In a Facebook post, a social media user shared a story of how a jeepney driver recognized him for his community pantry volunteer work during the height of the pandemic. The driver then proceeded to decline his fare, and instead gave him a free ride as a gesture of gratitude for the help he received during such a challenging time.
Relaying the story, the user recalled the driver asking, “hindi ba ikaw yung nasa pantry noon sa simbahan? Noong kasagsagan ng COVID? [Aren’t you the person manning the [community] pantry at the church back then? At the height of COVID?]”
“Libre na pamasahe mo. Dahil sa inyo nagka-bigas at ulam kami noon [Your fare is free. Because of you, we had rice and dishes to eat back then],” the driver added as recalled by the social media user.
The person behind the post, Eddniel Papa, recalls that during his service in the community pantry, he still had colored hair and was still thin back then. The driver shared that he remembered him because of his voice when he used to shout, “Dito po ang pila! Kumuha po tayo nang na aayon sa kailangan! [The line is here! Take only what is needed!]
“Hindi ako makapaniwala na tanda niya pa ‘yon. Magta-tatlong taon na ang nakalilipas… pero hindi talaga nakalilimot ang masa. [I can’t believe that the driver can still remember that. Almost 3 years have passed, but the public really do not forget.]”
In the replies, he added that this was actually the second time such an encounter happened during a jeepney ride, all because of the help provided by the community pantry.
“Tanda ko, nagtayo lang kami noon ng isang sirang lamesa sa pagbabakasakali na madagdagan ang bigas at de lata na dala namin noon nica Erven, Andrei, at Alex. Ang mga ganitong interaksyon ang patuloy na nagpapaniwala sa akin na palaging may pag-asa at nagbibigay lakas. [I remember, we only set up a broken table back then, hoping to add to the rice and canned goods we brought with Erven, Andrei, and Alex. It’s interactions like these that continue to make me believe there is always hope and give me strength],” he wrote.
After the post went viral, he expressed his gratitude to everyone who remembers and continues to support one another during times of need.
Patreng Non, the community organizer who started the concept of the community pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanked Eddniel for organizing a community pantry.
Colleagues who joined Eddniel in organizing the community pantry in their area shared their stories of how he reached out to them. One even mentioned being unsure if the idea would be successful or beneficial, but later, more volunteers joined and supported the cause.
This heartwarming exchange reminds us that a single act of kindness can have a lasting impact.
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