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Hi Friends,

This is an old story I wrote,  I happen to found a copy of it on the unending pile of papers I have… this has inspired me, so thought of sharing it again to all my new friendster pal, I hope you’ll be inspired too.

Chiao,

Jie

Aling Criselda… a woman full of hope and courage.

By: ejiev_2000

Few years back when I was still working in Quezon City… hindi pa uso ang MRT non… so everyday to work… I take the aircon bus all the way from Bicutan to Quezon City.  One traffic jammed morning… nagmamadali pa ako dahil male-late na ako hehehe… at the bus stop I noticed a fat lady standing.  My attention was caught by the crutch under her right arm… a bus stopped in front of me and  I went up… I sat on the first row, the usual thing I do… the lady followed me and stood up beside the driver… then she started to talk loudly… greeting everyone good morning and then she said…  “I want to share with you the gospel of today”.  You will say this is a common sight and you would think that she is a member of a religious group or something.  But she is not. What I notice is that she is a smooth talker… she relates the gospel to her life and other peoples daily life… such us in the office, in the house, in school, in the market and everywhere… before you knew it engrossed ka na sa pakikinig sa kanya… and you start reflecting on your daily routine and try to think how you’ve been everyday.  After her preaching… she will say… “if you have few coins to spare me, I will forever thank you for it, because it can help me live a normal life”… only then  that I noticed she has only one leg and the crutch under her right arm says it all.  The man sitting beside me offered her his seat  and she smiled and gladly took the seat beside me.  Too much curiosity and pity brought me to talk to her.   She was really nice, she was jolly and funny… but as I look into her eyes I can see that there’s sadness and tears almost ready to flow as she told me what happened to her.  Victimized by hit and run.  She has 4 kids… who’s been out of school  trying to work hard… 2 boys as a construction worker and 2 girls one as a sales lady and the other selling banana cue and everything she can in front of their house in the squatter area beside the train rails in Bicutan.  Before the accident she was working and earning for the family… her husband died 7 years ago.  Her kids wanted to earn money to make her walk normally. She don’t want to sit inside the house doing nothing while her kids do the work… that’s why she was doing that.   I remember her telling me “kapal ng mukha ko no?  Nanghihingi, sabagay barya-barya lang naman yung sobra lang para sa iba at yung bukal sa loob lang na ibibigay.”   Then napansin ko na lang I have to go down na pala. Before I go down I reached down  on my purse got all the coins that I can find then put it to her small box and I said “Good Luck!” and I left her with a smile… she said “salamat at pagpalain ka ng Diyos!”

Almost everyday for a long time … I see her on that bus stop… trying to wiggle her way to ride the aircon bus, preaching and asking for help… although bihira ko syang makasakay but everytime I do… we say hi and talk for a while.  Then one day hindi ko na lang siya nakita… everyday I am wishing na sana makita ko siya ulit.  I wanted to know how she has been but days passed by hindi ko talaga siya nakita for more than a year, she wasn’t there on the usual site at the bus stop.  Then as time passed by and I forgot all about her.

Then two weeks ago… I was seating in the front  row of an aircon bus busy texting some friends I heard someone said “I would like to share with you the gospel of the day”… when I heard that line… I looked up and saw the same lady again… but this time the crutch is nowhere in site.  She did her stuff… read the bible… preached the same soothing way that will touch everyone’s heart.  And her parting message says… “Salamat sa inyong lahat na nagbigay ng tulong sa akin… sa lahat ng taong bukal sa kalooban na nagbigay ng barya… dahil sa inyo nandito ako ngayon, normal na nakakalakad, nakakapagtrabaho.  Habang buhay kong tatanawing utang na loob ito at habang ako’y nabubuhay araw-araw tayong magkikita sa ganitong pagkakataon… sapagkat sa  ganitong paraan man lang ay mapasalamatan ko kayong lahat.  Salamat at pagpalain ng diyos ang ginintuan ninyong puso.” I couldn’t help but cry… she noticed me… she smiled and said “Naaalala kita… salamat ha.” She walked towards me extend a hand and as I held out my hand a tear fell on my cheek… then I asked “ano nga po pala ang pangalan ninyo?”… then we both laughed… imagine all those years ngayon ko lang tinanong ang name nya.

Until now, you can see her there every morning at the bus stop… doing as what she calls… “Pagbabayad utang”… she’s been doing it for almost 4 months now.

Everytime I remember her and her story… I get teary eyed. The courage that I see in her makes me realized that there is nothing impossible in this world… if you just have the guts and the will to do something to achieve it.