The Wood Gatherer

Carmen Pedrosa

The Wood Gatherer post from Susanita Tesiorna -Vice President for TUCP Informal Sector

Somewhere along the way, I've noticed these people sitting under the shade of the tree with their fire woods tightly tied beside them gathered from a distance of about three-kilometre.

Striking at the back of my mind while passing by, are these thoughts: they are too old and yet they are carrying those woods ? Don't they have children? Aren't they old enough to do that work?

I was already in my home when I decided to get back to catch them up for a little conversation - maybe anything under the sun.

When I arrived to where they are sitting to comfy themselves, I said "hi!" and they responded with a resounding "hi" too! I was smiling while approaching them, telling them my name and my purpose why I want to see them. And they are so eager to sharing a little of what they have, but I wanna have a conversation mind to mind. I wanna have a silent conversation with them to know what is flowing from within. And here I go, I started asking them few details about their identity.

Lolo Rigarido Olarte is 78 years old, he has six children and all are married already. He is the only man in this group of wood gatherers. His wife passed away when there children were young, that is why his children are not able to finish the full education because Lolo Rigarido's income from gathering woods is not enough to suffice their foods much more if he will send them to school. Lolo finished grade 1 and knows how to write his name that was taught by the Americans during the WWII. He recalls those times that they kept fleeing from one place to another in order to keep themselves safe from the Japanese.

Next is Lola Gloria Dela Cruz, 77, and has eight children. All her children got married early because of poverty. For them, marrying early is the only option to get out from poverty. To alleviate from the condition that for them is just like hell. Everyday is a penitence. Simply because they don't have anything on the table and they are a big family. Most of her children finished at least second grade in the primary system of education. Her husband passed away a long time ago, and all the obligations left to her. She knows no more work aside from gathering woods and doing the laundry. Lola can recognize simple words but cannot comprehend what does it mean. She used to call her children to read it for her and translate what does it mean. There even times that they are reading a news written in English, she let her children translate it for her but it was translated differently.

The last one, is the cheerful Paciencia [sic] Olarte she doesn't know her exact age. She was telling me that her mother told her that she was born during the height of famine and El Niño and the harvest of cassava was vast during that time. She finished grade 2 but she cannot read and write. According to her, no one was there to teach her when she was younger. That is why, she too, cannot teach her seven children.

I asked them two questions and here we go:

What was your ambition before?

Lola Gloria: My ambition was to have my family on my own. I was not thinking what it looks like when it comes to responsibilities and obligations. My parents were not serious in sending me to school because according to them, when I get married it is my husband that will feed me and my role only is to raise my children, that's all. I didn't know that at the end I will endure all these things. I was really thinking that when I get married then I have lesser obligations and responsibilities in life. When my husband died, it was like the whole of heaven fell on me. I have no other option but to replace my husband's responsibility. And because I do not know anything that can help us put foods on the table then we ended up like this. I was really upset, and if I can just bring back time then I will ensure my life would not end up like this said Lola Gloria.

Lolo Rigarido: When I was younger, my dream was simple to finish study and to have enough money, however, it didn't came true. I was a victim of war. And my second ambition was to help my children finish their own education, but again, I failed. My children ended up like me and just waiting for the subsidy from the government. We hope to earn a lot, work in an air-conditioned environment holding only pen and paper unlike right now I am holding my old-unsharpened bolo stated Lolo Rigarido with teary eyes.

Lola Paciencia: She has a very simple ambition and that is not to get hungry. I asked her, why you don't want to get hungry? She answered me this way, because I am tired of being hungry. I've been hungry all my life (in terms of foods, education and values).

I was really put into silence when she said that, it seems that her heart is shouting out loud, that, hey! I'm tired being poor! I hope she can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

The three of them has its own life stories to tell, but they ended up on the same fate. Different ambitions, but ended up on the same fate. Different lives, ended up on the same situation. Different personalities but the same kind of living. Do they still have hope?

They still want to tell me a lot, however, the sun is so high, they should keep going.

As one, they told me, "never be like us who have simple dreams yet unwoven and we're not thinking of what is the consequences of our actions. We were thinking that having a family is our only way to get out of poverty because we have husbands that will take care of us. But no, you should champion life on your own. Finish your education and someday if you want to have a family, make sure, they will never be like you, make them better than you".

I thanked them for the time they have spared to me and they are telling me with their smiles that, 'oh, after that you show us our pictures! We might be artists after then!'

I answered them, we will see!

Before we depart ways, Lolo Rigarido give me some words. If you get married someday, make sure you can feed them very well!

I retorted, if I get married! Hehehe

Then they started carrying up their woods and place it on top of their heads and started walking. I can see their backs, it was full of agony. Full of hopes. Full of dreams but they still keep on keeping on. I thought my problem was the biggest in the entire universe, but when I heard their stories, it made me think that my problem is only an ounce of what they have. I'm still rising like the sun and them, they are now on their way to sitting down. I still have a lot of strengths and time to pursue my dreams but for them it is already too late because even they will exert a lot of effort it is already too late. Their only ambition for now atleast they will never go hungry. A simple dream for us but for them that is next to impossibility.

I hope you can learn something from this story, send to me your thoughts through janvieamido@gmail.com. 

Thank you so much and hoping to seeing you on my next article. God bless. ‪#‎MyStory‬ ‪#‎TheWoodGatherer‬‪#‎StoriesOnPoverty‬ ‪#‎GreatStoriesFromSimplePeople‬