Last week, Human Nature whisked a bunch of us away to showcase the wonders of Gawad Kalinga’s Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan—a place that sustains livelihood, celebrates unique Filipino talent, and serves as home to the Grassroots Kitchen, where we got to experience the most scrumptious organic brunch buffet. Sitting there with fellow city-dwellers, surrounded by nature and the peace that can only come from so much sky and so much greenery, it was a relief to be able to just pause and enjoy good company and healthy, simple food.

When we were done stuffing ourselves like Thanksgiving turkeys (?), we were given a tour of the Farm. They taught us how to make cheese and salted duck eggs, let us bottle our own lemongrass and pandan iced tea, and explained how our country has so many resources just waiting to be tapped. In college I wrote a research paper on Gawad Kalinga, and since then I have always admired the huge, unwavering love this organization has for the Philippines and its people. It is the perfect example of hope fused with passion and action, and that is always an inspiring thing.

Before sending us off, our new friends from Human Nature served us coffee ice cream and crepes (I smothered mine with langka and ube jam), and gave us the cutest bamboo bow ties (modeled by some very dapper French interns!). We boarded the bus back to the city—back to our offices, back to work and whatever it was that consumed us on a daily basis—knowing that there were plenty of people out there doing their part in making the world brighter, kinder, easier to live and breathe and work and love in. They were doing their part, no doubt about that, and it was such a good reminder: We better do ours, too.

Big hugs,
Marla