MAURICIO, Omar Kareem V | 07-63289 | BA Philosophy

Community Welfare Development Training Service 2 (CWTS 2)

Refection Paper
Why it Pays to be of Service
It has always been a mystery to me how some people of the likes of Mother Theresa of Calcutta
or St. Eugene de Mazenod of Aux-en-Provence, France are able to give up a life of comfort and wealth
for a life full of sacrifce, hardships and daunts. Some call it altruism but for others, it is nothing more
but mere an unsound and an impractical decision to give up a materially fruitful future and opt for a
life devoting themselves to work whose products do not beneft them but people who they hardly
know at all. Until a few months back, altruism and service to the people sounded nothing more but a
theory in Ethics and an intangible, incoherent thought manifested only by the least rational. True, tat
altruism needs only little rationality, but not because the person who practices it only has little reason
in his human faculties but because among the human faculties, it is empathy, and not rationality, that
makes most for altruism to be born out of an individual.
The start of the second semester doomed the group to a much greater challenge than it had
expected. The downpours of Ondoy and Pepeng and many other storms that lambasted the country
left people homeless and impoverished, while others exhausted their resources to the best that they
can to help others who have been severed by the strongest storms that the Philippines has seen since
Rosing. As the group started to collect funds and ask for solicitations to fund a series of seminars by
the start of the second semester of A.Y. 2009-2010, we knew for a fact that the road ahead was going to
be as rough as the roads and earth that Ondoy and Pepeng left littered and potholed. Not everyone, of
course, had the generosity to pull their resources out and contribute to the cause we deemed
reasonable for the people residing in Sitio Ruby, our project site. And although the group was able to
pull of the amount it thought needed to start the project, no one talked about it but we knew our
spirits were broken by the daunting smirks and unwilling eforts from people who we thought knew
better than to smirk or hand in a half-hearted donation.
It was probably then that I realized that more than the physical underpinnings of the altruistic,
it was these indirect insults and heart-breaking gestures that hurt them most. From then on, I
promised that though I might lose the drive to directly participate in the service of the poor and the
people in general, I will never lose the soul to nurse and nurture the spirit of those with the passion
and zeal to serve the purposes and welfare of others; even if it means that they would have to give up
a life of their own. A good doctor, after all, needs another good doctor to take care of him.
The group was not able to push through with the project only until recently, where and when
even the proposal was continuously revised and made to ft and accommodate the little time that each
group member had. Though everyone was willing to compromise their personal (and some even
academic) afairs, the project could not push through because speakers, who we thought would
readily impart their knowledge to the people we commit of serving had other afairs to deal with,
while, also, the project site handlers suddenly demanded requirements which were painstakingly
accomplished by the group for the beneft of the people of Sitio Ruby.
Finally, the group decided it was time to proceed with the long planned project. Food was
prepared, hearts were equipped and our spirits were packed with a burning zeal bring knowledge to
the people and give the children some laughter. However, by some turn of events, it could not push
through because of unforeseen technicalities and miscommunication between the group and the
project site handlers, who apparently had something planned for the day the group was not
informed, and in dismay, the burning zeal was extinguished, the hearts were, once again severed, but
the food was distributed to children from group members community nearby. Though the dismay
was overwhelming and the anticipations turned to anxiety, the smile on the childrens faces and their
zest as they bubbled up with the favor of the food, with for us were mere fumes of discouraging
scents.
In the groups untiring attempt, it was able to deliver, at last. After long months of stalling, it
was fnally able to push through with its project though only equipped with one speaker who,
nevertheless, shared his knowledge with passion and dedication. Our speaker tirelessly talked about
the upcoming automation of the elections and entertained all sorts of questioned even if some drifted
far from the topic he promised to discussed. He was patient with the groups shortcomings and he
even shared the fare of thanking the group on behalf of the people of Sitio Ruby for the informative
discussion on the election automations after revealing that such a simple efort would make a big
diference as the COMELEC itself is not able to launch an all out voters education throughout the
country, more so in places like Sitio Ruby. The old fame of dedication was slowly enkindled back to
life, more so when the group decided to proceed with fun games for the children of Sitio Ruby who
were more than willing and participative despite the short notice.
As all these were happening, lectures from CWTS1 fashed rapidly. I could remember the faces
of speakers who taught us about surveying and proper decorum while in the feld and I realized that
although some of their wisdom was true, some did not hold. For instance, they mentioned of adapting
the localitys culture and language by being wary of them; although it did help, it did not take much
efort to do it as some lecturers proclaimed because of diversity. Probably it was just me
overemphasizing on the hardship of adjusting to cultures.
Professor Randy Davids voice came to my memory right after the activity, while on the way
back to our beloved U.P. I could not mouth the exact words but I knew he said something to the likes
which said that the inspiration for service comes diferently to diferent people. It would strike us
unexpectedly in the least times we think it would. And if theres something really amazing about
Professor David, its of two counts: frst, inspiration does come; second, it comes unexpectedly.
And when it does, you cannot refrain from its call.