Delivery by Umbrella

I arrived early for a mass at a local church and then immediately heavy rain poured. During that time, a wedding is being conducted inside the church. Within a few minutes after the start of the rain. A couple of children and some adults, of which some had no shirt on, rushed to the church with their big umbrellas. At first, I didn't realize what they were doing. I just thought that that they were sheltering themselves from the heavy downpour. As the wedding finished and some guests started to leave the church, the children offered their services to the them. They would accompany their clients to the nearest jeepney stop using their umbrella for a couple of pesos.

I took this photo of a child, using my cellphone camera, while he was waiting for customers outside the church. It was very evident to me that he was trembling from the cold and was soaked with rain. He is almost in a fetal position. The position we use when we are cold and tucked under the sheets in our bed.

It's painful to see a child like this braving the cold to earn money. We are all thinking that he should be home and safe from the elements but this is the reality of life that we face everyday. There are children who have to work instead of going to school. Children who have to grow up drastically in order to survive. Such is the world we live in.