I was nervous with anticipation when I stepped out of the car on the morning of December 26. It was Boxing Day. I knew that the citizens of Boystown would either be bursting with excitement or battling melancholy due to the festivities that came with Christmas day. I hoped that for those who were on the lonely side because of their lack of family would make me their sister or even just a friend for the day.

Today, I visited a section of Boystown called the Foundling Home. It is a home for young orphan boys. I brought my friend Reggie along with me to experience Boystown because she’s never been before and I wanted her to feel the satisfaction that I felt when I first visited several years ago.

The first thing I noticed was that Boystown was decorated with Christmas decorations; from the trees, to the doors, to the windows. Parols, ornaments and bells everywhere. It made me happy to see that Christmas spirit was very much present in the institution. The sight gave me the same sense of hope that I felt the first time I visited because I knew how difficult it was to uphold the Christmas spirit especially when majority of the people in Boystown have suffered tremendously in their lives and do not have a lot of family to account for.

 The uplifting sight of Christmas alone washed my worries away and I had a spring in my step as I walked along the institution to meet the staff members and boys of Boystown.

It felt like coming home.

To be continued...

One of the many things that I love about the Manila Boystown organization is that it's heart is as big as it's land.

When I first entered the institution years ago, the first thing I noticed is that it's boundless. This is because Manila Boystown is 23-hectare orphanage that provides shelter for the abandoned, forgotten and voluntarily surrendered children, teenagers and elderly of Manila. That's a lot of people, especially since Manila is one of the most populated cities in the world and the heart of the Philippines.

What's inspiring is that just one glimpse of the organization at work shows how dedicated the members of the organization are to providing better lives for the less fortunate males in Manila. It doesn't matter how difficult and time consuming the task of catering to the children, teenagers and elderly are, the members do it relentlessly.

Manila Boystown was founded in 1949, which is 64 years of service towards these underprivileged people. That shows a lot of dedication. The organization's mission is, "To Give the Children and the Elderly a Better Hope, Care and Love they deserve" and it is a statement that the members of the organization practice faithfully.

Manila Boystown's is owned by the Manila city government and it is a non-profit based organization.

For more information about Manila Boystown, visit: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Manila-Boystown-Complex-Parang-Marikina-City-Philippines/348111318603789 or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Manila-Boystown-Complex/415616151829466

Hope.

That was the first thought that came to mind when I first entered Manila Boystown two years ago. I remember being confused when my mom told me that we were spending her birthday in the institution. I had no idea what it was and when I asked her, all she said was, "It's an shelter for young boys who are homeless." As it was my first time, I didn’t find it that significant going to an orphanage on my mom’s birthday and donating food and books.

However, when we pulled up into the driveway of the shelter, I was astounded by the genuine hope and happiness that each boy exuded as they greeted us with warm hugs. It didn’t matter to them whether or not we had gifts to give them, they welcomed our company with open arms. Coming from a privileged background, it was heartwarming to witness how such a simple thing like Jollibee Chicken Joy can bring authentic delight to these children.

Manila Boystown serves as a sanctuary and a symbol of hope for those who are trying to rise above their shortcomings in life. Whenever I picture hope, I picture the smiles on the boys' faces with no trace of the real life difficulties that they are facing.

Because of the impact of that one visit, visiting Boystown once more has always been something that I longed to do again. I only hope that I will have even the slightest bit of impact on the boys as they had on me, when I visit them again in the near future.