I think it's great that schools try to open the children's eyes to the realities around them...to make them realize that there are people far less fortunate than they are and to make them appreciate more what they have at present.
Yesterday, Gianni left with 43 other kids from his school to visit a prison nearby. They each brought a shirt to give to the prisoner assigned for them to interact with. I thought it was a great idea, though I had a bit of an argument with his father about it. He thinks Gianni shouldn't go, that I had no idea what the prison was like and that it could be dangerous. He said it wasn't that the kids might be brought to maximum security areas, but that they might get adventurous and wander off to restricted areas and get hostaged, or, there could be a prison outbreak. From history though, some prison outbreaks here are a far cry from the Prison Break series Gianni and his father used to watch regularly. Some that happen here are really quite violent.
Come to think of it, being in a Third World country, a prison like Muntinlupa isn't really such an attractive place to let your child go to. They've shown on tv, 4x4, poorly ventilated prison cells with more than 10 inmates sharing the room. Can you just imagine how these people slept or moved around a cramped room like that especially during summer? But that was far from my mind. Even such a sorry state prison had "social halls" where these people can intermingle with visitors and I didn't expect the kids to be brought to the prisoners' cells nor be exposed to prisoners in the maximum security area. I know there are ministries or special organizations that help uplift the situation of these people while inside the prison by teaching them livelihood programs they can busy themselves with and earn money from. Some have even been successful in converting some prisoners as devoted Christians.
Well I was right. Gianni said the prisoners had a special program or presentation prepared for them. Some spoke about why they ended up where they are now and gave inspirational talks. The inmate Gianni spoke to said that he ended up in jail because of drugs and the influence of friends. It made me smile a bit that Gianni sounded really sad about it. I'd like to think that his visit there has made an impact on him and his schoolmates and help mold them into better and responsible members of society.
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