Something More

Language

Dedicated to MiyukiYusuzuki (please help me with the translations! >.<)

4th Sunday of Easter

Imee Therese's POV:

"Imee...Imee...wake up now, it's already four in the morning..."

Ever since we've returned from our stay in Evangeline's house, Anthony has making an effort to wake me up early in the morning...

"...hnnng...good morning, Anthony." I opened my blind eyes and smile at him. "Let's do our best today, okay?"

"Yes, Imee."

He spent the entire hour tendering me and preparing me for the day ahead: wiping me through a soapy wet cloth, washing my hair, and changing my clothes.

"Ready to go outside, Imee?"

"Well, yes. Certainly."

Anthony then puts on a jacket over me before carrying me from the bed to my wheelchair. I joined him in doing some jogging around the church...don't worry, the jacket is protecting me from the cold and I'm started to gain a bit more resistance from the elements thanks to the medicines that Anthony is giving to me everyday. Besides, I need a fresh and natural batch of air to breathe, through my ventilator, instead of artificial air coming from the air conditioner in my room.

Today is Good Sheperd Sunday. I've been teaching him how to interpret the Gospel for the past two weeks and today, he will start to help me in doing cathecism sessions apart from keeping watch over me just in case something happens within my frail and fragile body because of my paralysis.

Participants for today's cathecism will be some kids and the youth that Father Jean gathered after the mass...so it will be easy for us to teach them...

"One of the famous descriptions of the Good Lord is being a Good Shepherd." I started the discussion. "The Good Shepherd, the Lord usually describes, is ready to leave all the 99 safe lambs to search and find the only lost lamb and take him home, even to the extent that He will sacrifice His life for it. But today's reading adds the roles that our Good Lord has as Our Good Shepherd. He is the Door...and the Way. Through Him, we can achieve eternal life and happiness. Follow him and we will know and realize the true meaning of life...and what God has planned for all of us."

"Yes, Imee. The only thing that we could do to make it through the door...is to believe in Him." Anthony continues the explanation for me. "Listen to what the Lord is revealing to us...and try to follow it with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Listen..and follow Him alone...and don't heed the voices that tempting you to divert ways from Him...for it will only lead to failures, sins being committed unintendedly...or even leads you to death. That is why the Lord...the Good Shepherd is here, to save us all from eternal damnation...and bring us to the kingdom of heaven full of eternal life and happiness."

I could sense that everybody is taking down notes while Anthony and I are explaining everything about today's Gospel. I'm so happy that they have accepted and understand what the Holy Spirit is telling them through us...

"Tabi kanako. Ikaw ba ang usa nga ginganlan si Imee Therese Villaflor?"

Suddenly, I heard a peculiar language...something that I've never heated before.

"Umm...Anthony, is that you?" I tried to ask my love if he's the one who just spoke.

"Oh! No, I'm not! It was one of our kids." Anthony then turns to the boy. "I'm sorry, can you repeat what you had just asked?"

"Tabi kanako. Ikaw ba ang usa nga ginganlan si Imee Therese Villaflor?" The boy asks Anthony again.

"Oh...Oo, ang akong gamay nga higala. Ang babaye nga nagalingkod sunod kanako mao Imee Therese Villaflor."

Whoa! I-I didn't know that Anthony is bilingual!

"Oh...ehehehe! Imee, this kid came from Cebu. I could understand somehow their Cebuano language since I was destined in Cebu back when I was in the police force so...I could interpret him for you." Anthony explains. "To start, this kid just want to know if you're really Imee. I said you are."

"Well...yes, I am." I let the kid know of my identity. "Anthony, could you tell him what can I do for him?"

"Unsa ang mahimo sa Imee buhaton alang kanimo, akong higala?" Anthony related the message to the kid.

"Ako lang gusto sa pagpangita sa usa ka tambag gikan sa iyang. Unsaon ko sa pagpakita sa akong gugma ngadto sa Dios, bisan tuod wala ko makakita Kaniya sa tanan?"

"Imee...the boy wants to ask you...how can he show his love to God, even though he didn't see Him?" Then Anthony translates the boy's inquiry back at me.

"Oh...that's easy. You just need to show your love to your neighbors by simply doing good deeds that will make them a little better." I tell my advice to the boy before Anthony translate it for me.

"Ikaw lang kinahanglan sa pagpakita sa imong gugma ngadto sa imong mga isigkatawo pinaagi lamang sa pagbuhat sa maayong mga binuhatan nga sa paghimo kanila nga usa ka gamay nga mas maayo."

The boy seems to be impressed by what I...umm...indirectly telling him. So...he asks another question for me...

"Ang mga milagro nga nahitabo dinhi sa simbahan mao ang mga tugon sa gugma sa Dios usab?"

"The boy asks whether if the miracles that happened here are also testaments of God's love?" Anthony translated his question...that actually make me smile and wonder. Well, perhaps it's the first time that a child easily recognize such great mysteries of love and compassion from God. For kids like him...those wonders were foreseen as magic tricks that children will enjoy from clowns and magicians...but for him, miracles are real...

"Well...of course, my child." I turned to the kid and smiled sweetly. "Miracles are there because God wants to know how much He loves us...it's very special because it happens in times of troubles and doubt...this bring renewal in faith and hope to Him. I'm glad that you've already recognize such miracles.

"Imee miingon oo...mga milagro didto tungod kay gusto sa Dios nga masayud sa unsa nga paagi sa daghang mga Siya nahigugma kanato...kini espesyal kaayo tungod kay kini mahitabo sa panahon sa kagul-anan ug sa pagduha-duha...kini dad-on pagbag-o diha sa hugot nga pagtuo ug paglaum ngadto Kaniya. Imee miingon nga siya nalipay nga na ikaw pag-ila sa maong mga milagro."

Upon hearing this, I heard that the kid giggled. Perhaps I was able to satisfy a bit of his thrust of knowledge about faith with God.

In the end, I heard that the kid is whispering something to Anthony...in which he chuckles.

"Imee...the kid wants to tell you that he is grateful with your answers." Imee relayed the message through my ears. "Also, he said that we're quite good in teaching cathecism when we work together."

"Hehehe! Why, of course!" I giggled in response. "But you gonna have to learn more about teaching the Gospel to the older people, understand?"

"Yes. No problem, Imee. Hehehe!"