HE JUST WANT TO HELP

I was playing scrabbles on my computer when suddenly Kenneth shouted "Mama! Halika! Halika! Tingnan mo!"

He was pulling my shorts, dragging me towards the living room and told me to watch the news on television.

I saw a baby boy lying on a bamboo couch. His head was too big for him and he could hardly blink his eyes as tears flowed down to his neck.

Then at my back Kenneth asked, "Mama bakit siya ganun?" referring to the baby boy named Mark.

I told him he is sick. Then he asked why baby Mark is on television, I said he and his father are asking for help so he can to the hospital for treatment.

"Pag magamot na ba siya, hindi siya mukhang Tweety?"

Suddenly his yaya Inab burst with laughter, but Kenneth and me were serious watching the boy in pain.

"Mama kung tulungan siya hindi na siya magmumukhang Tweety?" I said yes and asked him if he wants to help. "Opo" was his reply and followed with another answer, "para mukha na siyang Cinderella."

"Eh saan ka kukuha ng pera? Me pera ka ba?" was my question, then he automatically pointed to his plastic blue piggy bank.

Okay I said, then asked him further how much will he extend to the baby boy, "he said marami, lahat ng pera ko."

I maintained a piggy bank for Kenneth and at the end of the year, we opened it up and first day of office on January, we usually deposit the saved money to his kiddie account at the Metrobank's Kiddie Savers.

I was moved by his instant reaction to help people. I always tell him to be respectful to elders and be a good boy always, but his second time to share his earned money is something I cannot just easily ignore.

His first "kawanggawa" was when he donated his savings of Php145 from carolling to the Kapuso Foundation December last year. He said then "kawawa naman ang mga bata, walang pagkain."

The second time I remember when we went to Fort Pilar. He insisted on holding to a hundred peso bill so he can choose and buy candles as offering to the patron.

When we reached Fort Pilar, I asked him where's the money and he said he gave the money to an old Badjao woman, a beggar. His reason was "kasi buntis yung kanyang leeg, matanda na siya, wala pang nagbabantay."

Much as I wanted to get mad at him, but I just consider the incident as blessing, a blessing to keep my son away from harm.