba ng kasarian, pinag-aralan, kapangyarihan, at katayuan sa buhay. Ang katotohanang ito ay matingkad na karanasan ng tao sa kasaysayan. Ito ang ipinahahayag sa ebanghelyo sa linggong ito tungkol sa dukhang si Lazaro at sa mayamang lalaki.

Ang ebanghelyo ay hindi tungkol sa palagiang pag-usig sa mayayaman at pagpuri sa mga dukha. Ito ay tungkol sa kung ano ang maaaring kahantungan ng pagkakaiba ay maging hadlang sa pakikipagkapwa-tao.

May paraan ba upang hindi maging hadlang sa paggawa ng kabutihan ang hindi maiiwasang pagkakaiba ng tao?

Si Hesus mismo sa kanyang mga ipinakitang halimbawa ang sumasagot sa katanungang ito. Si Hesus na nagmahal sa mga dukha at mayayaman, mga banal at makasalanan, mga Judio at Hentil, at sa lahat ng uri ng tao. Maging ang pagkakaiba ni Hesus sa ibang tao ay hindi naging hadlang upang patuloy niyang pag-isahin ang lahat sa ngalan ng pag-ibig.

Ito ang pangkalahatang mensahe ng pagkakatawang-tao ng Anak ng Diyos: Ang kaharian ay isang pag-iral kung saan ang lahat ay pantay-pantay at nagmamahalan sa kabila ng mga pagkakaiba. Ang kaharian na maaaring pasimulan dito sa lupa kung ang bawat isa ay nakikibahagi upang buwagin ang anumang balakid na naghihiwalay sa mga tao.

Isang paanyaya sa bawat tao, lalo na sa mga Kristiyano na pasimulan ang langit dito sa lupa sa pamamagitan ng pagmamahal, pagmamalasakit at paglilingkod sa kapwa nang hindi isinasaalang-alang ang pagkakaiba ng lahi, kulay, paniniwala, pinag-aralan o antas ng pamumuhay. - Fr. Maxell Lowell C. Aranilla

Dapit-Hapon

(by Zack)
Hindi ko na matandaan kung kailan Kita huling kinausap

Marahil ay nalunod na ako sa mga biyayang nalasap

Sa aking tinatamasa na malayo sa dating dinanas na hirap

Nawalan ako ng oras at walang ginawa kundi magpakasarap

Sinabi mo sa akin noon na magtiwala ako sa Iyo

Pangakong bubuhatin sa panahon ng siphayo

Binigyan mo ako ng pagkakataon upang makatayo

Ngayon ay puro ginhawa ang aking natatamo

Kailan nga ba Kita huling napasalamatan

Sa tagal ng panahon ay di ko na matandaan

Samantalang dati Ikaw lamang ang sumbungan

Lahat ng saloobin Ikaw ang tanging hingahan

Wala Kang hiningi sa aking kapalit ni isa

Sa lahat ng tulong na Iyong ipinasa

Subalit ano itong aking mga nagawa

Aking ganti'y walang patumanggang pagpapabaya

Ngayon ako'y sa bisyo nalulong na tunayS

a tukso ako ay naging lubhang mabuay

Sa aking pagharap sa mga nagawang pagsuway

Mapagpatawad Mong yakap sa akin pa ri'y binibigay

Patawarin Mo po ako sa mga nagawang pagkakamali

Lahat ng habilin akin sadyang nabali

Kinalimutan Ka sa mga oras ng tagumpayS

a kagipitan ngayon sa Iyo'y kumakaway

Mahabaging Ama di ko na po alam ang aking mga nagawa.

Puno ng pagsisi habang tumutulo ang mga luha

Ako po'y naging isang itim na tupa sa Inyong pastulanS

a nalalabing kong oras, kapatawaran sana ay aking makamtan

Salamat po sa ibinigay n’yong buhay na mahiwaga

Totoo pong nasa huli ang pagsisi at pagtitika

Uubusin ko ang mga huling sandali ng aking hinihinga

Sa pagpupuri sa Iyo, O Diyos na puno ng awa!

My Journey to Achieve My Dreams

by Mary Joy E. Barcelona
...continuation

My fellow entertainers and I did not receive our salaries on time. Our Japanese promoters withhold our salaries so that we could not escape. We were told that we can only get our salaries after the six-month contract at the Narita/Kansai airport or in Manila. Furthermore, first-timers like me received only US$350 dollars a month during that time, contrary to the US$2,000 per month as stipulated in the contract.

Because of the nature of my job in the club, I had to devise means and ways to have permanent customers. Otherwise, I would not be able to meet the daily required quota. If I do not meet the required quota, I would be fined. I also had to engage in dohan or afternoon dates because it was a club policy. It’s either I go out on dohan or I will be fined.

There was one time when a customer I went out with on dohan brought me to a hotel. He started kissing me but I resisted. Fortunately, I was able to convince him to bring me back to the club. There was also one incident when a customer brought me to his house. He started showing me pictures of his former Filipino girlfriends, after which he proceeded to show me a pornographic video. I felt that things were getting out of hand so I had to act fast. I insisted that he bring me back to the club. Although I was very much afraid, I was ready to fight him.

One time, I did not have a customer, so our club manager told me to go out and get some customers. It was a cold winter night and even without the protection of a jacket or a coat, I was forced to stand outside and entice customers to enter our club.

I was forced to do a lot of things out of necessity. Much as I wanted to resist, I was also afraid. I did not have my passport with me. Inside the club, I had to do what the other entertainers do. I had to endure the unwanted touches and caresses of our male customers in order to get tips.

The other women who were working in the club with me got themselves boyfriends in order to have permanent customers. Having a Japanese boyfriend made things easier for women entertainers. Most of the time, they help the women in their financial needs. The Japanese men even promise the women marriage, only for the women to find out later that their partners are already married.

Back in the Philippines
When my six-month contract was finished, I immediately returned to the Philippines. My family and friends eagerly awaited my return. They were so happy to see me again. But I did not have money when I returned home. Almost all my earnings were used to pay for my debts at the promotions agency. They said I had to pay for my training and the processing of my documents. Almost nothing was left of my six-month salary. I decided to go back to Isabela.

A few months after my arrival, one of my Japanese customers visited me in Isabela. I never thought of having a Japanese boyfriend. But because of his persistence and kindness, he became my boyfriend. He often came to the Philippines and would visit me. He provided me with some help in putting up a small business. Like the other Japanese partners of the women I worked with, he was married. I did not mind it then, but soon, just like the others, he stopped visiting me and totally disappeared.

I thought that by being back in the Philippines, things would be better. I was wrong. I was judged by other people. My neighbors would talk behind my back. They said nasty things about me. This challenged me to reexamine my life. I gave my full attention to the small investments I made. I had a small store and I bought a tricycle. I was determined to work real hard to achieve my dreams.

One day, while I was in Manila, I met with a friend who was having a problem about her child with a Japanese man. We went to the DSWD and we were referred to the Development Action for Women Network (DAWN). I eventually became a member of DAWN in 1998, although I was not active because I was living in Isabela.
….to be continued

History

The Chonmasan Filipino Catholic Community was ...

Anyong hasseyo!

Brothers and sisters, warm welcome to you with the love of Christ Jesus!