The Story Behind This Beauty

Life is not easy. In every corner lies a difficulty. Some may be bearable and some are so hard to face. This is the reality of life. I, as a daughter and a sister wishes to do the best I can in order to help my parents and the four siblings with my sister-in-law who stays with us in our simple house.

We already recover the death of my brother. My brother passed away last 3rd of November 2003. It's hard to accept that he's gone but I know there's a reason why it has to happen. He fell from a truck, his head got broke and the driver said he died on the spot. Its been a years, even though it hurts, it's much better than before.

As I go on with my journey I have to face the reality of life. When I was still in high school, I started to help my parents. While studying I was selling "yema" and "balekutsa".

When I proceed to college, it is much harder that's why I decided to stop my study just to help my mother on her job (a laundry women).

My father sold sand and gravel but it's now over because DENR does not allow them anymore. At that time, for me, every centavo counts. My father has no job anymore and my mother's salary isn't enough for us.

Almost everyday my father and I help my mother wash 3 sacks of dirty clothes. My father has no choice so he decided to get sand and gravel every night at the river.

Every time I saw my father fighting the cold air just to get sand and gravel to sell; it feels that someone is cutting my heart. He did it for our sake, in order to avoid that DENR, he do it every night. I know it's not good, but what else can we do, we need food, so we need money.

We need money, for the study of my sister, for the food, and of course for us to sustain our needs. And time comes that life has more difficulties, I can't bear just to watch my family crawling and do nothing!

17th of November 2009, I decided to leave my hometown with my mother for the sake of my family's need. We came here in Cebu to find a job also brought only 300 pesos and without any clear communication with my relatives whom we planned to live with. We don't even have any idea where they live.

We reached Cebu 12 pm. At that moment we didn't receive any reply from my aunt (in Cebu). We waited 'til 3 pm, I really felt pity for myself and my mother. While watching my mother, I want to cry, to shout… why we have to go in this place.

It was almost 3 pm; we decided to go to SM where my aunt works. It was my first time to saw a very huge store - SM, it was also the first time I entered this kind of place and it looks very great. There, we asked guard's assistance for us to find where my aunt is. Thanks God, we found my aunt.

Week past; I really missed my father and siblings. I was so worried because at that moment, still, I didn't found a job. 6th of December, my sister called me that my brother's wife is going to labor her first baby. She said my brother acts crazy, looking for money for the hospital and for the baby. So, we borrowed Php3,000 from one of my aunt's friend to send it to my brother.

I have no job, my mother and I decided to make "rag" in order to pay that 3000. 100 "rag" cost 30 pesos. Everyday, I help my mother make "rag". I can't deny the truth that every night while I'm here in Cebu, I cry.

January, I met this guy, a very good and kind guy - my husband. He promised to help me find a job. With his help, I applied to Gaisano, he helped me for all my requirements and of course he was a very good friend to me.

I'd undergone seminar and exam for weeks and at last the physical examination. I really felt disappointed when I got the result, I didn't pass. I want to cry, but I couldn't, I wanted to shout on them that I tried hard for weeks just to get that job but I couldn't do it.

They're right, that job didn't fit me. I went home not on my mind, I really didn't know how to tell this to my mother and to him. I decided to go back to Maasin (my hometown). But then, he came to comfort me and told me not to give up.

Early in the morning, he came to the house. He told me to come with him; I was shock where he brought me, on his workplace. There, he taught me all about his work and told me that it was my first day for the job. I couldn't believe it, but it's true.

When I got home, my mother was very happy to hear that from me. I called my father quickly and told him "I got a job!".

For times that we're together I can't deny it, I feel something for him, something I can't explain, something special and something makes me feel wonderful to live here in Cebu. And that's the beginning of our love.

And now, I have him, we're happy together now with our wonderful life, a life full of love and blessings. We got married last 4th of September 2010. We live in Cebu, as of now, we rent a house and got savings for us to build our own house.

My sister also got a job now; both of us still continue helping our parents. And with God's help, my parents got a mini sari-sari store. Every time my father's boss got a project, my father also got a work from him.

Thanks to my husband for inspiring me, for the love and care. Thanks for everything, you're one of the greatest gifts I have in this life. Thanks for teaching me not to give up, for teaching me how to fight in order to win the game of life. I know, you're always here beside me, to love me. Thanks for that.