I came across this picture from the original painting while I was at CANA two weeks ago. It reminds me of the Last Supper our Lord Jesus Christ had with his Apostles. Only that in this picture, it depicts the story of poor homeless children, despite the despair and poverty that surrounds them, still carrying on their lives with Jesus as their only hope. The next time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist in the cool air-conditioned comfort of our church with good sound system and sufficient seating capacity every Sunday at Mass, perhaps we can spare a thought for those who do not have such many opportunities to be at our Lord’s table. May we realise the blessings that God has bestowed on us, our families and loved ones. Below is an article about the painting titled `HAPAG NG PAG-ASA’ meaning `Table Of Hope’.
HAPAG NG PAG-ASA
AT 3 A.M. By Fr. James B. Reuter, S.J.
The Philippine Star 04/21/2007
At the entrance of the Major Seminary of the University of Santo Tomas, in Manila, you will see a painting. It is the “Last Supper” of Joey A. Velasco. It portrays poor children from Metro Manila, all between the ages of 4 and 14, at the Last Supper with Christ Our Lord. He has called it “Hapag ng Pag-asa”, the table of hope.
To start with, it is not really a table. It is a big delivery box, knocked apart and nailed together again as a table. Joey Velasco himself has said: “This painting reveals a story of greater hunger than a plate of rice could satisfy. What these children are starved for is love.”
Realizing that his little models were real persons, he investigated the life of each of them, and wrote a book, telling their stories. The title of the book came from a young woman who was mentally handicapped. She studied the painting and said: “You know, these children are not really poor. They have Jesus.” So he called the book: “They Have Jesus: The Stories of the Children of Hapag.”
To me, the most fascinating was the story of the child, in the painting, who is under the table, eating the crumbs that have fallen to the floor. Joey says: “The child under the table is ME!” The model for this child was the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan Famine. It shows a starving child who collapsed on the ground, struggling to get to a food center in Sudan , Africa , in 1993. In the background, a vulture is stalking the emaciated child, waiting for him to die.
Three months later the photographer, Kevin Carter, was found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning in Johannesburg , a suicide at 33. His red pick-up truck was parked near a small river where he used to play as a child. A green garden hose attached to the vehicle’s exhaust funneled the fumes inside.
“I’m really, really sorry,” he explained in a note left on the passenger seat beneath a knapsack. “The pain of life overrides the joy to the point that joy does not exist. I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings and corpses, anger and pain, of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners.”
“The Doll of Tinay” is the story of a five year old girl whose mother is working abroad as a domestic, and whose father is a philandering drug addict. She is the only child, in the painting, who looks straight at Our Lord. She is hugging her battered doll, but Tinay is more battered than the doll. She was raped by her father.
Dodoy, eight years old, lives under a bridge. Joey Velasco was touched by the courage and cheerfulness of his mother, Vivian. They could not stand up in their little cubicle, because the roof was only four feet from the floor. But the mother worked hard as a lavandera. The whole family did all they could to send Dodoy to public school, though they could not afford books, or pens, or paper. They smiled; they hoped for a better future; and they prayed.
When he gets to the cheerful little home of Jun and Roselle , which is a squatters’ shack, Joey begins to crystallize his thoughts on the poor. “They have a firm trust in God as a compassionate, loving father. They have nothing. They really live a hand-to-mouth existence. But they smile and say: ‘We live on the mercy of God’… ‘Nabubuhay kami sa awa ng Diyos’.”
“These poor people hold on to the truth that God will never abandon them, even if the walls of the earth crumble down. They begin and end their sentence with: ‘kung may awa ang Poon’ … ‘If God will have mercy on us.’ They inherited this phrase from their old people — from past generations. These are not merely words. This is their real life!”
“Jun and Roselle are poor children but they are rich in faith. They have what we call ‘abundance in scarcity’. Their house is filled with love and understanding. They enjoy each other. Nothing — not money, power, or fame, can replace family and friends, or bring them back once they are gone. Our greatest joy is really our family.”
Whenever you try to help the poor, you always get back more than you give. You learn the meaning of courage. You learn the meaning of sacrifice, you see the beauty of love. Above all, you feel the strength that comes from faith, and hope, and trust in God. You realize the power of prayer.
The strength of this country is not on the top. It is not in the politicians. It is not in the military, or in the police. It is not in the big businessmen.The strength of this nation is in the squatters’ shacks. Though we do not say it, our real power is in our courageous poor, praying under the bridge.
Read more about the painter Joey Velasco @ http://joeyvelasco.net and his other works.
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“Hapag ng Pag-Asa” is more than just a piece of art. It is a “voluminous book” reminding us of truths we oftentimes neglect or find “corny.”( God is so good, for He used this painting to be a living testament of His great love for me!)
Allow me to share with you some of them:
a. In Christ, there is an abundance of hope .As we fix our gaze on the image, we may ask: “Where’s hope when the image is surrounded by poverty and darkness?” WE FAIL TO LOOK AT THE CENTER–CHRIST. Yes, there is hope in the midst of terror and despair, and we solely find it in Christ
b. God shares in our pains and sufferings. We oftentimes think that God doesn’t care for us, or never listens to us, but as the picture shows us, the Lord eats with children who seemed to be neglected. The same is true with us. We never walk in a dark tunnel alone, for He firmly holds our hands, and guides us out of that dark passage. He knows the pains that we endure, he hears our cries for help. He is always with us, most especially in the Eucharist, where He assures us that till the end of our days, He will always be with us!
c. God loves us dearly, and so we must love one another. “Hapag ng Pag-Asa” clearly instructs us that as God loves each one of us that much, so we must love one another that much. We must become like Christ to our neighbors, striving to seek His adorable Face in the distressing disguise of our brothers and sisters, no matter how unlovable, no matter how undesirable.
“Hapag ng Pag-Asa” is not just a painting. It is also a silent teacher, opening to us truths we oftentimes shun or disregard. Why not look at it again. this time, closer. Believe me, it’s like Christ personally talking to you.
why???………
the childrn not the apostoles??
Hi Zharhiel,
Perhaps you will find an answer looking through the eyes of the painter at his homepage: http://joeyvelasco.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=9
this is such a good painting…and a good background story.
i loved it so much.. my mom recommended me to read about the painting…good job..
About 5 years ago, I came across this wonderful art of expressing oneself… and merely looking through it, I managed to ask myself… what had motivated Mr. Joey Velasco to create such an art…
I love the hapag ng pag-asa kasi nakakaattract!!!
I realy love this picture, and i feel God is always with us!
i really love the story of this painting co’z its inspiring me.. I LOVE JESUS CHRIST..
So long Joey, the memories of the your painting always reminds me to be with His little and poorest ones. We will see each other again in heaven with Him.
A few years back while I was visiting my mother at St Luke’s Medical Center in Q.C., Manila, I stopped by the Burger King to have some coffee. On my way out, I caught sight of three very fragile looking children hugging each one on a few steps leading to the hospital (perhaps some of you might know this area). I had a strong urge to go back to BK to get them food, and I was standing there for awhile, trying to convince myself to do it “NOW”. However, with undecided impulse I headed straight to see my mom at the hospital. I went back to where the three children were, but they were gone. Up to this day I still regret not doing what I believe was my priority at the moment because my mother lived for another three years.
Joey’s painting certainly reminds us the spiritual meaning of generosity.
[…] behind the painting tugs on your heart strings, but delivers a final blow. Here’s the link Hapag Ng Pag Asa Painting Story. Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this […]
.the painters is a person with a big heart,..
…His art work momes me to tears
Reblogged this on Donna Fuentes and commented:
It’s my first time to encounter the story about this life changing masterpiece thru Cheche Lazaro’s Lenten Special “Revisting 12 Children in Velasco’s Hapag ng Pag-asa (Table of Hope)”.
Mr. Joey Velasco must’ve found his purpose as an artist. Rest in peace, Sir. Congratulations.
what can you say about Jesus dining with them?