Gift of love

The CWTS in school is not just intended to ensure civic welfare and have training services for the students alone. It also covers conducting outreach programs and others of the like.
Last February 2, 2007, the CWTS class went to the Gasa sa Gugma. We contributed 40 pesos for our ride and the food. We also prepared presentations for the programme to be held in the said place. I thought that Gasa sa Gugma was a home for the aged people. But when we came in the place, I read the signboard that it was an institute for the dying! I do not like the name of their institute then. It was like an insult to the old people in that place.
Upon entering the place, we can really feel the silence. We then placed our brought food into their dining table. We arrived around 2:45 PM. And we did not know that there will be a mass at 3:00. We were supposed to start the programme, but then decided to cancel it because of the mass. Some of us participated in the mass but some of us stayed outside their chapel and decided to have a talk to the old lolos and lolas
My sister had also visited the place and told me to look for a lola named Aurelia. I did not see her at first. So, I just befriend an old woman named lola Julia. She was very friendly to us eventhough she cannot hear that much. She said that she easily forgets things. But in our conversations, she was consistent in her answers regarding her family and experiences. I even gave her my name, Arvin but since she cannot hear well, she heard it as “Al”. She always remembers my name every time I approach her. I really felt pity on her. She even does not have slippers. But another signboard stated that no personal gifts shall be given to the people inside the place. Another signboard also stated that no pictures shall be taken inside, but we still had some pictures shot.
When the mass has ended around 4:00, it was already time for them to have dinner! It’s very early, but they also have snacks at night around 7:00 PM. That time, we have to leave for school because we still are going to practice for the coming prom and we are also going to have our first graded presentation for our dramafest. We left the place before they actually had dinner. We bade farewell to them. But before we left, we observed something. The helpers who are supposed to serve and take give love to the elders are being harsh on them. One helper even frightened an elder that she won’t feed her. We were struck on that statement. We then followed her. She indeed send the elder directly to her ward, instead to the dining area. We were scared and decided to get inside too. We really felt pity in her that time. But I realized that maybe, that elder has another time to dine. But we noticed another helper shaking the head of an elder. As if it was a ball! They really treat the elders badly.
The place should be a place where the elder people can have the gift of love, where they must feel accepted and taken care of. But instead, the people there treat them otherwise. I really recommend the helpers to be replaced by new ones who would really care and give the elders the gift of love.