It is almost two years now since we first set foot on a once unknown community to me. A place I never knew existed until I joined Ateneo de Zamboanga University- School of Medicine. It was indeed a life changing event for me. A life of adventure awaits each day which is truly different from any other day in my life.
Meeting me along this journey are ten amazing individuals who became known to me as Team “Los Conquistadores” Tinglan. We may not be the perfect group but for me this group is my home. With them I am happy to share my perspective of this journey we all are taking.
We have started well in the community. We were able to win the hearts of the people with nothing more than our presence. We were welcomed with open arms and we are very much thankful for that. Community folks are all very accommodating. We were able to look into their ways and were able to establish goals with them. Immersing ourselves with the community did not only open our understanding but also broadened our perspective as future medical practioners. We have become better persons in general. We got along well with each other and ourselves as well.
Spending almost a month together as a group allowed us to bond. Interesting insights were shared. Stories heard and laughter reverberated were all signs of a happy and contented group. We grew closer day by day drawing strength on each other. It went on this way for entire school year during our first year. But just with any other relationships, one must undergo struggles. We came to a point when all of these realities are indeed painful to accept. It dawned on us that some will have to take an academic pause. A thought so distant to us but is now an inevitable fact. Laughter now became tears, our joys into sorrows and hope into despair. From a happy group of 11, we are now a sadder 7 man-team. We may eventually develop acceptance but the true gravity of the situation will be revealed when we return to the community.
The community waited six months for our return. Once again we were greeted with the same sweet smiles. But along those smiles were questions that are hard to answer, “nganong murag kulang man mu sir?” it’s just one of the many questions thrown at me by one of our tanods. I just nodded and said “naay plano ang Ginoo para sa ila, ‘di pa man nato masabtan karon pero basi sa sunod.”
Six months have passed and we are again in the community. It will never be the same for it’s about time for us to face the reality, the reality of missing most of our group mates who are no longer with us this exposure. The fun and experiences will always linger. Memories once shared will reecho the now silent corners of our Tinglan base. We are four persons fewer now but we are ever more committed in pursuing what we have started.
Our medical school is indeed beyond the usual school. Not your usual laughter and most of all not your usual tears. We may be feeling lost and despaired at times but this is just as necessary. This is life painted on vivid colors. No book illustrations can ever replace the lessons we gain. Our experiences put greater emphasis on becoming medical doctors who truly care and in touch with the lives of people we serve. And I can attribute this transformational work with our exposures to the community. For we have experienced what it is like to walk with the lowly and broken-hearted.
