People in the neighborhood are talking good about him. As if he is an important person who deserve everybody’s high regard and respect in the community. He is Arnel Besle, 45 years of age from Gogon, Legazpi City. Arnel is totally blind. He acquired his disability when he was four years old because of measles. But he claims that it’s not really measles which caused him to be blind. “ Hindi tigdas ang  naging sanhi ng aking pagkabulag kundi kahirapan dahil walang pera ang aking mga magulang para ako ay ipagamot.” Arnel shared. At his early age Arnel became orphan so that he was taken by her maternal aunt for custody. He thought that he will be treated like his own son being a biological nephew but to Arnel’s dismay. Arnel thought that he will be treated by her aunt like her own son but it did never happened. Instead he was the errand boy of the family and was not even sent to school which he considers the biggest frustration in life. However his frustration of not being in school was answered when he became a recipient of the child sponsorship program of the Simon of Cyrene, Inc. ( It is a non-government organization which caters to the welfare of differently-abled person.)

Arnel was enrolled in a special education class in one of the public school in Legazpi City where he was able to finish his elementary grade with honors. He pursued his secondary education where he was integrated with normal children. In high school, Arnel was still able to maintain his good scholastic rating. He was always on top of his class. It was in 1992, Arnel was in his third year high school where he met Cecilia, a schoolmate whom he fell in love and finally they got married. Arnel then quitted from school. In the same year, the DSWD, Field Office V in coordination with Hellen Keller Foundation conducted training for the blind on therapeutic massage where he became one of the participants. Arnel’s attendance to the training was just in time because his worry of not having a job was responded.

A week after the training, Arnel offered free massage service to be able to gain customer. “Sa pagbibigay  ko nang libreng pagmasahe, unti-unti akong  nagkaroon na ng parokyano” ( From offering free message service, I am able to gain customers). Arnel enthused. Rendering massage service was then his source of livelihood. He started to have a daily income of at least P500 a day which according to Arnel is not at all enough for the family with four children especially that he is the only bread earner. Cecilia his wife is left at home to take care of the children and their home; Because of his dedication and commitment to his work , Arnel’s customer grow in number and his service charge also increased from P250 to P500.

Arnel went on living trying to go on living normally. He was then resigned to live and work hard for his family especially that he has four children who are all in school; two in college, one in high school and one is in elementary. “I just keep on praying and asking for a little more strength to carry on because I found a reason to live…. my family” he exclaimed. Because of hard work and perseverance, Arnel’s miserable condition turned into a vibrant. Through the help of one of his customer, Arnel was able to open a massage clinic in one of the big mall in Legazpi City. Aside from having an additional income he was able to employ fifteen blind persons whom he himself has trained. I don’t aspire to have much money or become rich but I want to share my blessings with the PWDs especially the blind.

From rendering home service and from the income of his massage parlor, Arnel shares that he is now able to have at a conservative income of P20,000 to P30,000 a month. Arnel now owns a house at Gogon, Legazpi City and proudly shares that he was able to acquire home furnishing and can provide the best education to his children.

According to Arnel he still needs to look for other means to augment the family income and save for the future. With these he invested on a laundry shop at home and this is being managed by her wife. Good fate really knocks on Arnels’ family. The laundry shop is doing well. They are able to get the three big hotels in the city as their regular customer.

Arnel earned more than he expected. The family investment grew by fold. Before he knew it he has enough money to finish the construction of his house and buy a tricycle which is a service vehicle for the delivery of the laundry.

People in the neighborhood who witnessed the marvelous transformation of Arnel’s family talked about him, his courage to survive and ability to achieve what seemed at first a castle in the air.  ### /eejerusalem