Serving Through Storytelling

ARMI CONSUNJI-GENATO

The work of GAWAD KALINGA (GK) revolves around solutions to eradicating poverty, at the core of which is building a culture of caring and sharing, where those who have more are called upon to share with those who have less. 

Through the years, we have learned that in between that great divide is not the lack of resources, but the lack of courage to give. Not just to give of material possessions but to give of one’s time and service, which is what we need to make true and lasting change in the lives of others. This kind of giving is what started the work of GK in 1995 and along the way, we have gathered brave and selfless volunteers who carried this work for two decades. 

Now, the task at hand is to raise the next generation of soldiers who will fight the war against social injustice and apathy.  One of the ways to achieve that is to tell the stories of those that came before, to those who are next in line.  Thus, the children’s book project called the “Bagong Bayani Books” was born. 

There are a lot of stories to tell-acts of heroism, big and small that exemplify community service beyond the call of duty.  The challenge has been to choose which ones to write so I’ve decided to feature 4 different profiles that would also represent the different ways one can serve. 

To start the series and introduce the work of GK to the audience, the first book focuses on the transformation of a whole community told through the eyes of a child.  The second book is about one of the first and longest-serving missionaries of GK who grew up poor yet still decided to dedicate his life to serving the poor.  The third narrates the story of a student of our sports program who trained hard to become a coach to share what he knows with other children.  The fourth story of the series is about a tireless and selfless mother who wakes up early every day to prepare meals for 500 hungry children in her community. These stories represent all the fathers, mothers, and youth who have dedicated their lives to serving the people around them, and we hope to use their stories to inspire our children to follow their example.

For the past two years of working closely with GK, I have been lucky to be in the front row to witness community heroes in action, working silently in the trenches.  I remember hearing Tito Manding, the character in book 2, speaking at one of our monthly recollections.  He recounted the challenges of his childhood and the days when he would only have salt and rice to eat. Yet in spite of the scars of his past, there he is, in the front lines of fighting poverty because he knew so well how it felt to have almost nothing. I thought to myself that his story needed to be told so more people can be touched just as I was moved to tears and humbled by his generous spirit.  So when the opportunity came for the children’s book project, I grabbed it without hesitation.

I have been writing most of the content in GK’s newsletters, website, and press releases but I’ve never had any experience with writing stories for children.  My confidence came from being a mother of two with inevitable exposure to children’s books, and my love for reading and writing.  I realized that most of the children’s books available revolved around fictional characters or war heroes.  There were little, if any, books that told stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things for their community in ways that are more relatable and doable for children.  This added to my motivation to take on the project. 

Owing purely to divine inspiration and intervention, I managed to write all four books in between work, homeschooling, and mothering two energetic boys.  Even the illustration and the registration process for the book went smoothly, which brought the project from concept to completion in as little as four months. 

The stories of these real-life community heroes were so inspiring that they were able to gather sponsors locally and internationally with little effort.  Through the generosity of partners, we were able to print 14,000 copies, which are now being distributed to poor children in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 

Some of the books are being sold to generate more funds to print more books for poor children, while some have been shipped to the US and Australia (since the books are bi-lingual) to reach the Filipino children there.  These stories are now being read by the audience they were intended for, children aged 6 and up who will grow to be our next generation of nation builders. 

This book project is a true testament to how God wanted these stories to be told and I thank Him for giving me the honor of being His storyteller. 

We all have something to give, in ways that are born out of our circumstances.  The best gift we can offer others isn’t always material in nature.  I struggled with motherhood since I felt it didn’t come as naturally to me as work did.  There were times when I had wished I could be out there, in the thick of the action, feeding hungry children in communities or distributing relief goods in the wake of a disaster, instead of just attending to the needs of my home. 

But as God would have it, at this point in my life and through this project- my passion (writing), my vocation (community service), and my experience (motherhood) have come together seamlessly to allow me to give of more of myself to others.  

I hope this inspires you to think about what you can offer to improve the lives of those around you.  You don’t really need much to make a difference… just His blessing and the courage to give. 

 “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”  –  Kahlil Gibran

The author would like to thank the people who supported the project- Dan Bercasio, Maricel Barreiro, Josie Disterhoft, Dr. Carlos and Myrna Capati, Marisa Vedar, Juno Abreu, Dani Florendo, Carlos Capucion and Synchrony Foundation, Hector Jimenez and Deutsche Bank Philippines, YellowX/Gothong Southern Shipping Lines and Father Ben Nebres.