Written By Neyzielle Ronnicque Cadiz, Writer, Operation Blessing Philippines
“Naiinggit ako sa mga nakikita kong bata sa TV, na kahit may kapansanan, nakakapag-aral. Bakit ako, hindi? (I envy children like me I see on TV. They can go to school and study even if they have disabilities. Why can’t I?)”
This must have been the most inevitable question on the mind of Manny Masinas, 20, from Sitio Sto. Toribio, Lipa City, Batangas. It is expected, though, because he was born with what his mother called “multiple disabilities.”
He can’t walk because his left foot is bent while the right one’s crooked. He can’t normally hold anything either because he can only fold his hands on his chest. But he can talk; he has a masculine voice even when he unconsciously blurts his frustrations about his condition. Still, he lives as normally as other kids his age.
Manny can take care of himself, but he still needs his mother for survival. He can take a bath, eat his food, and move around their house alone. What is more interesting is that he can write his name using his right foot. He can barely read but still he tries his best to learn from his siblings.
His hardest battle, however, is that his parents cannot afford to send him to school. All of his older siblings only graduated high school—there is never enough money to send anyone to college.
“Kaya ko namang mag-isa, kaya lang nahihirapan din ako kasi hindi naman makinis itong semento. Mahirap din sa pagligo dahil minsan hindi ko kayang hawakan ‘yung tabo, (I can manage alone, it’s just that it’s hard because the cement’s rough.
It is also hard to take a bath sometimes because I can’t easily grip the dipper)” he shared. That is when Operation Blessing came to rescue him from his agony. Three days after the OB team visited him to assess his condition, Manny received his free wheelchair.
That day, Manny seemed as if he will never run out of “thank yous” for the staff and volunteers of OB. Happiness registered on his face when he learned that he can adjust some parts of the wheelchair by himself.
“Makakalabas na ako, makakaligo na ako ng nakaupo. Salamat po! (I can go out of our home now; I can even take a bath while sitting. Thank you!)”, he giddily stated.
“Maraming salamat dahil dumating kayo. Salamat dahil kayo na mismo ang lumapit sa amin. (Thank you because you came. Thank you for personally reaching out to us).” his mother said crying.
BE A PART OF BRINGING HAPPINESS TO OUR LEAST-REACHED KABABAYANS!
The wheelchairs from Free Wheelchair Mission indeed brought happiness to our physically-challenged fellowmen in Batangas. Call us at 477-7802 to 04 and 06 to inspire change! Let us all together bring gifts of mobility one family, one community at a time.
