The Launch

The launch marked the start of the Green World Youth Day program. I've been quite daring in my get up that night. No amount of cold wind could deter my 'costume'! I was also prod to deliver my piece to the audience and they also listened. Perhaps, they acknowledge the melodramatic preparation that we went through and so, they obliged!!!

(Thanks to the perfectionist speech coaches or models that I had back home :-) )

Resting Easy

I burrowed deep into this thing called work. My main objective is to get it 'done and over with'... One friend kept hounding me about the importance of health. My mind told me about the importance of delivering good service to them.

This stage is over...

The countdown to the next week is on... Tomorrow, our first participant is arriving and I am almost done with the things that we need to do.

It is now time to go back to the basics--meet people and see to it that they are home...

Melbourne Social Forum

I was at the Melbourne Social Forum today. The theme attracted me 'eating, moving, living: pathways to sustainability'. As usual, very few people came to 'change the world' perhaps, others were too busy to be bothered. Or what?

Just like any other forum, we often feel a need to connect and just simply be. The Conch provided entertainment which truly made my day. I miss the gigs and the jamming session at 6300 but well, we can just dance at any parties. It was an 'intergenerational' gathering of peoples and that alone would speak for itself.

It was also likened to a coming out party of the Young People for Development (YPD) to the engaged groups and individuals of Melbourne. The Green World Youth Day program was shared to those who were there. YPD mostly come for meetings among groups and people but it was the first time for the volunteers to set up a stall.

Attending today's MSF feels like just home. However, I was jolted out of my reverie when I attended the talks. The topics may be very similar but the concerns come from a different vantage point. Food issue for example is not much from the stark reality of food shortage and hunger. I miss the common farmer who can belt out into a litany of complaints and passionately recount stories of being detached from their seeds... But then, hey, this is Melbourne!

What is very important is that people still care and do the best of whatever way we can. I do borrow the line of the Conch: where do the rebels go?

In this type of gatherings, we leave inspired and plan to do more... No, I don't plan to change the world. A quarter perhaps? :-)

Initiatives

I spoke in four masses today. I got more inspired and affirmed seeing hope becoming real and concrete through the simple acts of solidarity that my adoptive parish takes. We got the whole parish together to sponsor some aboriginal people from Darwin for the World Youth Day program in sydney next year.

My parish creatively raised funds for them through the Melbourne Cup Sweep. It is through a raffle draw that depends on the winner of the great horse racing event in Melbourne next week.

So far, the parish already raised 1,000 AUD not counting the last mass.

Indeed, humanity is too good and generous after all...

I clicked my heart away in Vietnam...

Anytime, am definitely going back there. The people are hardworking, unaffected by the development around them. The tall buildings and the poshness around the city center did not deter the ordinary people from peddling their wares. It is very normal to have the setting above just anywhere in Ho Chi Minh. I can't imagine if Makati will be full of people cooking puto in the middle of a busy walkway. Won't the MMDA chase them off?

The children accepts the reality as it is. There is nothing wrong with the seeming 'misplacement' of sorts in there.

I can't also forget the face of the schoolgirl who sells flowers and chewing gum after classes. She charmed her way around that no ordinary tourist can resist her sales pitch once you listen to her. Hard work and sheer determination.