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Friday, November 26, 2010

A priceless day with little angels (Part 2)

I asked Emie who was just seated behind me if she brought some food or water since I was really feeling cranky due to hang over, my throat was drying and my stomach was getting acidic. She pointed to Chile who was just seating beside her saying that she got some food and water while making a remark that Chile's husband won't allow her to feel hungry that's why he packed her some crackers and a bottle of water. I immediately turned to Chile to beg for food, hahahah beggar?, and knowing Chile who was very generous to her friends, she handed me a plastic bag filled with variety of crackers so I just picked a cracker, which cracker anyway? LOL. I handed back the bag to Chile and asked if she has water then she gave me her bottled water, it was a refilled water since it was in a cola bottle, LOL. While munching the crackers then sipping water, I exchanged stories with Emie, Chile, Anne, Nhes, Belle, Vince, and even with Sonia and Mommy Lisa who were seated in front which were two seats away from me and three and four seats away from the others, LOL. I even managed to post a status in Facebook saying "Tuloy ang community service kahit may hang over. My father's house @ bf homes" using my Facebook Zero via my Suncell mobile. After a few minutes, I was slowly drifting away from reality and their voices are getting fainter as I leaned back to my seat and rest my head to the seat's head rest. I woke up when the bus was inside BF Homes already and heard that Anne's house was just near but eventually she realized that the bus was heading towards a different part of the subdivision. The bus stopped in an entrance near a guard house because we were being asked for the permit and I did not know what happened there because all I knew there should be a permit in the first place but we just stayed there for a few minutes and some went down to smoke while waiting for the Orphanage's contact persons who would accompany us inside. Then they arrived and the bus started to move again. We were just looking through the windows as we watched the houses, establishments, people, animals, trees, and plants that we passed by. Until we arrived at the gate of the orphanage and the bus stopped in front. We did not thought it was one because the opaque gate was huge and all we can see from outside through the bus windows were the second level of the houses and the roofs. We confirmed that it was My Father's House when we get off from the bus and saw the signage near the gate and what really made us sure was when the gate opened and we saw the children in their colorful shirts waving their hands non-verbally saying welcome. 
 We started to unload the boxes we brought for the children that were just labeled "Father's House" and put them together in a table near where the sound system was set up. We were just so amazed with the place because it's way different to what we had in mind which was just a typical simple orphanage house. After we put the boxes down and while Doni and Ira were still setting up and everyone was still now settling down, we looked for comfort rooms to relieve ourselves and as we look around, we were really so drop-jawed with the place because it's really nice. Some were making a remark that the place was really way better than their houses, LOL, and there's even a pool with native couches on poolside. The place looked like a retreat house. Some started to take pictures of the place and others took pictures with the kids. Every one was asked to settle down already for the briefing and everyone grabbed their own seats. A lady introduced herself but I forgot her name after welcoming us and she mentioned the the orphanage is a private one. She also briefed us about the kids groups where they were identified as "trying stars, shooting starts, superstars, and megastar". During the briefing, I sat near the industrial fan because I was perspiring and I wanna be cooled down, and a kid talked to me but I was not able to ask his name that time. The lady mentioned that since we're gonna have some games, we can partner with a child but if the kid was a trying star, the prize or gift that he/ she would receive would go to her for the mean time since those kids who were under that category were on a sort of under observation because of minor "strikes" or misconducts they committed. We were then asked to pair up with a child now since we were about to start the games and the same kid who talked to me near the fan approached me and said that we would be partners, so without hesitation I said yes. I asked for his name and he said his name is John Llyod but I can call him JL. So I introduced my name as well. I asked what star did he belong and he said that he is from shooting star, then he showed me his bracelet since their bracelets can be used as identifier which star they belong. Everyone was paired up already and I can see exchanges of hugs and pats on the back from the "kuyas and ates" to their paired children. Everyone looked so excited with the first game since almost everybody was paired up, although some kids were not because there were only few of us compared to the number of kids.
JL was so excited as well everyone else and when everybody was called for the first game, he grabbed my hands and hurriedly went in front and lined up along with the other participants. The first game was passing the ball while the music was playing and whoever the kid holding the ball when the music stopped would be eliminated. We were just behind our partner kids to cheer and coach them and as the music played and the ball was passed around, the kids were so jumpy and excited to pass the ball for them not to be out of the game. The "kuyas and ates" were having fun as well as we watched those kids enjoyed the game. One by one, the kids were being eliminated from the game until JL who was hyper energetic was out too. I did coach him to just pass the ball lightly to the next kid for the ball not to slip from the next child's hands. There were even instances that he would do an exhibition of the ball that would allow the it to stay on him for few seconds so I told him no to because the music might stop any moment until it did and he's been eliminated. I told him it was fine and we would just redeem ourselves on the succeeding games. I let him rest on the chair while I watched the giggling kids and the cheering "kuyas and ates" until the game was finished. On the next game, I approached JL and walked with him in front and I felt that he was ready for it since he already rested . Everyone was asked to line up again and this time to form two groups. After grouping, we came up with a team name and cheered. The next game was creating the longest line using everything that we have on at the moment, all the stuff that we need to line up until we create a long line. The game started and everyone took out and took off everything they have like their wallets, earphones from their pocket, hankies, socks, shoes, shoe laces, and etc that would add up to a long line we were creating and eventually we emerged as the winner. We can see the enjoyment from the kids faces as they received their prizes. Few games were still conducted and I felt a bit tired but when I saw JL and the kids who were so excited in opening their prizes, I felt relaxed despite the idea that the kids were separated from their family, some were abandoned, still even for a short moment, I was able to contribute happiness to their youthfulness. Just in time when the Jollibee crew arrived with the packed meals for everyone and I was also starving that time, LOL. But, before we eat, we prepared the kids tables and arranged them in the center so they can eat comfortably along with the other kids. We served them foods and the juice drinks and made sure all the kids were seated with food and drinks in front of them. Then, we grabbed our styro packed meals and fruit drinks and looked for spots where we can eat all together as well and we found empty tables so we occupied them. Eventually, it started to drizzle so we looked for covered spots this time and we took the billiards area and used the billiards table. Nhes was busy taking pictures while we were eating our meals. I even had my second meal because I was really hungry
then, hahaha. 
After finishing our meals, we cleaned up the venue and arranged the tables and chairs back to their place. The kids started to show off what they have prepared for us and they sang a Christian song with choreography. We enjoyed their performance and we gave them a round of applause. It was so funny when we were asked to perform even though Ira and Doni knew that we did not prepare anything, they just thought we can just came up with a performance but we were not able to, and we were just laughing and pointing at each other in front until it has been decided that the kids can just perform another song and dance.
Some of us followed the dance steps as the kids did it and it was Nhess and Vince who were so eager to learn the steps, LOL. After the kids' performance, Ira introduced a special guest that they surely enjoyed and that was Jollibee. All the kids run to his direction as he entered from the back gate to hug and poke him. They were so delighted that the big red bee visited them and was ready to have fun with them. Jollibbe prepared a dance number and the kids even us were so delighted by his performance. He even gave away toys that the kids truly appreciated. After he danced, the kids were given chance to take pictures with Jollibee. We lined up after the kids so we can have our chance to take a group photo with him. 
After the special guest left, it was also the time for the kids to show their appreciation to us and they prepared a song again which we truly felt. Some of the kids were given a chance to say thank you in front and some of us were really teary eyed specially when one of the kid who was on tears dedicated his message to Vince. Vince in return gave a message to everyone as well and it was so heart felt that I almost burst into tears. After the speech, we were given an opportunity to tour around the compound to see the rooms of the kids and meet their house parents. We bid goodbye to the kids and gave them a hug. It was really a fulfilling activity and we all went home with the joy in our hearts that even for a short moment, the kids became part of our lives and we knew we became part of theirs too.

A priceless day with little angels (Part 1)

It was one Sunday morning, November 21, 2010, and I woke up with my head felt like being hammered because of hang over. I checked my cellphone and there were a lot of text messages, and as I scroll on the unread messages in the inbox while my vision seemed to be swaying along with the throbbing of my head, I saw Chile's text message and read it asking "Nka-rubbr shoes b kau or slippers?", then I saw Emie's text and checked it saying "Sn kyo tamby yl w8ng? Mcdo? o ofc", they must have mastered the text lingo and they were so proficient in using it LOL, but after reading their text messages, I did not reply and put my cellphone on the bed again. I was with Cy and we went to his work mate's birthday celebration the night before and after eating grilled chicken and pork adobo along with rice filled on a disposable plate, I took the shots of cold Red Horse from the rotating glass shot since the beer was just poured in a pitcher with ice tubes. I tried to stand and grabbed the towel and worked my way to the bathroom walking unsteadily as if I was tracking a zigzag direction to take a cold shower hoping that it could at least awaken my depressed tissues, hahaha. After shower, I could still feel my throbbing head but at least my vision seemed to be getting aligned. I took the shirts out from my bag, I slept in Tondo after going to the celebration since Cy's house is nearer from the celebrant's location compared to Bicutan that's why I had my back pack with my clothes and other stuff inside. I wore the undershirt then I slide through the carnation pink colored shirt which was given on Friday for the purpose of the outreach program. My cellphone beeped and I saw an unfamiliar number and after reading through the message asking "Hi deedee, san kyo? Papunta nko rcbc hntay nyo ko. -belle" it was Belle, of course it's in the message already. I replied saying that I'll be on my way in a bit. I put my my shades on because I knew the sunlight would be a bit painful to my just-adjusting-to-the-morning-light eyes which would just worsen my headache. I bid goodbye to Cy then headed down from his room to the main gate. I took a pedicab going to Pritil and paid 20php since it was always a special trip if you take a pedicab. From Pritil, I rode a jeep going to Tayuman then took LRT just to get to Gil Puyat where I took a jeep going to Guadalupe then just get off at RCBC. While in the LRT coach, I text Emie if everyone was there already and she said they were just waiting for me, hahahah, so I panicked but I couldn't do anything since I couldn't tell the driver of the train to go faster, hahaha. After I get off from the jeep at the vicinity of RCBC, I saw from afar the buses waiting at the back and as I went closer, I noticed there were three buses so I did not exert effort to text but instead called Emie to ask which one were they in. Finally, I got in the third bus which was labeled "Father's House" on the windshield. Doni handed me the log on sheet while teasing me that finally we can leave since I was the only one they've been waiting then laughed. I saw everyone's arrival time and they were so early, hahaha, but I was just on time for the departure, hehehe, it's just that I was not able to take my breakfast since I was planning to go to Mcdo and just order for take out even just a hot chocolate but unfortunately I had no time because we were about to leave. To be continued...

Friday, November 19, 2010

This is how my blogging started

In my 28 years of existence, (very Venus Raj..lol) it's only recently that I got my interest in creating a blog site. Although few of my friends and colleagues have their own blog sites already that I have visited rarely, they partly added to the inclination of coming up with my own. During my vacation trip to Ilocos along with my friends namely Basha, Jes, Rjay, Drithz, and of course Cy to visit another friend namely Gelo, Drithz brought his own digicam to take precious moments of his trip and perhaps ours as well, lol, although I brought my own cam too. When we arrived to Gelo's house at early morning after he fetched us from Sta. Maria plaza, since we left Manila at around 10:00 pm the previous night, the breakfast was served on the antique table, i just described it as antique because the table was too old according to Gelo that it's been used since his mother's childhood, fried rice and newly cooked rice, dried fish, and Ilocos Longanisa were served along with cups of hot water, since I bet Gelo preferred that we mix our own coffee since he can't estimate how we want our coffee to be done. I took my camera out, same with Drithz, to take photos of our first day in Ilocos and how our first breakfast was and with that said, we posed for photo capturing before satisfying our hunger, lol. Also, we took photos of the served food. While Drithz was taking a photo of the Longanisa Ilocos, he mentioned that he was into doing blogs and he's been spending his idle time in their office blogging. I asked him what does he posts on his blogs and he answered "kahit ano" then I just realized that blogging does not really conform to any rules or topics as long as someone has expressed him/herself and tell the whole world the story he/she wanted to share. What really caught my interest was when he said that he is being paid when he does his blogs, then after being so inquisitive about that, he narrated the process on how he earns dollars on it. I was just amazed that someone can make income out of submitting his blog entries and how ads are being linked to his stories. He said that he has posted different Filipino delicacies and soon he'll do an entry for the Ilocos Longanisa and dried fish. I was in dreamy thought for a few seconds while munching the tasty longanisa and fried rice pondering about sharing stories and the first thing that I thought of was the travel adventures which was so timely that I was on a vacation in Ilocos which I foresaw to be very fun and adventurous. My interest in sharing stories hyped as I took photos of the places I have been and moments that I truly enjoyed while in Ilocos Sur. A week after the vacation, after having a sort-of free time from work since I have finished my audits, Ilocos memories flashed back and my conversation with Drithz played back about capturing the moments and sharing the stories thus, I started to draft on how I am going to start my blog site.