‘Habang may buhay, mayroon akong ibibigay.’
By Mary Joy Rile

A story about Mrs Mery Elgen ‘Chaty’ Harris from Bacong, Negros Oriental, near Dumaguete City, who is married with two children and lives in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, where she works as a registered nurse in the Ballarat Health Service.

Four years ago Chaty started a charity work by doing fund raising for an orphanage in Dumaguete. She collected some money from her friends back in Australia and bought goods such as rice, milk, sugar and biscuits as Christmas presents. Before returning to Australia she happened to pass by a second-hand store, popularly known here in the Philippines as ‘ukay-ukay’, where she saw a Salvation Army tag on some clothes. These were supposed to be given out free, not to be sold. This gave Chaty the idea for another charity work.

The following year, she distributed clothes to her neighborhood in Bacong and went to the charcoal makers in the mountain of Dauin, Negros Oriental. On December 24 she told her sister to invite these people to join them for Christmas lunch. A truckload of them came down to join her family in Bacong for a simple meal that made the heart s of everybody happy. 

In December 2008 she came back to the Philippines to visit family and friends and of course to continue, even expand, the mission. She went back to the mountain of Dauin distributing clothes; she brought food and other goods to the orphanage in Valencia and fed a few of the street children of Dumaguete at a nearby restaurant.

Chaty, Jessa, Dannah and Joy

While walking along the Boulevard in Dumaguete Chaty unexpectedly met a family who had been victims of a fire. The burns on the body of one child were clearly; such a pitiful sight. The family had come down to the city to ask for the help of the mother’s sister but they ended up with nothing. Chaty gave them clothes and enough money for their fare back to their home place.

Victims of Fire at Boulevard

Later Chaty rode her motorcycle in her way to the convent. But before reaching her destination, she passed by an unconscious man who had met with an accident on the road. Worried about his condition, she brought him to the nearest hospital. She felt relieved when the man finally made a sound signaling that he was still alive. Happy with the opportunity to help, she said to herself that it was part of the mission that God wanted her to partake of.

She proceeded to the bus station and waited for Jessamine Calma, a Teresiana whom she met during the World Youth Day 2008 in Australia, Dannah her sister and me to arrive from Bacolod. [We had the privilege of visiting her and over dinner we talked about her day’s experience - such a long one but so memorable and fulfilling for her.

The next day we went to the hospital where she had brought the man but he had been already transferred to a public hospital. We also passed by the street where she had found the fire victims but they were no longer there. We hoped that they were finally back home. 

Chaty was just a new-found friend when she invited us to her place. For the few days that we were together, I saw how easily she related to people. I saw her generosity, her love and determination in serving God by serving others. Having a well-off life right now, she remains simple and humble. ‘I am happier to be simpler. I am not rich in wealth but rich in heart.’

She traveled with us back to Bacolod and continued the mission with the orphans at Sto Niño Home and also with the children-recipients of Poveda Center -Bacolod.

In helping the less fortunate, Chaty always makes sure she explains to them that the help is not hers alone but that it also comes from the Filipino-Australian Association of Ballarat. They gather clothes, and the money they collect for her is spent here on school supplies and other basic needs of the mission.

When asked about her feelings in doing her mission she said, ‘First of all, before I engaged in this mission, I prayed to God to use me as an instrument of His love. I am very grateful that God has indeed used me, with the generous support of my husband Mark, some friends and the Filipino-Australian Association of Ballarat.’ Happy with the opportunity for charity work, she hopes and prays that may she be able to continue the mission until the end of her life. ‘Habang may buhay, mayroon akong ibibigay’ (‘As long as I live, I will always have something to give’) are the very words of her heart. To give heartily with simplicity and a smile is her living principle, and indeed it shows in and radiates from her face. 

Chaty’s simple prayer in her everyday life: ‘Lord, here I am today. Use me as an instrument of your peace and love.’


You may email Chaty at meryelgen@gmail.com and Joy at editorialassistant@misyononline.com.