CARLA - lelex:-)

She hailed from my place in Bukidnon. I heard of her name lots of times when we were kids since she garnered (many times i guess:-) ) the championship award at Del Monte, Bukidnon singing competition. I should say ...matunog ang pangalan nya when we were kids. When she transferred to our apartment in college, I was a little apprehensive dahil baka sosyal nga siya (hahahahaha sorry Carl..that was just then...). But of course, it was a lot different knowing her to be so down-to-earth with all our chikkas and open forums in the apartment, the praying together of rosary, the watching together of late night movies and many others pa. I admired her also with how she was able to balance her time with studies, BF Dennis and her talented group that regularly sang at a bar. I also envied her a little that she was regularly visited by her mom at the apartment. Unlike us ni gay that we got only visited by our mama in our dreams (hahahhahaha kalag na bitaw dead ball na baya mama).

Our college years ran swiftly with almost the entire apartment "team" (char lang) graduated together in college including of course Carla. After graduation, I rarely heard of her except when I heard that she already got married and sadly also when I heard that she fell ill and her younger daughter Robin Faith. I was not really there in every major and minor events of Carla's life but my chikka sister Gay updated me with everything and honestly broke my heart every step of that painful journey (every time i read Carla's account, i couldn't stop crying...why man oi huhuhuhu). And, in our random meetings at the mall, I was able to get some glimpses of her story and how she struggled especially when Robin was brought to US for treatment without her at her side but had to bear all that for her daughter to be well ( We always had such "short and sweet" emotional sharings...actually not really sweet...painful talaga).

I felt deeply overwhelmed by the whole thing imagining the process of how God was able to fashion each experience or experiences we have to fit in to our "formation" here on earth. I keep on wondering and tearfully recalling how such experience be placed in a package given to one person named Carla. I mean I only got to know her as a friend way back in college but I did not know such strength of a woman to come out due to such painful experience of being ill and losing someone so dear to her.

I really prodded her to write. Since I started this Little Heroes column, she always came in my thoughts and heart. Perhaps God was really pushing me to invite Carla to write her story which she just did (heheh lipay ayo ko ...ako ra man gihapon cge hilak). She just crafted a beautiful story of her life which you can check in this site - http://mygoodiebox.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html -.

When I invited her to write her story, she said "di balo ngano hero ko oi" (hahahhaha bitaw lingaw ko kang Carla..i hope she is aware that she is that brave:-)). But I just want to announce to the world that there is such great strength in each of us. And they are best tested when situation presents itself just like that of Carla's.

Carla is a hero with regards to strength and plight to stand up for life - for daughter Robin, for her love for Dennis and Maia, her love for herself to continue living despite her illness and I believe her deep and immeasurable love for God as she and the entire family continues to thrive in God's business through their plan of putting up a foundation for Robin. Who would ever think in the past, I mean when we were still in college...we may have laughed this whole idea heheheh that one day one of us would ever decide to engage in such beautiful experience of starting such a project.

Robin is truly such an angel that moved the entire family to be able to do beautiful works to the community. Or, to lead her mom to be more passionately involved and engaged with life. And lastly, to be able to find that real and true strength of a woman, mom, and a wife - A REAL AND TRUE HERO OF LIFE.

God bless you Carl. May you continue to flourish and extend your boundaries with Dennis and Maia.:-) ...with your angel Robin hehe imagine nako siya dula sa langit haskang biboha...:-)

MARIE

Marie works at Dunkin Donuts, Cagayan de Oro as a service crew. She is now 24 years old but earlier in life...when she was 12, she had to forcibly work her way from Lingating, Bukidnon to the city to work at the market earning P50 per day just to support the family in lieu of her father that got paralyzed at that time. Such was her initiative to bring income to the family that sent 7 other siblings to school.

During the Values formation seminar she had an emotional "outbreak" of her life story that moved everyone to tears. You know why? With her very minimal salary, she was able to make 2 other siblings (from among 7)to finish high school and is still sending the others in the elementary school. (What a big slap to my face that earned only for myself and Tobby - hahahhaha my puppy-dog).

She also broke the news that she will soon get married and was asking me as to where she could have a free wedding by a priest. Ouch!!!!! if only I am a priest, I would give her that (any priest out there who deliver such free service? heheh). When I asked her of the budget of her wedding, she uttered "P10,000". And it broke my heart again ...huhuhuhuh...You know why? I am quite ambitious in the past with how i imagined my wedding to be. I wanted such a grand wedding with all the entourage and video coverage perhaps so that i could post at facebook (joke lang...wala koy facebook). And here comes this lady that only wanted such a simple wedding taken from her and fiance's savings.

During our sessions, she may have cried for the years she had not enjoyed well her childhood years but the great fulfillment was how she had labored so hard for the family members to get the education they need (I see you now crying and i am while writing this). Added to that, she stated that it makes her happy to be able to give P1,000 for the family and buy them food from her meager income.

One more thing...this is what I learned with Marie...instead of complaining with her meager income, she even focused with her gratefulness that she has the job to support the family (for i hear a lot of people complaining and "crying" for an increment...on and on and that they are never satisfied with the amount added).

Really, the generosity of this lady named "Marie" is never outdone by what I have just started...I "woke up" much later than her. If i had not, I and Marie will not be able to meet in heaven...huhuhu (ay char lang sure nako malangit? hahahahhaha) Thank you God :-)

CHARLIE

"Charlie". That's his name. He is not the regular service crew that you see at Dunkin Donuts that does the work according to job descriptions. He does more than that. He goes out of his way to really entertain people. I first got to know him in an initial interview last August (2010). He was a little formal with me ...of course with the first getting -to- know- each- other meeting. But when he got to join us in the first-batch of the three-day values formation series, he was all out with his participation in all activities and sharings. And he kept on throwing humor and jokes that led everyone to enjoy the entire process. I tell you...he can well compete with Poo, Pokwang and all other stand-up comedians we have in the Philippines.

Let me give you samples (though it would be more fun if you can relate with the context):

1. Someone shared of a childhood experience that started with "when i was a ked"...and so Charlie uttered, "ked? past tense of kid?"

2. in the culminating drama, he portrayed the role of a son that wanted to bring his sister to an audition that may bring some family fortune (or misfortune hahahahha) bitaw he just wanted to buy medicines for his sick mother and so he forced his sister to just audition for a singing contest. They were both crying profusely for desperation to get the medicines. And so with the sister's exasperation, she was asking her kuya "unsa man diay sakit ni mama?"...Charlie (with his impromptu style of delivery uttered "hmmmmmmmmm...sip-on"...

3. Charlie is so positive with life and so he mentioned in one of his visits in the office "...the future is so bright...and so let's begin the first step with the 'heel' (what he meant was high heels hahahhahahahha simply...crazzzzyyy)

I tell you ...if you get to meet him ...you will go crazy laughing. With the seminar almost ending on the third day, i had an inkling that he wanted so much my attention and care "ngano wala man ko nimo duuli mam ...sana nag whisper ka encouraging words...can i come visit you at work"....of course i said my yes.

Charlie was just one of those that participated in the seminar that may be carrying some heavy loads but was able to choose to be joyful and happy... despite of.

BIG INVITATION : SEARCH FOR "LITTLE HEROES"

Dear Friends, Brothers and Sisters of SFC;



I thought of producing something that may "tickle" our souls to be more sensitive to some persons in our lives that may be part of this project that I want to start. I would want to open a special feature at my blog site (at blogspot.com) exclusively for those "LITTLE HEROES" in our lives.



Our history reflects different heroes who made significant contributions in our life as a nation (Philippines). Significant contributions that brought out significant change/s such Rizal with his writings, Ninoy with his political ideals that served as an awakening of our consciousness as a nation and many more (char murag expert sa history hahahahhaha)



But, wait...we are not just looking for another Rizal or Ninoy ( we are very blessed if we see someone like them these days:-)). We are also looking for those people whom no one may be interested of knowing or have stayed silent and hidden but brought in significant contributions and did save our lives by their ...even smallest act/s made us realize something significant that changed the way we look at things, live our lives, etc. There is no specific limit of age...even an act of kindness from kids or perhaps our own children may cause us to "see" something new or put us in a fresh perspective at life.



These people can be our heroes ..."little heroes". The word little may mean ...small or simple acts but again ...are to us considered life changing. Perhaps you could give me more definitions of this context...do help me (hehe ). Thanks.



Anyway...feel free to write and send it through this email address (heroeslittle@yahoo.com) or through SFC_85@yahoogroups.com). I will put it together in my blog site with the title LITTLE HEROES...BIG STARS. This can be our way of expressing our generosity, for others to learn from and gratefulness for these people for making such a huge difference in our lives. Somebody asked "what would be the reward"...My answer? It will come as your life's biggest surprise:-) I bet you for that...I have my BIGGEST SUPPORTERS UP THERE hahahhaha!



God bless us all!







Sincerely (ang taga compile)



Dang



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P.S. Perhaps you can use the guide below:



Name : _______________________

Age : _______________________

Brief Background of the person :

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Significant "Little" Contribution/s to you or to others:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



You may post their pictures too...if it is fine with them. Thanks so much... God bless us all!