Muntinlupa, Rizal

Do you know what it takes to make a Feed the Hungry Feeding Project come to a fruitful, meaningful, successful ending? A lot of coordination, lots of expensive phone calls, meetings, checking and double checking and on the day of the event…. you crossed your fingers, say a lot of prayers and let things happen as to come what may. And the best things always happened for HE said, “anything you do for my brethren, you do unto me” or something like that.

This all started when we arrived last January 10, 2011 at the T. S. Cruz Village in Muntinlupa, Rizal where we saw young boys playing basketball in the court where it is supposed to be young kids being treated to lunch on a FtH sponsored Feeding Project. We, and 3 other car-load of FtH volunteers did not know and we were not informed that the venue had been transferred to another location about six (6) months ago. We ended up in a meeting at our house in Hillsborough, getting to know each other and talking about other FtH projects.

A lesson learned, we did not leave it to chance for the next feeding session in the new location. We got a map showing the location but the driving instruction is different as indicated on the map. We met with the operator of a rental van at Jollibee in Glorietta 4 in Makati and talked about rates, dates, time and pick up station but 3 days before the event Lottie called to ask about the van whose driver is supposed to contact Lottie right after our meeting. On the day of the event, our guide suggested meeting at the parking lot of Festival Mall, near the “Shuttle” Café ( actually Seattle’s Best) and I changed it to the my favorite place, the Jollibee shop at the rest stop at Southern Luzon Expressway (SLEX) where we do not have to pay parking fee. There were five volunteers from the Makati area but the meeting place is in Shangri-La-Edsa, about half an hour away. Baby H. called that she will be driving and I requested her to pass by Cielito Inn to pick up Carl, Jeanette and Kara.

Then I asked Vi B. if she and her niece can take a taxi to Muntinlupa because the van is already full with 15 passengers. She did and asked her to meet us at Jollibee at SLEX which is closer. After calling me for more instructions, talking to the taxi driver and the niece, we saw them at Jollibee enjoying their second breakfast and happy about the experience. The driver asked to be paid for the trip back and toll fees but Vi still insisted it is very cheap, and with her portable calculator, “only” $9 for the trip!

Our guide arrived and I asked her to go ahead with Tessie as I need to wait for Baby H. and Carl in another car but asked to leave behind somebody to guide us to the place. Baby arrived in a small red car with three passengers crowded at the back. I asked Kara to transfer to us as I was driving a bigger but older Nissan Cefiro (this model is not in the US). We arrived at the Espeleta Feeding Center, passing through narrow streets with no names, crowded with tricycles and pedestrian, made it to the place with no scratches.

The van carrying Lottie, Willie, Ethel, Mario, Bing and wife, Armando and wife, Dr Chua, Dr Sonny from Hawaii who traveled from Greenhills, Ernie, Paul M who joined the D’Palaos Golf Club, Ben and Grace was almost behind us. Twenty one (21) FtH volunteers in 2 cars and a van made it to the feeding center this time, on time!

One more additional problem on our return from the Feeding Center. Baby with Ethel had to go another place leaving 5 volunteers in the Makati area stranded. How do you fit 5 passengers in 3 spaces in the van? Very easy, I requested our host to drive Tess, a sacrifice, back to Hillsborough and drove the 5 volunteers to Makati. We had lunch of 2 biggg pizza, 2 lettuce wrap and bottomless tea at the CPK in Glorietta 4. I had free lunch since I am the designated driver. And we all went home happy to have done our good deed for the day.

PABLITO
January 26, 2011