08 Sept 2011
Its Mama Mary’s birthday today, as planned a week before, we woke up early to fix ourselves (me, my wife and my mom) to attend a congregation in honor of Her birthday.
It took more then two hour bus drive to reach the far end of Northern Iloilo. Carles- the farthest municipality in the north. As our delegation disembark from 3 buses plus one L300 van the host welcomed and acknowledged our presence and direct to our allotted seats.
The program started with a doxology from local Parish Youth Ministry, followed by the singing of our Philippine National Anthem to which I notice I can count only those who put their right hand in their left chest. The belief that if there’s no flag no such custom.
The Datu of Carles again welcomed us all and one by one acknowledged the delegates from different towns in Iloilo. Also the father of the municipality expressed his gratefulness for choosing their humble town as this year’s host. He did not miss the opportunity to sell their famous tourism spot to all the guests. Then a dance number from again PYM members to the tune of Gary Valenciano’s religious song up to now the title I have no idea of.
As per the introduction of the guest speaker he hailed from Mina, currently one of the SM members and an obvious devotee of Mama Mary. He tackled mostly the importance and contribution of Mama Mary in our history, her ultimate sacrifice to gave up his son and what can we do to repay Her.
The highlight of the celebration is the Mass in honor of her. 4 celebrants took turns in celebrating the mass. On the sermon part the celebrant commended the efforts of the participants in attending despite the very remote location of the venue. Other participants took 3-4 hour ride. He condemned the laziness of his brother in cloth for not attending.
We took our lunch on the same spot we seated during the program and by 1400H we were on the same bus ready to head back home.
Due to long journey and lack of sleep we had that day we decided to sleep early on that evening. We were about to doze off when my phone rung, registered number calling indicating my crewing officer was on the line.
I listened and savored every instruction she had given after 4 times of on and off conversation with my wife giving that kind of look. I am expecting her call but not that early.
Later on that night all was clear, ill be joining on the 13th of September probably a week early of our supposed embarkation.
There’s a twist I had to be in the office the following day so that I can process my GOC (I signed a nine months contract ending on June next year while my GOC expires on March next year) in NTC.
Since it is impossible for me to get there the following day I promised to renew it on Monday 12th Sept 2011.
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