- Thought Leadership
Some places cling to me long after I’ve left them. Such is the way I feel about one sponsorship community, in particular.
As you approach, the words “Paradise Village” are etched into a tall, rusty iron arch. Its metallic decorative wisps mark the entrance to a neglected community in Malabon, Philippines (part of metro Manila). But this sign is the only thing “paradise-like” about the community. Behind it, rows of shanties line the sides of narrow paths. You cross a stagnant river to get in.
The community — home to some 300 sponsored kids — is a hiding place for gang members and suspects of drug-related crimes and even contract killings. Police raids and gunfire are frequent.
Mer Regen, a sponsored 18-year-old, told us about a time when fighting happened so often that people became too afraid to leave their homes. The gunshots terrified her.
“Ghosts do not scare me,” she said. “But real people do, because they can do you harm or even kill you.”
Maybelle, a CI program grad, lost a sibling — who was using the internet at a small computer shop — to a stray bullet.
And then there is Ederlina, the sole CI volunteer living here. She is my all-access pass to connect with the sponsored families so they can share their stories. Despite the dangers here, I feel secure in Edelina’s presence. She is an expert in alternate routes and shortcuts. Her steps are sure; her pace is quick. People know and respect her.
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Ederlina recognizes the dangers of Paradise Village. She has seen it all — gang wars, police chases, maulings, shootings. On one field visit, just minutes after we parted, she sent me a text message saying she just passed by a lifeless body on the ground.
Not only is Paradise Village geographically and environmentally unsafe, it also is a violent and crime-ridden community.
“I do get scared here,” she says. “I never know what will happen next. I fear for my family. I fear for the sponsored children. What if they get mistaken for enemies?”
When she does her rounds, visiting CI kids’ homes, she must watch her back and be prepared to run. Her husband — and others — has repeatedly asked her to quit volunteering for CI. Although she says she’s considered doing so, apparently no amount of danger will dissuade her. She’s now 16 years into her volunteer service and remains firm in her commitment to helping us fulfill our mission of helping kids.
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“Fear hangs here, but nothing can beat the joy I gain from seeing children grow…I just think of the children, including my own, and CI’s staff. And that’s enough to make me put on a brave face and have courage in my heart.”
When I think about Paradise Village, I think about Ederlina — and her strength. This is what sticks with me the most.
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