Written by Ansima Rosette Mamboleo

There it was, the subject of debates and headlines. The reason for numerous fallouts and great controversies between friends and families. For something that has caused hot tears to fall down people’s eyes, for something that has caused divisions and separations of families and tension worldwide. It just stood: big; bold; strong; cold; fenced and empty.

This was the great wall. The wall that has been used as a campaign line for some but for many has been used as an excuse to fear of the unknown. When one is in the comfort of their home and reads all these headlines, it can get sad. It can even cause one to have disturbing thoughts asking yourself questions such as “what are they eating? or “are they warm?” one can even go as far as asking themselves if such an “alienated’” person had to show up unannounced at their door, would they take them in? As quickly as these thoughts are welcomed in, they are ushered out by one’s own realities. Boxed up and store in our mind’s “I-cloud”. Coming in once in a while and so many times never visiting again.

It is a totally different thing when you have no choice but to come face to face with the issue. You can’t run from it, and even if you did the city and its residents speak of its presence, and that makes it inevitable not to know it exists. There I was, I had traveled miles on miles in a charter bus with fellow pilgrimage takers and organization members from the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership.

Instantly, I felt a cold slap. That’s when I started to feel overwhelmed with the different emotions that presented themselves one by one as though someone was behind the curtains, meticulously managing the flow of emotions and my reactions to their presence. I felt frustrated, I felt like yelling and screaming, I felt intimidated by its grandeur. It was like a raging war inside of me. Exasperated, I broke down and began to weep.