While we can’t control the circumstances we were born in or choose the family we would have at birth, everyone gets the chance to change their future – and that’s through hard work and determination. Indeed, a lot of poor children eventually became rich, powerful people when they grew up!
A young boy named Lance from Gawad Kalinga in Sta. Ana would go viral for his determination to send himself to school and also earn enough money to support himself as well as his sick dad. Because he no longer has a mother, Lance lives with his dad who is too sickly to find a good job.
Photo credit: Jewel Rashia / Facebook
So, the young boy took his dad’s responsibilities on his shoulders. Each day after school and on days when he has no classes, Lance would sell dried fish to earn some extra money.
His young body is still too small to carry such a heavy load, literally and figuratively, yet Lance tries his best to sell the dried fish or he and his father won’t have any money to use.
Netizen Jewel Rashia was just dining with her mother at Jollibee Pateros when they noticed Lance selling his goods downstairs. Jewel’s mom gently reminded her that she and her siblings keep asking for money, yet this kid downstairs was already trying to earn it!
Some minutes later, the kid reached the second floor where Jewel and her mom were eating. They admired his sales pitch as he told them the merits of buying his dried fish.
Photo credit: Jewel Rashia / Facebook
While Jewel’s mom bought some of the boy’s goods, she also asked the kid about himself and learned about his sick dad. The boy admitted that he had to do this so he could earn money for his dad’s medicines, send himself to school, and ensure that he and his dad will have something to eat.
“Hi Lance! kung makakarating man to sayo, napaka swerte ng papa mo at meron siyang masipag at mapagmahal na anak kagaya mo,” Jewel wrote on her Facebook account.
“Kaya sa ibang kabataan dyan maging aral sana to sa inyo na hindi madali ang buhay, hindi madaling kumita ng pera kaya wag lang kayo puro “ma/pa penge pera” sa magulang nyo matuto din kayong dumiskarte dahil hindi niyo alam yung paghihirap ng magulang natin mabigyan lang tayo ng magandang buhay.”
Photo credit: Jewel Rashia / Facebook
God bless you, Lance!
