GIRL-TALK WITH TING-TING

TING-TING: tita, ma kadto ka man sa amon sa manila?
TITA ANNE: gusto ko man tani ting, galing mahal plete.wala ko kwarta.
TING-TING: ti padal an ta ka eh.
TITA ANNE: ti cge basta ha?
TING-TING: huo a!para kakadto man kmo to sa amon ni abe kn mahidlaw kmo sa amon.
TITA ANNE: (on our last night with them, sang papuli na kmi from panyapon) ti ting, padal an mo kmi ni abe plete ha?
TING-TING: ay tita, kamahal gale sang plete.wala ko kwarta.mayo tani kn 100 lang, kay may ara ko to. (hahahahaha!)
TITA ANNE: ti na supot mo gani 100 sa one month lang, ti kada month supot ka 100 eh.para sa 10 ka months, may 1taw na.ti pwede na na.
TING-TING: ay pwede na na gale?ti ang papuli nyo ya ni abe?
TITA ANNE: mangayo ko kay tito reinee eh.
TING-TING: ti cge a.
TING-TING: (sang kaagahon na nga lakat na cla, gapaandar na car) tita para dasig ko makasupot, indi ako magbakal ka mga wala pulos.
TITA ANNE: huo, pareho sang mga agogo.
TING-TING:: huo. ma ubo ka pa ya sina. (hahahahahaha!)
TING-TING: ti dasig lang ko na ka supot para mapadal an ta ka plete.ti indi ka na magsubo tita ha?


Ting-Ting loves to raise funds. She would volunteer to watch for Abe while I take a bath, give me a back and foot massage, do my nails. Whatever 'odd jobs' available at Tita Anne's house. I asked her one time, "Why do you save money?" she would reply, "Kay para may inugbayad kami sa Abogado." Hahahaha! (sorry folks, only those who know our family understand what that means.)

BRAVING THE JUNGLE

The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down
in green pastures,
he leads me
beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths
of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love
will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in
the house of the LORD

forever.





ANG MGA BUTO NI JONG-JONG BADILLA. I call them Tribo Bolo-Bolo. I don't know why. I just find it cute. Super bagay sa ila. Kay daw isa sila ka Tribe. We were neighbors for three months. A bunch of little rascals. Cute devils. You don't want to know how many times I had to breath in and out so as not to lose my temper. Was even close to collapsing. But those three months was a call for me to love, and I am happy I heeded that call. It wasn't so difficult with the support of my three other lovely, super adorable, undeniably sexy (amon ni site, so wala kamo mahimo.bwahahahaha) sisters. What's difficult is the saying goodbye. Now they're in Manila. And everyday I hear their yelling, laughter, cries, their sweet little voices when they want something from you.

They will be safe. They will be okay. They will grow up to be good, level-headed, smart people. That's what Gabriel and I pray for, every night, long since they became our neighbors.