AT FIRST glance, one wouldn’t notice the burden this long-time peanut vendor has been carrying for three years. He seems to be happy and worry-free going about his trade the past nine years – selling peanuts and chicharon around Davao City.
He is Marvelou Segongan, 31, a father of three little kids. He recently made waves on social media after a netizen posted a heart-rending picture of him and his ill daughter while selling peanuts and chicharon outside a hospital here.
The daughter he was with in that now-viral photo was Kenshley Mae, three, a leukemia patient diagnosed last 2016.
“Murag ang lupa ug langit nitaklob sa akoa, wala ko kasabot sa akong gibati atong pagkabalo namo na naa siyay Leukemia (It’s like I was punished by the heaven and earth. I do not know how and what to feel the moment we knew she has leukemia),” Segongan, who was teary-eyed while sharing, said.
He questioned God on their situation.
“When she was diagnosed, I doubted if we can get through this problem. I asked God why our daughter was given this kind of disease. We are just poor and the medication is very expensive. My family were also worried and they kept on asking us, why this happened? Did we not take good care enough for our kids?” he said in vernacular.
But through time they learned to accept the situation and chose to live forward, even with a heavy heart.
To provide for his family, Marvelou sells peanuts and chicharon around the city daily – usually by walking. In an average, he can sell three kilos of peanuts daily, for each kilo he can get a profit of only P150.
But this is never enough. His daily income can barely shoulder his family’s daily needs.
“I am working not for myself but for my kids. Actually, my wife was working before but I told her to resign when Kenshley was diagnosed with leukemia in order to take care of our baby. I told myself and my wife, let’s keep our faith in God, we will eventually overcome this trial. God will not neglect us, he’s watching over us,” the hardworking father said.
For his daughter’s medication, Segongan is heavily dependent on free medical services and financial aid from PhilHealth, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Lingap Para Sa Mahirap Program.
Looking at their situation, Segongan underscored that as a father he has to strengthen his faith and rise up for his family.
“I just distract myself with other good stuff to temporarily forget the problem. I keep a good smile and laugh a lot but deep inside I am very worried with my daughter’s condition. But I, we keep on fighting for her,” he said.
He narrated that leukemia has changed his daughter a lot.
“For now, she’s really not okay yet. Before she’s very talkative and jolly but now she can’t properly walk, speak, and even cry. It pains us to see her like that. One time, I would just stare at her while she’s asleep and my wife is not around. I can’t hold my tears back while watching her, and I would ask myself, why is this happening? What is God’s plan for her? But, maybe God really has a greater purpose for all these. We just don’t know and understand yet,” he said.
But Segongan always sees the bright side and always chose not to lose hope in every situation.
“For as long as we’re alive, there’s hope. We can’t lose hope or else we will lose our mind, we might get crazy. You have to be strong no matter what life throws at you. In the end there will be solution to all these,” he added.
SunStar Davao released a video featuring Segongan on its social media sites on May 3, 2019. A couple of individuals already reached out to him to which he was very thankful. For those who want to help Segongan in whatever form, you may call/message him directly at 09120892265 or email us at ssdavao@gmail.com.