No School

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Hi, my name is Shibur and I am 9 years old. Today is my birthday and I can come home early today, before it’s dark. This morning, like every morning, I was waked up by my older sister. She are one of my 5 sisters and the second oldest of my sisters and brothers. My two brothers are younger than me. It’s starting to get bright during my early breakfast with rice. I have to be there before 6 am; otherwise I will miss the first busy workers. I ride with my older sister on our bike. She’s working at a big company packing Bananas all day. My sister is very lucky. Every Saturday she comes home with money enough for us to buy rice, vegetables and oil. I hope I will also come home with more money someday.
She leaves me outside the shopping mall where I’m taking care of my business. I’m helping people to find free parking, available mototaxis, showing directions and watching people’s cars and motorbikes when they are shopping. When it rains I try to cover the seats of the motorbikes with cartons or plastic bags. The rain is no good because all people are running and have little time to give me some pesos. My mama try to explain to me that I have to set me goals every day. I do, but it’s difficult to reach because of the tuff competition around. We are some 20 boys trying to serve people. So I can not bring home more than 4-5 Pesos a normal day. But today I feel like my lucky day. Mama promised me that I can come home at five; tree hours before normal. She also promised me that I could buy a bar of chocolate for 1 Peso.
The start of this day is good. Already before noon I have my first Peso. So today I go early to my friend Mr. Babu at the chicken grill across the mall. As always he has prepared some leftovers in a plastic bag. People in a hurry have no time to eat all of the chicken they buy. Also the rice is sometimes too much for some. But I’m happy. Mr. Babu is nice to me. Sometimes I even get some coca cola from a half-drunk bottle. I try of course to bring Mr. Babu Customers. I ask if people are hungry and that I know the best chicken in town. Sometimes they believe me.
An hour or so later I see a blue van coming slowly towards the mall. The windows are dark but I can see the driver. It’s Mr. EmEm. He visits the mall every week. He is working with children outside the town. He tells me that maybe someday I can go to school and stop working like I am. But this day he has some visitors. They look like Americans. One man with white hair and a camera, and a nice lady with a smile like my mother. I run into the street and show Mr. EmEm where to drive for a free spot to park. I say hello to the Americans and promise to guard the van. It’s a big thing to guard a whole van. The other boys are looking at my directions more than once and wish they have seen Mr. EmEm first. Two hours later the couple return with Mr. EmEm to the van loaded with shopping bags. I try to help open the door for the lady but the cameraman winked me away. Then without any begging the lady stick to me five coins of Pesos. I knew this was my lucky day. I run out in the street making way for Mr. EmEm to get out of his parking space. I waved the van away and grasped around the beautiful coins in my hand.
I hope that more Americans can come and visit my town more often. Maybe then I can only work some hours a day and than go to school as well. But that’s a dream. I know my family needs me to work hard and maybe someday I can earn good money like my sister so my younger brothers and sisters can go to school.
Bless you all around the world!
Shibur!

We will be back with more from Phillipines tomorrow morning.
Berit & Alf

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Photos

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A younger brother in our bedroom........

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Trying to help, serve and work hard for some money

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Lot of customers moving towards my district...

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A friend of mine trying to sell melons and bananas. Can not go to school because she has to earn money

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My friend Mr. Babu friying chicken