I Still Left and Ran Away, by David Farinas

David Farinas is nine years old and in the first grade at Kalantiao Elementery in Cubao, the Philippines. He and his four brothers and sisters are regulars at The School in a Cart after school and on weekends, and their mother Erlinda Farinas works there part-time.

Though David has loving parents and the positive influence of The School in a Cart, he falls to temptation from time to time. Here he writes about trying to hop a jeepney and run away in a short poem that gets to the point. Thank you, Shirley, David, Ayrton, and Annabel for making a donation to The School in a Cart, which feeds and tutors the street children in order to keep them in school.

Elinda Farinas, David’s mother. An extremely caring woman with her share of worries raising five children on the streets.

Street children sneak away from their parents to hop into running jeepneys to beg for loose change. Jeepneys mostly transport the public short distances, although they also cater to long distance travelers. The children hand an envelope to the passengers, hoping for money. Some sing songs and beat self-made drums.

It is risky for children to hop in and out of running jeepneys, especially when they are unsure of its destination and how to get back home. Conscientious parents prohibit their children from doing this, however, there are those who encourage the practice for an extra income for the family.