Do you ever wonder how the street vendors manage to make both ends meet – despite the unstable daily earnings they make?

For the past ten (10) years or so, I have befriended more than thirty (30) street vendors who ply their trade in our neighborhood. I am a regular buyer of products that the street vendors sell – ranging from fresh fish, dried fish, different species of bananas (saba, latundan, lacatan), native and imported fruits like mangoes, chicos, papayas, grapes, apples, oranges, taho, boiled corn, peanuts, slippers and even household/kitchen wares, and tools of various kinds.

For the past many years too, I have written in this column stories and more stories about the interesting lives of street vendors – all portraying strength of character, faith, hope, joy, patience and other virtues which one may not expect from street vendors.

Believe you me – what surfaced in all my close interaction with street vendors is their astounding optimistic attitude in life. Unlike many of us who habitually complain, curse or engage in blame-throwing, the street vendors have so much hope and joy – and yes, thanksgiving to our Almighty God that their children are in good health and in school. I remember one male street vendor saying: “Soon my eldest daughter will graduate in high school. I am sure when she finishes her college degree and finds work, our quality of life will improve for the better. Don’t get me wrong. I am not complaining. I am just articulating to you my wish. I also dream big, you know.”

Let us take the case of Lita. She is a very frail, dark-complexioned, petite lady who peddles household and kitchen wares and tools in a rented cart (with a small bike attached) that is overloaded with her wares. Lita’s husband is bedridden, taking daily medicine for his diabetes. Lita’s husband, a former guard in a security agency, used to operate a padyak. Until he got sick. It is really a mystery how Lita manages to provide the funds for her husband’s medicine.

Many of us wonder: are street vendors trustworthy? Let me share with you my experience with one male street vendor from Laguna who has a wife who just stays in their house because she has a heart ailment. She is very thin and weak. I lent the street vendor P2,000 and told him to pay me back P100 every two weeks (rather than dole out the whole amount of P2,000). I wanted to test his trustworthiness. He has been paying religiously his debt until something happened to the wife.

Going back to Lita… – just four (4) days ago, Lita was narrating to me that she rushed her husband to the hospital because there was pus coming out of one of her husband’s eyes. “I do not know how we survived the ordeal, Mrs. Villafuerte.” God is good.

I regularly give Lita some monetary love offering for her husband’s medicine. When I learned that her husband was hospitalized shortly before Christmas, I gave her some funds and told her: “Why don’t you take five (5) days off from your work and have some rest. After all, what I gave you will cover your earnings for more than five (5) days. She just gave me a smile and sped off in her cart.

I have not seen Lita for the past four (4) days. I said to myself – “Oh, I’m glad she followed my advice to rest.” Or did she also get sick because of overwork?

From my dealings with street vendors, I learned that though they lack material wealth, street vendors are full of optimism. Take the case of Lita. She is very proud that their children will turn out to be better educated than them. Lita is an Ilocana from La Union who finished only Grade III. Oh, you should see her radiant face when she proudly told me that her eldest daughter will be graduating from high school, this year.

Let’s share our blessings with street vendors by buying from them and by being kind and friendly to them.

Be joyful and generous!