Saturday, March 26, 2016

A Reflection by Karen Tan (grabbed without permission from her FB account)


Aral Pinoy goes to Sitio Taguisan on March 26, 2016...


March 24, Thursday, while doing Bisita Iglesia with my cousin, i was looking around the churches and there were tarpauline saying feed the hungry that caught my attention. At the back of my mind, i am already planning an outreach program to celebrate my birthday this coming May. I already know whom to tap for donations and will ask family members and some closest friend to help. Wrote down my plan in a small notebook before i went to bed.

March 25, Good Friday. Woke up, checked Facebook and there the first thing i saw was the post of my former campus ministry [volunteer] coordinator Antonio Ingles that he needs volunteers and donations of 100 cupcakes are also needed for Aral Pinoy's feeding program on Black Saturday. Without any hesitation, I replied to the post and said YES I can make it to the day of the outreach and that the 100 cupcakes is on me. While having breakfast, i suddenly remembered that our pantry is already short of eggs and flour. I just prayed and asked for guidance. Guidance that i would not make any mistakes, that the eggs that we currently have would fit 3 recipes, and that flour would just be exact or enough for the recipe. Lastly, presence of mind in dividing the batter so that I could yield minimum of 100 cupcakes (kahit saktong 100, ok lang kahit wala ng sobra for mom to eat ok lang she would understand). Thank God, I produced more than 100 cupcakes. :)

I have no idea where Sitio Taguisan is, when i got a text message from Sir Toni that we would meet in St. Therese of The Child Jesus Parish Church in Marcos Highway, I was so happy. I am a devotee since i was in high school, and it would be my first time to to this church, I was actually more excited to make a wish more than anything else. :)

Sitio Taguisan, first reaction "o ok pala dito parang exclusive village sa bundok" but no. We just parked somewhere in that village and went to the mountain.

I am so humbled to be part of this outreach program of Aral Pinoy.

To Sir Toni, thank you for the opportunity. Thank you for still believing in me that i still do have a heart of a volunteer. Thank you, that you served as my eye opener that i still can bake even though i was at this point that i wanted to sell out all my baking equipment because i have already lost passion. Thank you for bringing the old me back again. Just like Jesus, i have risen :)

To my new found friends, Kimberly Co, Juvelyn Samson, Andrea Des Dangeros Tria, Sheena Katrina Aragon Orihuela, Crizel Ruth Ghelmae Ricaro, thank you, thank you for your super grand welcome to me. More volunteer work for us! :)

To Sitio Tuguisan, thank you for having us. Hope everyone had a great time. Hope to be able to visit you guys again.