Project BP Apparatus

Remember Tatay Marcial? He was the blind man Doc Anisah and I visited last May. It's been nine years now that he is blind because of diabetes. When asked what does he want, we were dumbfounded as he only wants a BP set for he lost his own set during Typhoon Sendong.

My encounter with him gave way to many realizations. First, we'll never know whether the senses we enjoy now will last a lifetime. No one holds an eye and be certain to what the days may unfold. We savor with all gusto whatever that we have now. We never cease to appreciate and thank God for it. Second, the seemingly simple things to us may mean DREAMS or even just WISHES for others. To many, a BP app is something one can get in a snap. What's P1,700? Nothing. But, to Tay Marcial, it means close to everything. Third, he disturbed me for some good reasons. That meeting compelled me to do something. If I cannot give him what he is asking, I might as well bridge his dream to whoever can make it a reality. There you go, I learned the art of 'social begging'. I have seen a need, it was expressed to me, I have to do something to let the world know. I do not care if they won't help, what I care is - I get the message across those who are able.

Many days have passed since that first meeting. A number of generous people shared. To date, we have enough to start the first round of Training on BP and Vital Signs Taking to Community Health Leaders among the Sendong survivors. Through this, we can be assured that there will always be people in the community who know how to take BP and vital signs in the absence of health workers, especially on those times beyond office hours.

We have chosen to start in Tay Marcial's place -to honor the person who inspired us to do this. And it is a serendipity to see him by their door, listening to the radio. His family was transferred to a permanent shelter from a bunk house where I first met him. Amazingly, his house is just across the venue of the training. I ran to his direction and told him how the training came about. I can feel his heart. He is moved as much as I am.

I said this before and I will say this again, if my heart were a bomb, it could have exploded right there and then. But the difference now is - it's a happy explosion ^________^

Daghang salamat to everyone who made this possible for Tatay Marcial. I pray that your cups will overflow for a lifetime for sharing what you have. God Bless us all