Ang Dilaw na Paperclip na May Batik-Batik na Matingkad na Kulay Ube

Kailan ka huling nakakita ng paperclip? Maaaring nakita mo ako noong isang araw. Kakaiba ako sa karamihan ng mga paperclip. Oo, tama ka! Ako iyon, yung paperclip na na sa mesa ng titser mo.

Sa dinami-dami ng mga paperclip sa mundo, siguro ako lang ang dilaw na may batik-batik na matingkad na kulay ube. Alam mo ba kung saan ako nanggaling?

Thanks to Becca's grandma and Anna's mom, Mrs. Ludy Carreon, my story has been translated into Filipino! And thanks to Bing, I did my first ever storytelling session (Yes, in Filipino too! Well, okay, maybe more like in Taglish!) yesterday at the ATDSummer Festival of Learning in the Hilum Community in Quirino. There were approximately 50 kids, ranging from 4 to 15 years old. It was great to see them responding to the story. Becca helped me with turning the pages and doing a show-and-tell of our simple props (ie. a bowl of silver paperclips, a paper airplane, a globe...) - great job, Becca!

Father Joseph Wresinki, founder of the ATD Fourth World Movement, wrote: The world will change one day because we will have listened to the children of the poorest, and because these children will take their destiny in hand. As Raymonde reminds us, "When I grow up, I'll do what you do! I'll teach children to read and write." The world will change because we want it to. Humanity will be renewed, and freed of poverty.

I love how the Yellow Paperclip knows no boundaries and appeals to kids and kids-at-heart regardless of age, gender, class or race. I hope the Yellow Paperclip can be a small spark for the children of Hilum to continue their love for reading, writing and the arts. I pray that the Yellow Paperclip can, in its small and humble way, change the world - one paperclip or one kid at a time.