DailyLifeMoments

A Message for CASH

October 10, 2008 on 2:17 pm | In Relationship, family |

A product of unintended pregnancy – that’s how we used to label our youngest sister named ‘Cash’. In her early 40’s, my Mum would religiously follow her medications from her obygyne as she feared the notion of menopausal baby.  Though born underweight, Cash grew up to be healthy and smart girl.

 

With our age gap of nine years, we barely had memories to reminisce. It was exacerbated because it took me years to accept that I was no longer the youngest in the family. She grew up knowing me as a mean sister (indeed I was).

 

After I entered college, I rarely saw her – only on Christmas, semestral break and a week or two during summer. It was a great relief for her, living a life away from my shadow. It spared her from fights and unsympathetic words.

 

Fast forward….

 

I work abroad for greener Pasteur, another prime reason to miss most of her special events in life such as JS Prom, graduation, and more. I was not there most of her teenage years.

 

While working as an expat, it has been my ideals to sponsor scholarship programs for diligent students who don’t have the means to pursue studies. Years passed by, I hadn’t told my Mum about it because of fear that she wouldn’t understand such kind of cause oriented ideals.

 

Cash was in college at that time.

 

One day she approached me if I could help her. I just came to know that she was sponsoring also a high school student in one of the remote and under privilege community. A student named Arnel whom she met during her immersion.

 

I was astounded to know about it. I haven’t thought that we share the same ideals.

 

After almost five years, I went home for a vacation. It was the first time my sister and I spent time together as an adult. We decided to visit a tribal and remote community to look for additional scholars.

 

The place was so remote that neither internet connection nor mobile network was available. We met few high school lumad (tribal) students who were scholars of the missionaries. We came to know that not all of the students were able to continue to college because of financial issues though few were lucky to find sponsors or scholarship grants.

 

Those who able to proceed to college, they study in the city where majority of the scholarship grants are available. Knowing this fact, I started to ponder.

 

I am aware of both places – their lumad community and the city. I cannot imagine the hardship they face during the transition period from an extremely rural to urban place. It is a big leap in terms of way of life, ambience and the community.

 

How do they fit in? In school? In their boarding house? What about discrimination? Mockery?

 

I was sleepless that night as I thought about it. I started to wish to set-up a boarding house in the city which would be for the lumads students only. It would serve more as an institution, not commercialize and income generating boarding house.  

 

The next day I shared my thoughts with my sister. And she smiled because she thought the same after we learned about the lumad students in the city.

 

Later, I came to know also that she would like to establish a business wherein students can work as part time while pursuing their scholarship programs.

 

It was exactly the same plan I thought a year ago.

 

We realized that there are more between us apart from being sisters.

 

I am proud and grateful to have a sister that I share the same ideals and passion.

 

 

P.S. God knows but we both wish our plans will be materialized.