Edward Patani

Coming into the Philippines I was uncertain of what to expect, as it was the first time for most of us. The uncertainty slowly faded away as we got used to life in Zambales. Though the living conditions were a stark difference to what I was used to back home, showering with a bucket and pail and sleeping on an air mattress quickly became the new norm (thanks Kole!)

As a programmes member, I was involved with planning lessons and teaching the kids. Since the kids had a very limited understanding of English, it was difficult to explain concepts. It was inspiring to see the team continuously work around finding new ways to teach the kids. Something memorable was teaching the grade 3 kids how to multiply, it was edifying to see it click in their heads for the first time.

Cooking for the school on a fire pit with wood was more difficult than I expected. Fighting through the smoke while cooking for hours was quite a unique experience. I sent a video to my grandma and she laughed and said that’s how she cooked back in the day. Pushing through the cooking days was also one of our favourite shared experiences among my friends.

On our last day, we had to say our final goodbyes to the kids. True love isn’t restricted by background, geography or a shared language. It’s not contingent upon what one can receive but rather upon how much one freely gives. The members within PL came from incredibly diverse walks of life and yet our parting moments with the kids encompassed the deep unspoken affection we share with them. I hope that my fellow members will hold onto the vivid memories of what we shared with the kids as we navigate through the rest of our lives.