Photos

Lisa & LetLet are 2 sisters in a Family of 8 children from Cebu Philippines.

LetLet (on the right) I always called 'my special one', as she has a birth defect on her right hand - she has no complete fingers; just her thumb.

I would hear other children teasing her about it, and when she sees me, she always Hi-5's me, but only with her complete LEFT hand.

When she would Hi-5 me with her left hand....I'd pause & hold up MY right hand to Hi-5 her again...she would at first hesitate, but I'd just stand there & continue to hold up my right hand, waiting for her's.

It took a few days before she was comfortable showing me a Hi-5 from her right hand, but when she does it I'd always smile at her, then wink my eye....and say "I love you LetLet"

LetLet would smile big & look down at her feet when I told her that....and then I'd turn to Lisa & say the same thing....then both sisters would run off laughing & smiling; holding each others hands.

I try to teach LetLet that it's ok for her hand to be like that - that it does not make her any less of a person to have a hand that's special.

I moved into a small house on a long dead-end street in their Cebu Barangay in late Dec. 2004; it's a quiet street with many extended family members of my good friend Kuya Cris Susing living in multiple houses there; Cris knew I was looking for a small place in that neighborhood and a day after asking for his help, he came to my hotel & brought me to see the house, which I took that day, as it was SO much cheaper than staying in the small hotel I was in.

Lisa & LetLet's Family live at the top of that street off the noisy intersection, in a simple wood & pressboad dwelling that has electricity, but no running water....they're very poor, and yet very happy - very loving & close...they always teach me so many things when I'm around them.

As I would take daily walks to the corner store, I would pass their small house & the children would always be playing outside, and Lisa & LetLet immediately stole my heart with their smiles & charm.

I began photographing their large Family nearly every day, and the sisters would always run down the street to greet me as they saw me approaching - although the street was about a 1/4mile long, Lisa & LetLet always seemed to know when I was out & about, and would always come to find me.

Since their small house was on my way back from the corner store, I resolved to never visit their house empty-handed, so I always brought the Family at least 9 to 12 loaves of fesh bread from the local Julie's Bakeshop, and fresh fruit & vegetables from the market accross their street.

Daily meals were another issue - I didn't have anywhere near the money to do 8 meals, 3 times a day for the entire Family, but I DID want to help them - so I would simply invite whatever Family members who happened to be out on the corner (near the BBQ store), to take their lunch &/or dinners with me at 5Bros. BBQ - and that was Lisa & LetLet 90pct. of the time, as their older brothers & sisters were often busy helping their Mama, Milagros with the daily chores.

Neither Lisa, LetLet nor Milagros ever asked me for anything - and they never, ever attempted to try to take advantage of my generosity.

I love and respect their Family, and I've learned more from being around them all than they'll ever know.

There's more about them this week at ProjectRice.Org
Lisa & LetLet's newest images & stories at ProjectRice.Org

Best Regards,
PJAMES