Joey Velasco???...not heard of him until just recently, I watched The Probe Team and he was featured in their April 18, 2007 episode. Mr. Velasco is a Filipino painter, author and if I'm not mistaken, he's also a sculptor. It was his Last Supper painting
"Hapag ng Pag-asa" (The Table of Hope) that caught my attention. The artwork shows the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with street children surrounding Him and not His apostles. We can see those children in his painting in the news almost everyday--- they are street children and they all look the same... abandoned, neglected and...struggling to survive. They are the reasons why I avoided roaming around the streets of a huge metropolis like Manila, because the mere sight of them always upsets me. Why? Simply because I'm so helpless everytime I see them. I feel pangs of guilt. How could life be so cruel to these creatures? Life is not indeed fair. The saddest part of it, they were not even given a choice from the start. With their increasing numbers, they became part of the landscape, part of the decaying society. Some people become used to the sight of them to the point of becoming insensitive to the plight of those children. Hapag ng Pag-asa painting conveys a message. The scene of the street children sharing the last supper with Jesus shows that there is hope. As followers of Jesus Christ, I believe that we are the key to give hope to those unfortunate children. Let's do our part. Let's be aware of the reality that there are millions of children who need help, just waiting to be saved. Reach out! Be willing to share! I believe in the power of sharing, for in sharing, you will give those children the strength and the source to survive. If you can afford to buy unnecessary things, then why can't you afford to share God's blessings and save lives? Your help, big or small, really matters. There are lots of ways to do it, if only one is willing to share. Let's commit ourselves to help continually, not just once or twice, but as long as we have something good to share with them. Now, I'm no longer helpless at all. I know, I can do my part in helping these children. How about you? As for Mr. Joey Velasco, I really admire him. For being a good instrument of God, for opening my eyes and let those children touch my soul over and over again through his painting. Yes Mr. Velasco, you are not just a painter, an author or a sculptor. You are a "heartist". As you said about your Hapag painting:
"This painting reveals a story of greater hunger than a plate of rice could satisfy. What these children are starved for is love." I say Amen to that.
Through the painting, the artist was inspired to write a book entitled: They Have Jesus: The Stories of the Children of Hapag. I can't wait to have a copy of the book. I want to know more about these children of Hapag.
To have a glimpse of the lives of these children, please click on the link below. It's a documentary video by the artist and heartist Joey Velasco. Open your eyes and listen carefully to the cry of these children. Don't ignore their cry. Do your part. I surely will do mine... because I CARE!!!
http://www.youtube.com/v/bzYgSJCPEtY
Posted by Mitzi Lotte on April 25, 2007 at 12:21 PM
