I would like to share some meaningful life of my parents. My mother, was born in Pili, Camarines Sur, Philippines (August 11, 1945). She became an orphaned when she was two years old, both parents were gone. Her Mother, passed away one week after giving birth of her sister, then her sister did not survive also. After one year, her father found dead under the tree, somewhere in a valley far from their home. Then her grandfather took care of her. But most of the time, she was left alone due to that her grandfather is a "quack doctor" in their community. So my mother, learned a lot of things to survive on her own. When she was in third grade, her grandfather told her to stop studying since he said, you know how to read and write, and that would be enough. Though her teacher offered to adopt her, so as for her to finish her education, her grandfather did not allow it. She started trying to earn money as a domestic helper in their hometown, when she was 9 y/o. It was frustrating because, she experienced oppression, like one day, she got caught by heavy rain, on her way to employer's home, after buying foodstuff from the market, and she decided to stop in a place to hide herself from the heavy rain. Then when she arrived, the employer was mad at her, saying we are so hungry, why you're so late, in the back of my mother's mind, they have rice in the house, that they could cook, and viand, not for them to wait for her. Then on, with God's grace even her journey is difficult, one of her Aunt, was trying to guide her.
About my father, at 7 y/o he witnessed, WWII, his mother died of tuberculosis when he was a teenager, he took care of his youngest brother like a second Mother to him. He learned how to earn money by picking up coconuts in the mountain on Saturdays then sell it. Due to poverty, after High School, my grandfather told him, if you want to finish College, look for somebody to help you financially. He became a house help to one of his relatives. Then on, our relative, discovered his articulate personality, and recommended my father to work in a logging firm in our hometown as a payroll master. With the grace of God, he served 50 years for the company. We six children of them were the essence of hardworking, God-fearing parents Ama-Ina. Maraming Salamat po.