The volunteers were divided into three groups. For the next nine days, each group had a chance to paint, teach and do "administration" work. If one of the groups was assigned to be "Administration," all the volunteers in that group would stay in the house and do the housework while the two other groups would proceed to San Pedro to teach and to paint the rooms or decorate the classrooms. In the place we rented in Sta. Rosa, we cooked our own meals, cleaned the whole house (and car) and washed our own clothes. We had no helper with us. We went to the market to buy fish and fruits.

 During my group's turn to do administration work, we tried to outdo the other groups by making the meals more special. We even went as far as decorating the dining room with a Filipino motif. I think, we were able to cook quite respectable dishes (especially the Porkchop, Chopsuey and Cathedral Window). For me, that experience alone was truly enjoyable.

 When we visited San Pedro for the first time, we were quite taken aback. The community was a little far off from the town and was definitely a lot hotter. The concrete road suddenly disappeared. What appeared before us was a stretch of rocky–crater like holes would be more apt–and very dusty path. The trees along the side became drier and drier as we got farther from the main road until a shade of green was no longer visible. After 10 minutes of driving, uphill and downhill, we reached our destination. We were warmly welcomed into the Day Care Center, which consisted of three rooms: a bathroom, a kitchen, and a multi-purpose hall. The kids were in their P.E. uniforms and were smiling–some with toothless grins–at us. Smiling back, while holding our teaching materials, we held our breaths and stepped into the classroom. We were nervous!

 But as the days passed, those feelings vanished. Since the kids were all cooperative, friendly and polite, we started looking forward to our teaching days. We'd read stories with more expression and our conversations with them became more natural and casual-it was as if we've known them ever since. Math and English tutorials came up and their thirst for learning amazed us. Even with their short attention spans, we could see their effort in trying to decipher the letters and numbers scrawled on the blackboard. During Catechism, they knew a lot more than we thought. What's more: they already had the habit of praying before going to bed!

 Since then, the nameless faces started to lessen one by one until we could distinguish each and every kid among the 34 others. We would not only joke around (and these kids, ranging from three to 13 are funny!) but we'd also walk around the community. We'd bring the kids home during noontime and talk to their elders. Some were so friendly and so hospitable–one mother even offered us Popcola, which we drank immediately, and a loaf of bread–despite their poverty.

 In return and as a show of trust, the kids invited us to their playground, which they called Kalawakan (due to the view at night). But in it, concrete pipes replaced the slides and swings, while dry sand covered by few patches of grass replaced the cushioned mats of how we all imagine-and expect-playgrounds to look like. In their little ways, the kids reminded us about the simple pleasures in life. Even in such a depressed location, they were all smiling as they played marbles or climbed trees. And being reminded about that was already worth all the heat and dirt, that we got a lot of during the nine days.

 The sweltering heat didn't really bother us, as we'd run back and forth from the Day Care Center to the sari-sari store to buy soft drinks for the kids. The ice cream vendor would stop by the hall because we'd also buy ice cream for them. But sometimes, it would be different. When we were walking once to Kalawakan, the kids suddenly let go of our hands and disappeared. The next thing we knew our arms were full of freshly picked mangoes (yes, there are a few forms of vegetation after all). On other instances,' some kids would buy us Jovi Juice, this sweet fruit juice. It was easy enough to see that we have become – contented and pretty comfortable with each other. During the Medical and Dental Mission, wherein we invited some doctors and dentists, to hold free check-ups, we got to bond even more with the kids.

 When we would leave the area at around four pm to go back to Sta. Rosa, the kids would hang on to the back of our jeep, while screaming "Bye, Ate!" So on the last day, after all the games, we were all signing our names on pieces of papers, feeling as if we were celebrities (of San Pedro only). The kids were also asking for remembrances and cell phone numbers (to this day some of us have new, mysterious text mates). And that time they hung on to the back of the vehicle until the town of San Pedro! When they jumped off with their (and our) final wave, we were surprised at how we felt.

 Cheesy as it may sound, we all know we would miss them (in fact, when we went to Mass in Sta. Rosa, we saw some kids, who looked like our friends from San Pedro at first glance-until now, we all notice how much some street children look like our friends!)

 It was definitely one of the best ways to start my summer-so I got a bash after all. And I'm still not sure about what particular part of this experience I will miss: from the talks and games, rosaries and Masses early in the morning, innumerable bonding sessions, marketing days, etc., or being trampled upon by kids with dirty, yet-smiling faces, smiling back at kids amidst the clouds of dust, walking hand-in-hand with our new found friends around the place, visiting their houses under the sun at two in the afternoon, standing on the concrete pipes in Kalawakan, etc. But one thing's for sure; I don't think I would exchange anything for the experience I just had. And I don't think I ever will.