Brave. No turning back. Just listen.

I was here today.

I cannot find the exact words I want to say here but the first adjective I would like to use is "home-y". It felt like home. NO EXAGGERATING, NO PRETENSIONS, kidding aside... I have just had the best excursion of my life. Today, I have met real human beings. The ones who didn't have to put up an act for me just to make a first impression. There was nothing phony. I was surrounded by the genuine type of people I've been searching for. There was never a minute that I didn't smile nor laugh my heart out because there was so much entertainment we had to offer. I waved my arms high, and the whole choir of this church couldn't stop waving "hi" to me back as they were singing hymns of praise and worship. Our team was playing tennis with and in front of people we never imagined who can actually play tennis this well. And they were actually good at it. In this place, they can be with their families. You're too cool with your hundred tattoos. You'll find thousands of tiny houses turned into simbahan of different religions. They were men who came from different walks of life. They can eat whenever they felt like it. They can sleep whenever they

want to. But in one condition... you have got to be imprisoned.

Yes, I was surrounded by nothing but men today. There were no women at all. I made friends with criminals. I am not ashamed of it. Yes, I made friends with the richest of rapists, and the poorest of massacre suspects. We played tennis and they even toured us (only 5 girls from De La Salle) around their compound which was not bad at all. Just no malls, no beaches, no civilization... they were technically "isolated" but not really. It's quite difficult to explain but I try. It felt like home to me because they were basically living in a community with people who committed the same crimes they did and their families were just within their reach! Do you know what I mean? They were productive. These people have a certain system going on. They know that they won't be moping around for the rest of their lives being apathetic or dejected but instead - they enhance their skills and talents. Sort of the "I-have-sinned, there's-nowhere-else-I'm-supposed-to-be-but-here-because-I-am-a-criminal-but-I-am-not-useless" thinking. There's always room for change. These are men whom you find disgusting and disgraceful in general. But once you get to know them like the way I did... you will keep coming back for them not because they need it, not because you have to, but because they serve as professors in life.

I met Dolphy. He was my body guard as we toured the compound. He hails from Nueva Vizcaya. He used to be a security guard. Our conversation went somewhat like this:

Me: So ano po kaso niyo?

Dolphy: Security ako dati, nagkagulo-gulo, aksidente, naka-baril ako, patay eh.. Massacre.

Me: Gaano na po kayo katagal dito?

Dolphy: More than 10 years na, 5 years pa.. laya na ako.

Me: Konti nalang yun.. promise!

Dolphy: Kay God na yun, bahala na siya.. Ma'am balik po kayo ha

(in my mind, "of course! pero visit lang ha...")

Being able to talk with the Vizconde massacre suspects was very interesting too. (Cannot expose more details though)

WE WERE HERE TODAY.