This is the story of a young beautiful girl who goes by the name Joylin.
The first time I heard about Joylin came from a series of SMS or text messages on my mobile phone. The messages were sent by my friend Tony who kept asking for healing prayers. Sensing the urgency of the messages and believing in the power of prayers to heal, I would stop what I was doing and try to concentrate and send healing energies to Tony while praying. During those times, I would always sense something not right when I try to visualize Joylin. After receiving several of Tony's messages, I decided to confront him with my fears.
"Tony, I don't feel Joylin. I feel like she is a doll, unmoving and possibly dead! Maybe she's dying?" I texted Tony.
Tony replied that Joylin has polio and can not move. She needs help and the Spirit Questors are helping her. But she needs more help. Tony wanted me to check the video made by Nonoy Froilan which Tony posted on YouTube. And that's when I finally saw Joylin and understood her plight!
I felt relieved. Oh, no wonder I can not sense movements! But when I saw Joylin through Nonoy's video for the first time, something tells me Joylin will be alright.
Nonoy Froilan, a former premier danseur of Ballet Philippines and married to Edna Vida, a former prima ballerina of Ballet Philippines, is now a proactive digital filmmaker! Nonoy was able to document Joylin with her mother Rodita at the MRT Cubao Station while begging for alms, the way Tony found them in October this year. There in that pitiful condition, Rodita narrated their story in Pilipino.
Joylin Abendan was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was two years old. For 9 years her mother Rodita tried to sustain Joylin's needs until their meager resources ran out and Rodita had no choice but to go out and beg in the streets. Rodita can not work like she used to because she has to take care of Joylin herself. Long separated from Joylin's father, Rodita has to take care of their needs. Joylin has a brother Bernard who is married and has a family of his own but helps with the household expense. However, the factory where Bernard was working closed two years ago so he now accepts commissioned work in construction sites which provides irregular income.
Rodita's story is a mother's cry for help. It is a cry of despair and hope that someday, someone in that busy railway station will stop, and not just to drop coins or bills in their hands, but to finally take pity and give them hope. To find help for Joylin. To make Joylin well. That is Rodita's constant prayer. That day finally came!
Joylin's story is Tony's story as well . . . and of the many nameless people rushing in the busy metropolis, closing their eyes and ears briefly at the loud cries of nameless people with hands outstretched, eyes begging, their pained voices seems to mock at our apathy.
But Tony stopped that day. And a lot of people whom Tony reached through the modern mobile phone technology stopped with him. They all stopped for one girl with the beautiful smile. A girl named Joylin!
The Spirit Questors, a young group of psychics who volunteer their services every week after work, helps Tony provide for Joylin's needs: medication, therapy, food, fare, etc. Tony is the spiritual adviser to the Spirit Questors. Several individuals have volunteered their services too, but they are still raising the amount needed to get an anti-scoliosis brace for Joylin, help her brother Bernard get regular employment, and possibly help the Abendan family repair the shanty owned by Rodita's brother, where they are presently living.
Please, if you have time, please watch Nonoy's video at Tony Perez's Haring Salermo YouTube channel and visit Joylin's blog set up by Tony Perez. And hopefully, if you have the heart to stop like Tony and help this beautiful girl with her joyful smile, please do . . .
