"We look back on the love of those we've met along the way."
Even with the threat of rain, we went to Pampanga to go back, look back and serve again.
This morning, we heard of the Signal no. 1 storm at Pampanga. Nevertheless, we were all eager to go. And none of us thought of going back.
We arrived at Pampanga with showers of water and wet roads. There was the danger of falling down and getting wet and getting sick. Then again, we went past all rain puddles, with or without umbrellas or hoodies, to get to our Aeta brothers and sisters.
And there they were, listening to us. Seeing them again is priceless. Oh, and the kids. Awww, yes, the kids. Them lovely kids. Lovable kids!
I went back to our host family with Julia. And there was Myla, waiting by their door. In the instant that she saw me, her "Ate Queenie" was so much louder than the music of rain. And, oh, how beautiful it was to hear Myla and her eagerness to, once again, be with me, with us. They were all happy, Nanay, Aron, Arot and Myla... they were all happy to see us. And God, how I wish I could go back again. Please let me go back again.
And and and... there was Nikko. It was my first time to see where he lives. It only takes a few steps to explore Nikko's house. It was rather small. And yes, the pangs of poverty, I could see. But then there was Nikko, smiling when he took a peek at their door when I called him from the GK houses. He was smiling and, God, was it wonderful to see that little boy again. Even with the lack of the things he needed, the little boy still knows how to smile. And I guess it's the gift he will always have. And, oh, HE REMEMBERS ME AND JO!! The beautiful little boy is still beautiful even with his torn forever-worn sleeveless blue shirt. And it hurt me when his mother told us to just bring Nikko along because she couldn't feed the boy any longer. If only I could do something. If only I were big enough to contain another life in my own. I just hope that, even with the lack of bigger space for a house and of money for his needs, Nikko will grow up to be the beautiful boy who doesn't ask for anything more than what is enough, that little boy who knows how to remember and love those who love him, that little boy who, even with the cruelty of this world, smiles with his eyes.
Yes, REC will never really fade for all those who have gone there. At least it did not for us. It will always be in us and we'd always want to look back and love and commit to serve. Stewards of the Lord, yes? Ah, yes. :)
I guess we're all ready to go through anything for the love of REC.
At the end of the day, wherever we go and whatever we become, REC will always be in us... even with the rain trying to push us to just not go on.
This morning, we heard of the Signal no. 1 storm at Pampanga. Nevertheless, we were all eager to go. And none of us thought of going back.
We arrived at Pampanga with showers of water and wet roads. There was the danger of falling down and getting wet and getting sick. Then again, we went past all rain puddles, with or without umbrellas or hoodies, to get to our Aeta brothers and sisters.
And there they were, listening to us. Seeing them again is priceless. Oh, and the kids. Awww, yes, the kids. Them lovely kids. Lovable kids!
I went back to our host family with Julia. And there was Myla, waiting by their door. In the instant that she saw me, her "Ate Queenie" was so much louder than the music of rain. And, oh, how beautiful it was to hear Myla and her eagerness to, once again, be with me, with us. They were all happy, Nanay, Aron, Arot and Myla... they were all happy to see us. And God, how I wish I could go back again. Please let me go back again.
And and and... there was Nikko. It was my first time to see where he lives. It only takes a few steps to explore Nikko's house. It was rather small. And yes, the pangs of poverty, I could see. But then there was Nikko, smiling when he took a peek at their door when I called him from the GK houses. He was smiling and, God, was it wonderful to see that little boy again. Even with the lack of the things he needed, the little boy still knows how to smile. And I guess it's the gift he will always have. And, oh, HE REMEMBERS ME AND JO!! The beautiful little boy is still beautiful even with his torn forever-worn sleeveless blue shirt. And it hurt me when his mother told us to just bring Nikko along because she couldn't feed the boy any longer. If only I could do something. If only I were big enough to contain another life in my own. I just hope that, even with the lack of bigger space for a house and of money for his needs, Nikko will grow up to be the beautiful boy who doesn't ask for anything more than what is enough, that little boy who knows how to remember and love those who love him, that little boy who, even with the cruelty of this world, smiles with his eyes.
Yes, REC will never really fade for all those who have gone there. At least it did not for us. It will always be in us and we'd always want to look back and love and commit to serve. Stewards of the Lord, yes? Ah, yes. :)
I guess we're all ready to go through anything for the love of REC.
At the end of the day, wherever we go and whatever we become, REC will always be in us... even with the rain trying to push us to just not go on.