Everyday, Adna goes to the church to attend the holy mass. Usually if Adna woke up early she attended the 6:30 in the morning schedule. If she woke up late then went for the 7:30 in the morning holy mass. Today, Adna must attend the funeral mass of the priest’s father who died of a sudden heart attack. With the experiences of Adna losing her Mom Rona, Papa Mar, Aunt Feliz, Uncle Mike and Uncle Rom, she did not like to see or witness same situation. As if Adna could not completely move on even if it had happened many years already. In fact, during their birthdays, the family still celebrate it as if they are still alive. There is always a birthday cake which inscribes their birthday age that sometimes the cake decorator would say, ‘’can he or she still walk’’. Lex would tease, ‘’yes he is on a wheelchair’’. Like Papa Mar who was born 1909, Mom Rona who was born 1910, Aunt Feliz who was born 1908, and Uncle Mike who was born in 1916. Last year inscribed on Papa Mar’s birthday cake was “happy 109th birthday Papa Mar’’. It gave the amazing feeling of the cake decorator to know a person reached that age, when in truth, Papa Mar had been gone twenty six years ago. The physical absence of them all were just only in the eyes of Adna and her family. They are all alive and existing in the mind and heart of each one specially for Adna.
The priest studied in the school where Adna studied. He was in the elementary while Adna was in highschool. He is almost five years younger than Adna. When Adna was chosen by their chapel officer to represent their small chapel as a reader during the holy mass in the church. Adna became close to everyone there, they even would come to Adna’s house every occasion like birthdays. The young priest was also assigned in the church. He became their spiritual director. Though he was young, but he was somewhat more mature than his age. When Lex and Azia would go to the church to see their mom, the priest seeing Lex and Azia wearing the school uniform where he also studied would approach the young girls, and talk with Lex and Azia. He became much closer to Lex. There were also other young priests with him but he was more a silent type than the others. He was always smiling and could be approached anytime for any concern. Adna then became a member of an organization that has members coming from poor communities. They could see Adna’s heart of sharing to them specially food. Of course, Adna also cooked foods for the priests. The organization had a Christmas party a week before Christmas, and Adna would gather many packed gifts for all the members. It was in 1999 when Adna suffered severe bleeding which resulted to anemia. It was discovered that Adna had myoma which needs an operation. Adna who already experienced severe allergy when she underwent operation with ruptured appendicitis, decided not to undergo same procedure anymore. Adna had to resign from her work in the government. The priests as well as the organization had chosen Adna as one of the delegates to the first world congress. This congress is participated mostly by priests and nuns all over the world. Only very few were the laity, mostly carefully chosen by the priests where the delegate served.
The congress was held in the next city, so Adna can just go home at night. There were also dignitaries who came to attend the week long congress. Adna had the opportunity to meet them in persona and even had a short talk with them. Even the president of the country. Adna met many priests and nuns from different places. Most of them had been assigned to non-Christian countries for a mission of evangelizing God’s teachings. They were the so called missionaries in the modern times. It was a significant experience for Adna. Because of Papa Mar’s teachings to Adna, she had no stage fright. She never look up to their positions as dignitaries or with high position in the country, Adna just treated them as friends. . They were most kind and humble the way they talk with Adna. One of them really went with Adna to visit her place. The dignitary was from Europe and he met the children of Adna. He gave Adna and her family a necklace propagated by the congregation where he belonged. He offered Adna to give funds for the sick children but Adna told the dignitary, ‘’i don’t like the young ones, they are still very active, i love the old ones, their time is almost over, they are weak and needs help’’. The dignitary answered,’’i must transfer to the old ones in that case’’. Adna knew that was only to him personally because he handles all the sick children especially those with HIV’s all over the world.
After the week long congress, Adna was asked to hold a re-echo of what she experienced in the congress. It was in front of many people.
Then December came, Adna proposed to give five kilos rice, the expensive rice for fifty indigents. The priest was in charge to choose the recipients, Adna’s work was to gather the rice. It was realized, and fifty indigents were happy they had rice to cook for Christmas Eve and even could reach until New Year’s Eve. Month of January was month for Ecuminism, where different sects of Christians will gather and become one. Adna was chosen to represent the church together with the pastors of the different Christian sects. Adna refused, it must be a work of a priest who is of the same level with the pastors. Although priests are anointed and pastors were not. The priests including the one whose father had funeral mass this morning chose Adna to speak in behalf of the priest. Her topic was “God the source of Unity’’. It was too difficult for Adna specially that many pastors would listen to her and also members of different organization would be there too. Adna just prayed to God, ‘’ here i am dear God, cleanse my tongue and mouth, and use me however you want me to work for your glory, and fill me with the Holy Spirit to guide me.’’ Adna then faced the huge crowd with the many pastors who were sitting in front of her. Each has an hour talk for each topic. Adna began to speak, God the Source of Unity, We Belong to One House, We have One Father. Our sister may go somewhere to another country and the other to the different place in another country and some maybe left in the same house or some may live in a place nearby. When they come home to the house of the Father we realize that we are all brothers and sisters who all belong to one Father, our God. Never focus on the differences on what we believe, but hold on as being united because we are one family, we are all brothers and sisters’. No one is superior than the other, we were made equally and created out of love. Every time you passed by the least of our brothers and sisters, did you stop for a while and asked, ‘’ have you eaten your meal already?’’ Did you take a coin from your pocket and gave it to them so that they can buy something to eat? Have you spent few minutes to sit beside them and listen for awhile if there is anything they need which you could help? It is being taught in the congress that there is no need to go to remote and dangerous area to become a missionary. If you are a wife then be a good wife. If you are a mother then be a good mother. The people will see the things you do even if you don’t speak or evangelize. You can just listen to their story or tell your story, that is a missionary. No need to be afraid of the measure of time but truly enjoy the fullness of time. Adna ended her talk with a song,,’’If in my name you will gather together, united loving each other, you do what I commanded you to do, and I will be with you. Bring with you my Peace, my most precious gift, bring my gift of togetherness for all the people.’’
Some priests were also listening to Adna. One said, “we are right in choosing you Adna’’. Then Adna approached to the high ranking priest and told him that they would provide doctors and medicines for the poor ones who could not take medicines for their illnesses. There was no question asked on how Adna could do it considering there will be more than a thousand patients. Adna gathered the medicines and also the doctors who were specialists in their own field of expertise. There was a cardiologist, husband of Adna’s distant cousin, an internal medicine doctor, a neurosurgeon, a pediatrician, a family medicine doctor, an optometrist, an ob-gynecologist, dentists, pharmacists. Adna prepared the food for the doctors. The free medical clinic accepted patients who were Christians and Muslims in their place. There were over a thousand patients but with God’s grace, they never run out of medicines.
The priest whose father had a funeral mass this morning, became a high ranking priest. He helped Adna secure the documents required for those who had been living for many years and had not yet received the sacrament of matrimony. There were times also when Christian from other sects would like to join and become a true Christian like Adna. This morning in the Eulogy speech of the priest, Adna knew that his father died during Adna’s birthday.
