And Now One

From two and now down to one...

It was a tragic event for our family once again as we see another older generation go.  My Auntie Viring passed away yesterday and it was a tragic incident because she was burned to death.  A fire that broke out of her room when her television exploded, and the breaker failed to trip.  It was less than an hour when the whole house was burned into ashes.

I saw the sadness of my dad, when I told him the news.  Auntie Viring has been bed ridden after her stroke for the last eight years.  My dad was saddened and anger because of the so much sufferings she went through and to die in such away is too much.  Life is really very much unfair.  Now, my dad is left alone in their generation.

Maybe the only good thing is, she being a professed Christian.  Both of my Aunts came to know Jesus through the perseverance and work of Pastor Helen Tam.

I remembered my auntie Viring as a tindera.  She has a sari-sari store in Arranque market when we were little kids.  I remembered my mom or my lola used to bring me to her store and I can pick all the toys I wanted.  I can still remember getting a small basketball, a gun, and of course not to forget the candies, were only some of the things I got from her store.  It was really fun going to her store.

She was a kind-hearted woman.  I remembered she is the refuge of all her siblings when they are in need.  She takes good care of them and of course us since most of her siblings were not that fortunate in business and profession.  She makes sure that everyone has something to spend.

She was my Tua-kho who loves to play mah-jong and enjoy the company of her children and grandchildren, plus her nephews and nieces.  She is like a mom to all.  After her stint in Arranque market, she transfered to Divisoria and had a store that sells cloth.  I also remembered rolls and rolls of clothes in her store.  She was also known around Tabora (If I am not mistaken) as a very good person.  Once I  visited her store, all her neighbors were good to her and very much accommodating when the cloth I needed was not available in her store.

When we were young, we would often go to her house during New Year's Eve because she wanted all of us to be together.  To have some fun and reunion as one big family.  She truly had done her part as the eldest among the siblings, she always make sure that the family was well in tact.

The last time I visited her was around a year ago, I think.  She can't speak but was able to recognize me.  Once I brought along my father to visit her.  I went there twice.  It was only this year that I was not able to see her because as I was knocking at their gate for a long time and no one was there to respond to my knock.

We did not tell her that most of her siblings have passed away.  Maybe she would be very surprise to see them in the other life.  Truly, unless all of us accept Jesus to be our personal Lord and Savior, it would be impossible for our family to have a grand reunion in heaven.  But I thank God that each one of them has put their faith in Jesus before they passed away.

I am sure to see them in the very near future.... naku dad ko dapat talaga ievangelize na... matigas ang ulo, I need prayer support or else it might be too late and a thing I will regret for life.