Of Dreams and Possibilities

On the shore where scrap-built houses on stilts rise precariously out of the waves of the sea fourteen feet below, Badjao children play, work, study, and sometimes dream. Few of their dreams, however, float very far. But with some help, encouragement, and guidance, a child’s dream can find its way to realization.

Finishing high school was one of Carmel’s dreams. In a recent gathering of Badjao Bridge’s sponsored youth, Carmel, a child dreamer, shared how she was beginning to see the promise of her big dream. She had applied herself to her studies on a Badjao Bridge scholarship and was able to realize that first dream: completing high school! Yes, it had been tough living in squalor with her siblings and struggling single mother. But despite a very difficult and dysfunctional family background and impoverished economic circumstances, she made it! That was an achievement worth celebrating. What’s more, the fulfillment of this dream, birthed the possibility of another.

When Carmel discovered that Badjao Bridge was providing local college scholarships to a few outstanding students in the community, she went for it. Now enrolled as a sophomore in college, Carmel is working toward her baccalaureate degree in accounting. Not only is she excelling in her studies, but her enthusiastic application to studying has earned her a place on the dean’s list!

In a community where more than 90% of the adults are illiterate, that is indeed an achievement to celebrate!

For practical application of the skills she is learning, Carmel is helping Weng, Badjao Bridge’s Program Director, with the organization’s bookkeeping. She also helps in tutoring younger children so that they, too, can float a dream and see it become reality.

A dream realized for one Badjao child has a ripple effect of encouragement for other students whose dreams are few. Since she comes from the same community, they can resonate with Carmel’s story as an overcomer and pursuer of dreams. As she gratefully and tearfully tells her powerful story of how she never thought it would be possible to attain her dream to become an accountant, she, and others, get a glimpse of possibilities and dream their own dreams despite the obstacles that often seem insurmountable.

Grieving

By Ronnie Mosley, Humanitarian Photographer

A few weeks before I was to accompany Dan Johanson (Badjao Bridge Director) and the Badjao Bridge team to the Philippines, I received an email from Dan containing a heartbreaking story. Little Pina, a five year old Badjao girl, had slipped and fallen into the water during the night after leaving her father’s side where she slept. Little Pina always slept with her head on her father Abel’s chest. Abel felt responsible for her death as he failed to wake up when she lifted her head.

Dan informed me that Abel and his wife Paysa (mother of Pina) were in shock over the loss of Pina and needed someone to talk to who could better relate to the loss of a child. I wept as I read the email and saw the photo of little Pina. Not only did she have a beautiful smile but she was such a promising student in the Badjoa Bridge school. So much loss, so painful to think about, having for my own frame of reference our families indescribable loss only a year ago.

As I sat before Abel, Paysa and Abel Jr., in their little house on stilts over the water on  Panglau island in the Philippines, I wept with them as they told me of their loss. They described feelings that I could certainly relate to, and they asked me several questions. One of their questions was; will the pain go away, the pain that caused poor Paysa to climb to her roof and contemplate taking her own life, the pain that keeps Abel from going back to work. I told them that I wish I could tell them that the pain goes away, that time heals all things but that is simply not true. Instead I shared that in my experience,  and from the experience of those whom I have talked with at length, the pain does not stop. You learn to live with it. I call it starting a new life. 

 You learn to live this new life and you learn to accept this pain that cannot be “fixed” or made better. I let them know that they hurt so much because they loved little Pina so much, I encouraged them to work on associating the pain with love. You can’t have one without the other. To work towards letting that pain remind them of the intensity of the love they have for their precious daughter. The importance of realizing that it’s ok to hurt, it’s ok to feel really really bad. The pain is bad enough without the added anxiety of thinking you should work at fixing the pain. To shut out the pain is to also end the relationship with the one that you lost here on earth.Most importantly, I had the privilege to just listen to their stories about their little girl that they loved and continue to love so very much. To assure them that they are not alone in their pain, that I share their loss and their grief and that we walk this path together. In the early stages of grief, that is about all that one can process. It does not remove the pain but it makes it a little more manageable, sharing the load with another.I was blessed to offer them hope, to encourage them to focus on the things that little Pina loved and was passionate about; that by doing this, the relationship continues and her story lives on.

 To read Ronnie’s complete story of this trip, head over to his blog: Coastal Traveler.   

A Cause for Celebration

We are excited to report that the end of March marked not only the end of the school year in the Philippines but a significant accomplishment for eleven of our Badjao students who graduated from elementary school (the equivalent of a 6th grade U.S. education).

For nine girls, ranging in age from 12 to 14, and two boys, age 15 and 17, this was a significant personal achievement as they overcame the odds to be education trail blazers in their families and community.

Throughout the past school year, the two boys—Juvy (far right) and Wowie (far left) both of whom want to become doctors—experienced particular pressure to abandon their education goal. Nonetheless, with the support and guidance of Badjao Bridge, they persevered.

In the impoverished Badjao economy, a teenage boy typically contributes to his family’s livelihood, precluding him from attending classes or spending the necessary time to study. This is especially true in single parent households, as is the case with Juvy whose father died while fishing a couple of years ago. While most kids were finishing their homework and getting a good night’s sleep, both Juvy and Wowie worked as tenders on fishing boats each evening from 10:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. to earn enough money for the day’s meals. (A tender is someone who manages the lines for fishermen.)

Even with the late night schedule, Juvy was awarded recognition for outstanding attendance and Wowie completed his studies despite a battle with degenerative eyesight. Often the boys were tempted to succumb to life’s pressures. But, leaning on each other, they overcame adversity and the pressure to abandon their education dream.

The success of these eleven graduates is Badjao Bridge’s shared success! One of our primary goals is to change the trajectory of the next generation’s lives through the foundation of education, a portal to new opportunities.

Partner Visit - Day 1

By Ronnie Mosley, Humanitarian Photographer

There is no preparation or reading, no stories that can prepare you for what you see here with the Badjao Sea Tribe.

The Badjao people have been occupying areas here in the Southeast Asia since 500AD, yet they are the most discriminated against, least protected of any people group here. They live in intricate networks of little shanties made from boards and rotting lumber with tin roofs, propped above the water on stilts and connected by a intricate maze of tattered boards. Walking is dangerous as many of the boards are rotting and have broken through. I made sure that each step I took involved my foot encompassing at least two boards since a single board could brake through easily, resulting in falling into a stench of trash filled water. Only last week a precious little 5 year old girl, Pina got up during the night, presumably to make her way to the bathroom and lost her footing and fell. The father pulled her lifeless body from the water the next morning. Life here is hard, unfair and very difficult here, yet there is an interesting beauty on there faces that tells a story that goes far beyond poverty.

Traveling with Badjao Bridge today, our team dentist, Suzanne, along with other team member Coleen. We partnered with a Badjao church, the Sama Bajao Christian Fellowship and Pastor Bogel  to perform much needed dentistry to many Badjao children. We were able to provide cleanings and molar sealants to several children before Suzanne's dental machine broke down. While it was disappointing that we could not help more children, we certainly made a good connection with this particular tribe before we hopped on a boat to travel to another tribe just 80 miles to the south.