Hello, this is Alice! The Philippines Service Trip is now over, and I am waiting for the flight to Shenyang at Guangzhou airport now. Today, I would like to talk about yesterday’s trip to the Trash Mountain.
The Trash Mountain is literally a mountain of trash and is located in the middle of Manila. On Monday evening, fifteen students chosen by the leaders had a meeting and listened to James, who went to the mountain two years ago. He said that many of the children living at the Trash Mountain were working at a coal factory near the mountain and that they were in bad health conditions because of the coal dust they inhaled. He told us that the mountain area was covered with black dust. Also, he said that the feeding he did at the Trash Mountain was the hardest feeding he had ever done.
At 5 o’clock in the next morning, the students and the leaders left the YMC to travel to the Trash Mountain. We rode cars to a train station, rode the train to go to the middle part of Manila, rode a jeepney to a local church. At the church, we listened to the pastor of the church and got the food to feed people. Then, we walked to the mountain area from the church.
That was the only information I had about the Trash Mountain. I expected the situation of the Trash Mountain to be the same as what I heard, but the environment there was changed a lot. The coal factory was closed two years ago, so the air quality of the area got much better. The mountain got more dirt and plants on it. The health and living conditions of the residents of the Trash Mountain got a lot better. At the Trash Mountain, which was more like a hill, the students and leaders sang worship songs and fed the people. The only foods we gave were rice, ham and ketchup, but the people there thanked for the food and enjoyed what they got. We also made bracelets with colorful threads and beads and gave to children there.
After the first feeding, we went to another area near from the Trash Mountain named “Happyland.” The situation of Happyland was worse than what I expected. All roads and buildings were covered with all kinds of trash. Leftover food was lying on everywhere, and it made a yucky smell as it got rotten. People there were separating different types of trashes in separate bags; plastic spoons and forks in one huge plastic bag, dishes in one bag, etc. The ground was so watery, so our shoes got wet with the smelly water from the rotten trash. We walked to the feeding place, which was located in the middle of Happyland, and again sang worship songs with the children. So many children came to get food, so we could not feed all of those people. I was so sorry for the kids who did not get any food, but I could do nothing for them.
After the second feeding, we went back to the YMC. I noticed that what James said about the feeding was true; the feeding at the Trash Mountain and Happyland was definitely the hardest feeding I have ever done in the Philippines. The situation of the Trash Mountain got better, but there were still so many malnourished children living in poor living conditions. The people living at Happyland were left in the terrible condition with no active helps from the government. I was so sorry for that I could not make major changes in the areas at that immediate moment. Yet, I still hope for greater positive changes to be made in the Trash Mountain and Happyland.
- Alice Minkyung
The Trash Mountain is literally a mountain of trash and is located in the middle of Manila. On Monday evening, fifteen students chosen by the leaders had a meeting and listened to James, who went to the mountain two years ago. He said that many of the children living at the Trash Mountain were working at a coal factory near the mountain and that they were in bad health conditions because of the coal dust they inhaled. He told us that the mountain area was covered with black dust. Also, he said that the feeding he did at the Trash Mountain was the hardest feeding he had ever done.
At 5 o’clock in the next morning, the students and the leaders left the YMC to travel to the Trash Mountain. We rode cars to a train station, rode the train to go to the middle part of Manila, rode a jeepney to a local church. At the church, we listened to the pastor of the church and got the food to feed people. Then, we walked to the mountain area from the church.
That was the only information I had about the Trash Mountain. I expected the situation of the Trash Mountain to be the same as what I heard, but the environment there was changed a lot. The coal factory was closed two years ago, so the air quality of the area got much better. The mountain got more dirt and plants on it. The health and living conditions of the residents of the Trash Mountain got a lot better. At the Trash Mountain, which was more like a hill, the students and leaders sang worship songs and fed the people. The only foods we gave were rice, ham and ketchup, but the people there thanked for the food and enjoyed what they got. We also made bracelets with colorful threads and beads and gave to children there.
After the first feeding, we went to another area near from the Trash Mountain named “Happyland.” The situation of Happyland was worse than what I expected. All roads and buildings were covered with all kinds of trash. Leftover food was lying on everywhere, and it made a yucky smell as it got rotten. People there were separating different types of trashes in separate bags; plastic spoons and forks in one huge plastic bag, dishes in one bag, etc. The ground was so watery, so our shoes got wet with the smelly water from the rotten trash. We walked to the feeding place, which was located in the middle of Happyland, and again sang worship songs with the children. So many children came to get food, so we could not feed all of those people. I was so sorry for the kids who did not get any food, but I could do nothing for them.
After the second feeding, we went back to the YMC. I noticed that what James said about the feeding was true; the feeding at the Trash Mountain and Happyland was definitely the hardest feeding I have ever done in the Philippines. The situation of the Trash Mountain got better, but there were still so many malnourished children living in poor living conditions. The people living at Happyland were left in the terrible condition with no active helps from the government. I was so sorry for that I could not make major changes in the areas at that immediate moment. Yet, I still hope for greater positive changes to be made in the Trash Mountain and Happyland.
- Alice Minkyung