Watch Your Feelings! (Published under TDP Publishing House)

Prologue

3 THEN the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. 4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. 6 The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. 7 The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. 8 You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. 9 Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, 10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 30:3-13)

Every day and night, binabasahan ako ni mama ng bibliya. At walang araw na hindi niya magawa 'yon.

Lumaki akong may takot, pananalig at pananampalataya sa Diyos. At araw-araw mas lalo itong tumitibay. Hanggang sa dumating ang araw na sinukat ng Panginoon ang lahat ng 'yon.

PAUWI na ako galing sa eskuwela nang bumungad sa akin ang isang malaking apoy. Mabilis itong kumalat at nilamon ang buong bahay namin na gawa sa light materials.

Napatunganga ako at nabitawan ang dala-dala kong bulaklak na kakapitas ko lang malapit sa ilog. Ibibigay ko sana 'yon kay mama.

Nagtulong-tulong ang lahat ng kapitbahay namin para patayin ang apoy pero huli na ang lahat. Nasunog ang lahat ng gamit namin at wala ni isang natira maliban sa dala-dala kong sketch pad, bibliya, gamit ko sa eskuwela, at uniform na suot-suot ko.

Mayamaya, nanlambot ang aking mga tuhod. Unti-unti akong napaupo sa lupa at unti-unti ring pumatak ang aking mga luha sa aking pisngi. "S-Si mama. N-Nasa loob siya ngayon," pautal-utal at mahina kong sabi.

Ilang sandali pa, napahagulhol na ako. Nanginginig ang mga labi at kamay ko. Pakiramdam ko sasabog ang aking puso.

"Mama!"