Summer with the children

By Annalyn Tamondong

BEING a contractual employee in one university here in Pangasinan where I teach, I really have no job security. While I do my best at work, I realize I cannot expect a guarantee for a continued employment. There is simply no assurance of job security.

While, I know there would be better and more opportunities if I went to the big city — the capital Metro Manila, I am proud to say that I am not in any way interested to leave my province and look for a job elsewhere.

I love Pangasinan, I love living here, and I intend to stay here and wait until I am finally given a chance to be a casual employee in the university where I am employed, and hopefully, a permanent employee soon.

This summer vacation while waiting (and hoping) for my teaching load this coming academic year that starts in June, I can say with pride that I have not wasted my time.

To make myself and my time productive, and as a manifestation of my gratitude to the One who created me, I joined the Children’s Bible Study Club (CBSC) of my church, Manaoag Bethel Baptist Church –. Its mission is to share God’s words with the town’s children in the different barangays.

I volunteered as one of the Bible Study teachers in Barangay Agoy, Baritao.

The experience allowed me to meet children of different ages and orientation. It has been such a pleasure being with them and I am glad that I spent my summer weeks with them.

I would say that they taught me more than I had taught them.

For one thing, they have taught me how to extend my patience, appreciate them and eventually deal with their playful nature. I have learned how to break into a smile amidst their friskiness.

Two of these children, Ara and Ason, were among my most active students, and very smart. At the age of four, they can memorize three-liner-verses from the Bible.

They were not unaware of what was going on around them. They actually reminded me that despite their age, they can be aware of our country’s current events, especially our nation’s political issues. I think we have television to credit or blame for that, depending on how you want to look at it.

I remember Ason calling my attention one day and asked me, “Ate, ate, siopay sisidentem?” (Who is your president?). At his age, he could not utter the words clearly, but having spent time with them, I had somehow gotten used to their speech limitations and I perfectly understood what he meant.

I answered, “Secret,” and smiled at him.

He smiled back and said that he would vote for a particular presidential candidate, and he actually named him! This presidential candidate (who eventually lost and conceded early on) became very popular because of a particular campaign jingle that became a hit with children. He started singing and to my amusement, the entire class started singing with him! I could not help but laugh and I just let them enjoy their singing.

It was a great summer spent with them, teaching and learning, and simply having a wonderful time. It has given me another reason to love my hometown.

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