The KAPPAL Manifesto.

People who share the same passion for Deaf Volunteerism are the guys and gals of K.A.P.P.A.L. an acronym for "Kabalikat, Alalay, Puno ng Pasensiya, At Lab" ... that says it all for what we had experienced, endured and triumphed in our LOVE AFFAIR with the DEAF.We are their 'shoulders to lean on ' (kabalikat), we offer our help (alalay), we learned to have lots of patience (puno ng pasensya) in learning their language and understanding the Deaf, their individuality and their culture, and we are full of "LAB"...which can mean a lot of things.. like 'LOVE' ...we have learned to love everything about the DEAF (that we can be mistaken as one...every time we go out with them and pretended to be DEAF) "LAB" ...can also mean "Labutaw" an Ilonggo dialect which has a myriad of meanings such as being a joker or funny, being mischievous or naughty, among others... Indeed in our constant interaction with the deaf, we had appreciated the simple joys (and not to forget the corny jokes, and pranks ) that we shared and did to each other. "LAB"...can also mean "Lab-as" a colloquial which means fresh. We become youthful, innovative, and creative in our dealings with the deaf. We never run out of new and fresh ideas so as to make ends meet. To sum it up....KAPPAL...which in itself literally means "thick-faced" ....takes a whole new meaning...For us it means being gutsy, confident, brave, being able to forget ourselves and go beyond the limits of what we thought we could not do, all in the name of LOVE for the DEAF... That is what we had all undergone at one point in our lives being with the DEAF. And that experience is what we will treasure as long as we live...Who are the KAPPAL? Taba (our 'manong' wherever he may be), Tin Tin, (our energetic sole Paulinian survivor) Naty, Anna Lizza, and Arlene (the pioneer Hijas trio), Alan, Leda, Matoy (the import from WVSU), Mary Ann (ang loyal nga recruit ni Alan), Joma and Peter (gin-pirate ni Leda sa Special Camp). The KAPPAL family is growing bigger. We welcome them in the wonderful world of KAPPAL-hood, a combination of selfless, humbling, and exhilarating experience. It is a world of great sacrifices, of dying to one's self, of testing your patience to the extreme. But also it is a world of unspeakable joy, of inner fulfillment, of discovering your relevance in this world. We welcome into our world, June Ann (the very talented, generous and full of initiative volunteer from Antique), Sherwin (our very witty import from UPV, who has a knack for words and a good ambassador for the Deaf), Gael Le Cornec (the very industrious and enthusiastic volunteer all the way from France, just proves Kappal-hood is universal!), Misaki Toyota (the cheerful AMA volunteer from Japan), Itza Sanchez Aleman (the funny and energetic AMA import from Mexico) and many are following suit. Once a KAPPAL, always a KAPPAL, in heart, in mind and in spirit. Once you give, once you love, once you've become one with the Deaf, there is no turning back. There is only one way and that is "salumay"… a colloquial which literally means "to dive,"... to give without expecting in return, to finish what you've started, to fulfill a thing you promised to deliver. We, the KAPPAL, never expect anything in return, we have God as our "boss" and His graces are abundant. He has His rewards for us piled up in heaven. And the love, the laughter, the warmth and the acceptance of the Deaf are rewards in itself. To see them grow, mature, and become enriched, fulfilled, and empowered individuals is more than any compensation that this world could offer. To know that I have made a difference in this world to one Deaf at a time, to have become an instrument in making this world a little bit better for them to live in, is to have lived this KAPPAL life to the full. I am a KAPPAL volunteer to the Deaf….and this is my manifesto! Take a glimpse of my Journey with the Deaf.