Can you also see God’s beauty/life beyond?

As this article was being written yesterday morning, prayers were lifted for a fruitful/ productive training session on Composting and Options for Household Segregated Waste at the DENR covered court in Sudlon, and, for all to practice responsible waste segregation/management to restore God’s wonderful created world for people and planet!

During the May 12 CONVERGENCE, we promised to conduct training on compost/segregated waste options as our RCE-Cebu contribution for climate action vs. global warming and as proactive response to prepare all for the reported possible El Niño-related food/water supply shortage and other continuing/simultaneous problems/crises (hunger/poverty/others) affecting human and planetary survival/sustainability.

Also, there was an urgency to start such training especially upon the request of Ms. Rosalinda and her companion who approached us over lunch during the CONVERGENCE for their Binaliw community.

As you may all know, Binaliw, sadly, has become the present Inayawan, more of a dumping ground rather than a controlled landfill area for truck-collected garbage.

All the filthy, stinking collected unsegregated garbage from various Metro Cebu cities (gravely dangerous to the health of residents, community, and environment) are carelessly dumped there many times a day, from morning ‘til late evening.

Can you imagine experiencing where you are residing, day in and day out, the three B’s --baho, bangaw, basura? Can you eat, sleep, move about in such an inhuman, despicable setting?

As they eat, sleep, move about each day, the Binaliw residents are perilously/ incessantly exposed to these 3 B’s and more risks!

Poetically, Binaliw residents (despite these daily barrage of basura woes and government/public/private indifference and neglect) valiantly choose to see beyond the stench, filth, neglect and indifference and are bravely proceeding with their daily lives as best they can.

Their request for the compost and waste management training was heart-tugging but heartwarming as well. Heart-tugging, because these women exuded much hope and faith that, God willing, compost gardening and waste segregation among their households may perhaps make a difference for them and their community as well!

Heartwarming, because their belief and strength to see, go beyond, and perhaps change their present indescribably inhuman environment (an ocean of filthy, stinking, smoky mountain of trash) to one with beautiful, healthy, colorful, composted gardens of vegetables/herbs/flowers and other plants and other livelihood, eco-friendly options for segregated waste is truly, genuinely inspiring.

“Posible kaha, Ma’am, nga makatanom mi og mas molimpyo among lugar human sa training?” Their question deeply touched, pierced our hearts!

How we wish we could readily give them 100% assurance that yes, AGAPE (a garden per ecosystem/household) and DEO (daily eco-offering of segregated waste) can make a huge difference for them at the dumpsites and yes, may yet make their days more bearable than before!

But the answer should come from each one of us, from all of us, including/especially those in government/business and, from all the residents themselves.

If only all of us unite to more responsibly do our share, segregating organic/kitchen/malata/other wastes so that no more unsegregated, filthy/smelly/harmful garbage reach Binaliw and other similar communities ever again, then perhaps, just maybe, practicing AGAPE and DEO, may make life different, bearable, healthier, not only for those in Binaliw but for others living within and along the routes to dumpsites.

One step at a time. This is the most we can share and promise for now.

One training at a time with one group of participants sent by the Lord to offer AGAPE/DEO as their daily prayer and acts of love for God, his earth, his people.

Grateful/joyful to have partners in DENR, Special Office for Waste Management of Cebu City Mayor, City Agriculture, Binaliw, among the May 19 training participants, others who see the beauty of God’s creations beyond the daily/widespread human-produced ugliness and filth.