Christmas 2011 was my
40th and I could say that it was my best ever.
The Lord indeed has been good to me, my family and ministry in 2011 and
He reserved the best for the last.
Christmas has never been this good!
Around our table on Christmas Eve, there sat 12, instead of the usual
4. Aside from Anne, Lois and Josiah, my
mom also came for Noche Buena - a Filipino tradition where family members come
together at 12 midnight on Christmas Eve to eat the traditional Christmas
meal. Nikko
Noche Buena with Elisha, my mom and our 6 Aeta kids
We first met these kids
6 years ago when we first started a ministry in a mountain in Morong, Bataan , working among Aetas. Cynthia, the eldest, was just 10 years old
then. A few years after, one of their
siblings, Ishmael, the only boy, became the “darling of the YM team” because of
his sweetness and his unique ability to get our attention and to make us
laugh. He loves to dance and possesses
some funny antics that you won't suspect would come from a two year old
boy. Now he's six.
The life of an Aeta is
plain and simple. They don't have
much - no electricity, no running water,
and nothing of the things we enjoy and sometimes take for granted in the city. But in spite of their situation, they are the
happiest people in the world, at least that's what I have observed in the 6
years that I have served in their community.
They know how to have fun and every time I look at them I see a smile on
their faces. They may not have many things, but for as long as they have their
only treasure - their family, nothing
beats the life of an Aeta.
Such is the life of
Cynthia (16), Esperanza (14), Esmeralda (12), Ishmael (6), Mikey (4) and Marian
(1).
Who would have known
that in an instant, everything can change for the worse? When we held our VBS last summer (May 2011)
in their community, their father was sick and was confined in a hospital. Two months after, he died of Tuberculosis. A
sickness considered as non-fatal but because they don't have enough for his
proper nutrition and medicine he died needlessly. Four months later, barely a month before
Christmas, their mother passed away.
Many suspect that she took her own life because of severe depression.
Now, these six kids
suddenly were left on their own.
As for us, when we heard
of the news, our Christmas schedule was already on its full swing. It was our busiest Christmas ever. Our schedule includes 10 Christmas parties
for the street children, 4 reunions (family and former classmates), 4 church
Christmas parties and activities, and many other events we usually do during
the Christmas season which includes gift giving for street dwellers.
Although we were so
busy, we decided to take action for those kids.
We talked to the board of the church and unanimously, we agreed to adopt
the 6 kids for Christmas. Our family
will keep them from December 23 to 28, while the church will alternate in
bringing them to amusement parks, malls and play grounds. We also agreed to buy them new clothes, shoes
and groceries.
At SM Manila for their Christmas shopping
Help also came from so
many people who knew them. Adopting them
this Christmas only became possible because of the unity and support of so many
people who truly love and care for the Aetas.
The six days the six
Aeta kids spent with us came so fast.
They have seen places they have never seen before. Places they will surely talk for the rest of
their lives. They went home with new
clothes, shoes and food supplies that will last for weeks. To top it all, they
now have new hope for the future. They
are now assured of God's love through the many that showed love and gave their
support.
They still will face so
many challenges but they will never forget what they have experienced last
Christmas. Just like when Jesus came two
thousand years ago. It was Earth's
darkest hour, when hopelessness abounds, and then the Angels came to announce
that the Savior was born. Light, life
and hope came.
Now, we can see the same
for the six Aetas. There will be tough
time ahead, but just like what they have experienced last Christmas, there will
always be hope for them in Jesus.
Now I know why this is
my best Christmas ever!
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