Life is better here in the Philippines

It was due to my passion for watching world news that I came across this documentary about the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa which featured children working in copper mines. Kids who were interviewed were 8 years old (twin brothers) and a boy at 15. Their working condition is not really apt for kids. Well, any part in the world, kids are kids and they are not supposed to go work until they reach legal age. Kids are supposed to go to school, play and enjoy the true meaning of childhood.

While they were on the mine field, digging the soil for a piece of copper, washing their find in toxic water afterwards, somehow, I realize that kids in my native land Philippines, are fortunate. When asked what the kids' dreamt of becoming when they are grown ups, the 15 year old boy mentioned he wants to become a Mechanic. The twins want to be Pastors!

That really struck me. Living in a country considered the only Christian country in Asia, it is not very often that a child, even in poverty would dream to become a Mechanic, not even a Pastor. In a country where materialism is evident these simple yet significant dreams such as the kids in Congo's are not often a scenario in our country.

We often complain here of a lot of things. The government, unemployment, all those petty things.

That documentary give me a realization that due to a different kind of life we experience here, we often neglect the good things that we have...worst we never ever appreciate that afterall, life is better here..only, we have to look at the brighter side of life...and we need to see the other side of the world where life is a whole lot different than ours, for us to have a clearer perspective.

The kids impressed in me the desire to dream on....no matter what socio-economic status you are in.....Afterall, life is travelled once...we make the most of it...we get the best of it....