Despidida

Despidida

In two hours I will be on my way to the airport for my flight back to Chicago. There is a lot I have left to report about--the program with Grace Buado for funding college student's tuition, the Mission Ministeries Philippines and their programs of community building, and my meeting with Admiral Ernesto Levanza from the Philippine Coast Guard and Jerry Simon who is the CEO of a shipping company here. They are working on a project of building a school in Zambales.

These are all things I want to talk about at length with my friends in America. For right now, I will tell about a party that was arranged for me last night. The students called it a Despidida party. It means that I am leaving so I was supposed to cook but Ate Glo and Flor's cousins did that. I just bought the spaghetti and mangos. haha

In addition to Flor, Lando and Josie and their daughters Rapha and Gwyneth, there were nine kids that I first met tutoring three years ago. Jennelyn is a great singer as is her closest friend Myca. I have been able to help them with college expenses. Myca gave me a necklace that has Zeus written on it in case I forget who I am. She tutors many younger kids now, and she is a born leader. Loujesa is a great leader too. She has a great sense of humor often directed at herself with the added "Joke Lang" which means just kidding. She is in first year college studying community organizing. Julie Anne teaches preschoolers in the morning and then goes to college in the afternoon studying information technology. Clifford is a great guitarist who is in a band with Myca and Jennelyn. Shirley Ann is another first year college student who stunningly beautiful as opposed to just beautiful. Noeme and Kathy are still in high school. Noeme towers over everyone since she is five foot six inches tall I think. She wants to be a stewardess, and I am sure she would be a great one. Kathy is quiet. She told me she was scared of me when she first saw me because I was so tall. Ha ha and looked like Santa Claus, but she is now a great friend. Karen is tiny and so smart. She will be going back to school in October and wants to be a teacher. She came with me yesterday when I met with the admiral, and I introduced her as my bodyguard. She is soooooooooo cute!!! Rapha is much younger--in sixth grade. She is just a wonderfully friendly girl and a great leader among her friends.

There are two things that I think are remarkable about these students. They all will tell you that they are poor. In many cases, their parents make two dollars a day on a good day.

And I expect all of them to finish college.

There is a sense of community in this group which is absolutely amazing. They all performed at a seventh year celebration for their church on Sunday, and they are all talented. They have all been working since they were very young.

After we had finished eating, each in turn said thanks to me for coming. They were embarrassed that their English was not good enough, and I knew that my Tagalog was so much poorer. This is a group of students I will never forget.

Danny, I played the song Bulak for them. They loved it.

I have to go.