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Dionisio de Jesus Lopes

Title: LOSSES
Confessional Article

Every time I look at my present dormitory (Garcia Dormitory, P.Santos), I recall

some instances when I became fidgety and restless. I lost my money, beddings, a sun
glasses and a 2-GB flash drive last September, October and November. I complained a lot
and called for a series of meetings with my fellow occupants in the dormitory. A month
later, in December, one of the Ateneo de Naga University and Jesuit Trust Fund Scholars
thru Jesuit Mission in East Timor, Valdano A. Lopes, a second year Information
Technology (IT) student of Ateneo de Naga University (AdNU), Naga City, Philippines
lost his brand new laptop.

It was exactly on the first day of Simbang Gabi, December 16, one of the
traditions of the Roman Catholics here in the Philippines. As it was his first time to
experience it, he was very excited to attend it in the AdNU’s Church with our fellow
countrymen and some occupants of that said dormitory. Without having a clear
orientation of the culture and practices of the Simbang Gabi, he woke up at 3:45 in the
morning and took a bath. After he had showered, he knocked at my door and asked if I
wanted to join him. I rejected his invitation.

I immediately went back to my cute bed and enjoyed my snores. It was between
4:30-6:15 in the morning when three muscular guys from our neighborhood broke the
windows and entered the room of Mr. Lopes. His brand new laptop, Logitech speakers, a
4GB MP4, a portable TV and 8 GB Flash Drive were stolen. Neither I nor his roommate
was aware of that incident during that time.

During the Simbang Gabi, he felt a strange surge of emotion thus he immediately
went back to the apartment soon after the Mass ended. He thought that as a practice
during the week of Simbang Gabi, every main gate and door shall be opened widely so
that grace will enter the house. Thus when he arrived at the apartment and found the main
gate and door widely open, he did not mind at all. With a mixed feeling of joy and
sleepiness, he went immediately to his room to sleep.

It was when one of his roommates asked to borrow his speakers then he noticed
that his valuables were missing. He screamed until he caught the attention of everyone in
the dormitory. As an IT major who really wants to excel in his major in order to serve
people and his country better thru forming men and women in Colégio de São José (St.
Joseph High School), the Jesuit High School based in Balide, Dili after acquiring more
knowledge and skills here. I cannot bear to see him restless even till now because of the
pressures of the different projects related to his major subjects. I realized that my lost
items are nothing compared with what have been stolen from him.

Every time he sees my laptop, it reminds him of his month-old laptop. Seeing that
he really wanted to find out who the thieves are, I tried to approach the kids of my
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neighborhood every afternoon after my classes and activities. Believing that most of the
kids are honest and are not secretive, I tried to ask them if they might know the
“magnanakaw” (thief) in our area. The truth slipped from one kid, who is the youngest
brother of the three thieves. He confessed that his brother Roland has entered my
dormitory and took my laptop and that it was sold to a neighbor. Wanting more details, I
tried to win his heart by giving him candies and cigarettes. After he ate candies and
enjoyed puffing cigarette one stick after another, he told me “Dino, my brother told me
that in case you are looking for him, I should tell you that I don’t know where he is” (He
said this in the Bicol language, which a five year old kid translated for me in English).

I have visited the houses of the three thieves and discussed the matter with their families
since they are out of town now. Their parents were very cooperative to settle this case
without sending their sons to jail, hoping that there will be a peaceful solution to this
case. In case, this legal case could not be settled due to the financial crises that these
families are encountering; Mr. Lopes’ dreams of being excellent in his major may take
longer to reach because of the lack of Material resources such as Desktop or Laptop and
etc. Furthermore, he is worried because he left his country, family, relatives and friends
to pursue his dream to become a "knowledgeable person who possesses global
understanding." Knowing that the thieves and their families are very poor, jobless, single
mothers, and then questions remain unanswered; if he will not be able to get back either
payment or laptop from them, would he still learn that much as being expected? Shall he
just take everything (study) as it is though he is fully aware that he has to share his
learning here to those who are in need?