Calvo: "A Prayer for the Least Among Us"

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, "Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat." When she referred to the poor and to those who struggle so much in life, she said, "Each one of them is Jesus in disguise."

 

My wife was so deeply moved when she met children with diverse needs early last year. She didn't know before that time what special project she would undertake as first lady of Guam. Christine is a very modest person. She shies from the camera and the public spotlight. She's always been my silent backer and my partner in raising our family.

 

Children have always been her number one priority. And when she saw children who didn't have the love of parents, children who are growing up with nearly nothing, and children who are trying to understand why they are different from other children, her heart cried out. She knew her calling then, and she's been advocating for our most vulnerable children since.

 

This past Wednesday I got to meet some of these kids and their parents and guardians. My wife hosted an Easter Egg hunt at the Front Lawn of Adelup. It was for children who live with disabilities.

 

I get emotional when I talk about these things, not so much because these kids have so much more to overcome in life, but because of how happy they look. I didn't see kids who were dwelling on their autism or other type of disability. I saw children who are loved by their parents and guardians. They were there holding their hands and guiding them to find the plastic eggs. And they were happy.

 

But it breaks my heart to think about other children who don't get this support, for whatever reason. It concerns me that there are many parents who are so overwhelmed with the struggle of caring for children with disabilities. My prayer is that the light I saw in the hearts of those children on the Front Lawn never dies. These are kids who have hopes and dreams, just like every other child. It's so important that as they grow, they have the support and they always know that they can make it in life, too.

 

There is no perceived disability too great for the dreams of a child. If we truly believe that every child should be loved and cared for, no matter the burden they shoulder, then we must believe that every child can learn and succeed.

 

In our systems of support for children with diverse needs, I've come to learn that the key ingredient are people who care. People willing to advocate. People who stretch their arms wide with love. You all know a teacher who is like this. She'll stay late at school to make sure her students with disabilities are picked up, or to help them make extra progress in their math lessons. There are the social workers and volunteers at the Alee Shelter, Sanctuary, the foster families association, and many other groups who dedicate themselves to loving children. There's Lydia Tenorio and her team at the Bureau of Social Services Administration, department of public health, who go above and beyond to make life better for the most vulnerable children. And then there's my beautiful wife, your first lady, who spends her days spreading love and a caring spirit to children who just want an embrace.

 

Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ struggled to carry the very Cross where He would spend his last breath in agony. In the years preceding His sacrifice for our sins, He woke in the morning with prayer and then he set out to touch lepers, walk with the blind, and bring joy to the poor. He laughed with poor children, and he embraced the cast-aways, those people who society ignored and pushed down. The essence of His life was to bring love to the unloved, hope to the downtrodden, and faith to those who had nothing to live for.

 

He said, "'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Happy Easter, my dear people. May we all live our lives to love one another, to celebrate our diversity, and to embrace those who need to know they are loved, too.