memorable run...

Janis took off his jacket as she sat on the bench and drank the few drops left on her bottled water. She just finished her last round of run... she normally rest for a while at the community playground just a few walks away from her apartment.

Watching the kids laughing and playing around is such a high for Janis. A Chinese kid is skating towards her bench, Janis looked at her back and saw a middle-aged woman. The boy went up straight to the woman and asked for his bottle of water. By her accent Janis knew the woman was a Filipina.

Janis smiled at her and the woman asked... “Pinay ka?”she answered “opo”. She learned that the woman have been working as a nanny... the boy returned with the empty bottle and handed it back to her. “Did you see me? I’m good already” her yaya smiled at him and said, “yes...very good, mommy will be happy if she see you.” She replied struggling with the use of language. And the boy returned to the open playground and skates...

“Dalaga ka pa 'no?” she continued, Janis smiled and nod in reply. “Ako may anak na ko, sing-laki na rin ng alaga ko. Tatlong taon na ko dito, ikaw?” and she answered “8 months pa lang po.” The woman was about to say something to Janis but she suddenly stood up and hurried to the boy... noticing he fell from his skates. “Susmaryosep na bata ito” she exclaimed as she guide the sobbing kid back to the bench... “You're not careful ah... you rest, enough skating ah...” she lovingly scolded the boy. She tidy up the boy wiping his sweats with a towel, and then changed its clothes... she combed his hair and took another clean towel and put it at the kid’s back... as she finished she smelled and kissed the little boy and tickled him, he giggled. She packed the roller skates in another bag...

“ Mauna na kame ah”, the woman bid goodbye to Janis as she stood up. “Sige po,” she replied. The woman asked the little boy to say goodbye to her but he just timidly smiled. As the two completely disappeared from Janis sight, she got this feeling that she wouldn't want to go back to her apartment yet. She decided to walk for a while, it was a cool night and there are still a lot of joggers passing her. She kept on thinking about that woman... and she kept thinking about those Filipino workers she had encountered in her 8-month stay...

That very kind Pinay nurse she met at SATA clinic, Janis noticed her as she carefully help an old lady back to her wheelchair... During her turn, the nurse said“relax ka lang, wag ka tumingin sa syringe...” she sensed Janis was quite nervous with the blood test.

“Good evening po. Ano pong order niyo ma’am...” the polite greeting of a burger king Pinoy crew at her as she proceeds the counter. She still can't help but smile when Janis remember how dumb she was when the crew thoughtfully asked “Dine in or take out?” And she still answered in locals’ way “having here”...

She remembered how they all got very excited and felt back the joy when her housemate's picture was seen in the local broadsheet paper as it features a Pinoy concert, an article about how Filipino bands have conquered local audience. Janis was there supporting his band during that gig...

She remembered that memorable ride with an old man in the train having an emotional conversation with her daughter... she remembered the nanny... who lovingly took care of that boy.

Her walk turned to another run...

As she felt the speed, she remembered that remark...

“a land of servants...”

Until now Janis could not understand how could these people despise the fact that Filipino workers have contributed a generous amount of tender care for the old and sick people all over the world?
How could these people do not appreciate the hospitable smiles of Filipino workers brought to food chains, hotels or shopping malls around the globe?
How could these people do not realize the talents of Filipino workers that they have passionately shared for other people in every corner of each country?

She wondered if these people truly recognize Filipino workers value, how they tried to stand a winter freeze... coming from a tropical land. Or a desert instead of beaches and beautiful islands... or taste the chili curry and pasta or croissant instead of steaming adobo rice. These people do not realize the sacrifice a man has to endure away from his family just to give them a decent life back home. And how painful it is to lovingly take care of children which are not your own. They go to sleep and dreamed of going back just to hug and kissed them... just to wake up alone...

Exhausted and out of breath, Janis stop and dropped her body under a big tree... as she watched the moon above, she felt this hallow pain inside her... she wiped the sweats over her forehead. She sat and rest for a while. Janis never knew that there will come a time in her life that she will be this affected by the flights of OFW, until now. She stood up and from that moment she knew that she can make a stand for those people...she can make a change for OFW's... prove to everybody that they make difference, that they make an impact to the world, that they are truly a gift not just to their family but to the nation as a whole...