A VOLUNTEER OF CABIOKID: My Pains, My Gains

On March 2009, 8 months after passing the agriculturist board examination, I decided to render my service as a volunteer worker of a non-government organization, the Cabiokid Foundation located in Guapito St., Sta. Rita, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija.

I was very disappointed that time due to my unemployment. Even my dad ay nagpakita na ng hindi maganda sa akin dahil siguro naiinip na at hindi ako makapasok sa trabaho kahit na graduate ako at board passer pa. Kahirap makapasok sa trabaho. I really felt the pain. I was frustrated. I cried to God. I claimed His promises in Matthew 7:7, Mark 11:24, and John 14:13. But it seems that the answer is for me to wait, or God has a better plan for me. Because of this, I finally make up my mind. Even though there is no wage, ang importante, I will gain work experience being a volunteer. It was Lea Oyan-Jacinto, a classmate during elementary and a Cabiokid staff, who informed me of this organization and their willingness to accommodate volunteers. So ang deal naming sa management ng Cabiokid, free ang aking accommodation and food for 1 month.

Lea Oyan-Jacinto

My decision to be a volunteer and observer in the 5.5 hectares Cabiokid permaculture farm has brought me much pain (huhuhu!). In Cabiokid, I experienced to dwell in a place far away from our home and without money at all. Shocks! Kahirap palang walang pera kapag malayo sa ating lugar. Wala din akong mahihiraman noon. Naalangan akong humiram sa mga staff. Iniisip ko, paano kaya ako uuwi nito pagkatapos ng 1 month. It was my first time to experience such situation. Naiiyak ako lalo na sa gabi na iniisip ko ang situation ko. Naawa ako sa sarili ko. I experienced the loneliness being far away from my parents, the pains, and the struggles of adaption in my new environment. At ang mga hindi ko ini-expect na situation sa loob ng Cabiokid.

Every night before I slept, I turn on my MP4 and listen to Christian music. Every time that I heard the song “Warrior is a child” hindi ko mapigilang mapaluha at umiyak. It describes my situation. I am a fighter, a warrior. “But even winners can get wounded in the fight.” Though I know I won due to God’s grace (undeserved gift from God), nasusugatan din ako, nasasaktan. Deep inside me, I was wounded. Here is the lyrics of the song.

WARRIOR IS A CHILD

Lately I’ve been winning battles left and right;

But even winners can get wounded in the fight.

People say that I’m amazing;
I’m strong beyond the years,

But they don’t see inside of me,

I’m hiding all the tears.

CHORUS:

They don’t know

That I come running home

When I fall down

They don’t know

Who picks me up when no one is around?

I drop my sword and cry for just a while.

‘Cause deep inside this armor;

The warrior is a child.

Unafraid because His arrows is the best;

But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest.

People say that I’m amazing;

I never face retreat;

But they don’t see the enemies,

They lay me at his feet.

The Almighty God is my comforter, my provider, my Father. I believe all things work together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:8) because I was able to get home even without cash in my pocket. It was the grace of God that I survived the test. I learned to be humble, to trust in God, and in His word. I am strengthened by His word. Glory belongs to the Sovereign Lord.

Kung may mga pangyayaring hindi mabuti, mayroon din namang mga magandang nangyari.  The pains, frustrations, and disappointments made me stronger child of God. Marami akong nakilala and I build new network. Isa sa mga nakilala ko ay si Bert Peeters from Belgium na matatas magtagalog. He is a certified permaculture designer, founder and president of Philippine Permaculture Association and co-manager of Cabiokid. Si Angelito G. Agustin (kuya tolits), manager of the Cabiokid farm at syempre ang magaling magluto, si Ate Luz staff din sa Cabiokid at iba pang laborers doon.

Bert Peeters

Cabiokid staff and the principal of Sta. Rita Elem. School (3rd from the right)

Other groups are the members of the two churches I have attended during my 1 month stint in Cabiokid. I am so glad na nakilala ko ang mga kapatiran sa mga churches na ito. Inside these churches, I was treated as a sister in Christ of the members. Nakasama pa nga ako sa isang activity sa Guagua, Pampanga ng Cabiao Bible Baptist Church, anniversary ng kasamahan nilang church doon. May service vehicle ang church so nakapunta ako kahit walang dalang pera. Nakakatuwa talaga, hindi ko naman sila kaano ano by blood pero very warm talaga ang pagtanggap nila sa akin.

Inside the farm, there are times that I want to think, meditate on what happened and what should I do inside Cabiokid, so I go to the forest zone of the farm. This is also a time to talk with the Almighty Father. I usually walk in the perimeter of the farm where I could gaze the famous Mount Arayat.

Mt. Arayat

Forest zone area - source of fuelwood

And when I go through the orchard area, I enjoyed eating the fruit of this endangered plant called berba. It is yellow in color when ripe. Maasim na matamis, nakaka-addict kainin..

berba fruit

Berba tree

Sa loob ay mayroon ding makopa. Unang pagkakataon kong makakita at makatikim nito, at hindi ko nagustuhan, parang kapas. But when I saw Lea eating more of this fruit, kumain na din ako ng marami. Masarap naman pala, hindi lang sanay ang mga taste buds ko sa kanya noong una.

Makopa

Cabiokid serves as a sanctuary to wild animals such as deer, wild pigs and monkey. May kanya kanyang lugar sa farm ang mga ito. Endangered na ang mga usa at baboy ramo lalo na sa Central Luzon. Nakakatuwang tingnan ang mga ito, wala ako sa tunay na forest pero heto at kaharap ko ang usa, baboy ramo, at unggoy.

My deer

wild pig/baboy ramo

monkey in Cabiokid

After a month of being with Cabiokid staff, I was encouraged by Kuya Bert and Kuya Tolits to join the 6-day permaculture training certificate course but I told them that I do not have money for the registration fee. The training fee that time costs P6,500. And so they let me join with free registration. I am so glad, ang mahal ng bayad eh. It was timely that this training was done that time because I was able to attend.

The training was really good, it exhausts the mind  (haha!) and it developed drawing skills. Well, pangmababaw lang na description iyon ha?. Facilitators and lecturers let the trainees to layout an area according to permaculture principles. Nosebleed ako sa pag-iisip.

Bert Peeters giving directions

On our last day, we presented our designs based in our own land. Ito dapat ang gawin pagdating sa sariling lugar pagkatapos ng training. So I made a lay-out/design of our farm according to permaculture principles. Kuya Tolits assisted me in doing this. And then I presented it to the group.

Teacher kunwari

Through this training, I met a friend named Susann Weitzel from Germany. She is a human rights observer of IPON located in [Boondocks Peninsula], Quezon province.

Susann Weitzel

After the awarding of certificates, may konting picture taking. Here is our batch April 2009. Most of my classmates here are from the Isabela Local Government Office and a certain cooperative, one from Cabiao Municipal Agriculture office and 3 from Cavite.

Permaculture graduates April 2009

The Isabela group has a vehicle from the LGU so nakiusap ako na makikisabay ako sa kanilang pag-uwi since they will pass in Nueva Vizcaya. That’s the story on how  go home without money. Ang galing ni God na mag-arrange ng mga sitwasyon. Na-solve din ang problem ko tungkol sa pag-uwi ko, tapos naka-attend pa ako sa permaculture training ng free. It shows the sovereignty of the Father. All we need is to trust in Him.

Through bad and good times, God is always in our side. He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Kailanman, hindi ka pinabayaan ng Diyos Ama kahit na ang pakiramdam mo pinabayaan ka na niya sa gitna ng pighati, kalungkutan, at kahirapan. God is at work even at times that you don’t feel his presence. He is the Sovereign Lord. He is the Almighty Father. He is our God.