Devotion to Christ means depending on him every day. When you first begin a relationship with Jesus, you are like the fishermen of Galilee: you are asked to follow him. As you come to know him better, you realise that he is taking you to places where you must trust him completely.

My work usually finishes around 10:00pm and I sleep at 11:30 in the evening. I wake up around 7.00am and I still have enough sleep. But on Saturdays I get up around 8.00am. I fully support the proposal of migrant rights groups for maximum working hours, because as domestic workers we need enough rest and strength for the next day. If we don’t have enough sleep we will get weak and easily get sick.

When we age honestly,

we understand more about love.

When our physical eyesight dimmer,

our spiritual eyesight gets clearer.

As our body weakens,

our mind stays more willing.

After all the denials, the masks, the fears,

Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds,

gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your 

Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t 

you worth much more than birds?” 

(Matthew 6:26)

A myriad of birds day after day

The year 2016 for me was challenging. Among my challenges was losing a job in the midst of big expenses in supporting my two children in college. It is worse to think that the first time I lost my job could be followed by another two consecutive terminations that made me feel empty. Thinking of my children back home, I began crying, asking why God permitted these things to happen to me.

My most wonderful Christmas present received is really precious. 

Raymond was a Filipino student I once taught. He was good at playing the piano and sports. But his sports shoes were torn!

So I told him that I would give him a Christmas present only when he got over 90 marks in his English exam.

And he achieved my goal.

In Philippians 2:10 St. Paul states, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue should profess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The parishioners of the Trinity Chapel in Discovery Bay once again publicly expressed the important truth that Jesus is the King of the Universe with a solemn Eucharistic procession immediately following a Mass on November 20. 

Everyone of us has “one-liners” or commonly called motto in life. My favourite one-liners are,  “This, too, will pass” “ God will provide” “In the end, it will all be okay.” 

My life cycle is so perfect, that what I experienced may be not all but a lot to tell. I can say “oh so colourful!” 

The Social Concern Committee with 40 members at the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Tai Po went on a visit St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor in Sheung Shui October 30.

Father Paulo Ceruti, our energetic priest, joined the group and led the opening prayer in Chinese. Our emcees that afternoon were people who can speak and understand a bit of Cantonese.

A popular friend and mentor among the Philippine community in Hong Kong, Canossian Sister Vicky Ramos  celebrated her birthday in fine style at the Sacred Heart School in Caine Road on November 15.

Although the exact number of birthdays she has celebrated in her life remains a state secret, a highlight of the day for her was the presence of her sister and niece, both of whom travelled from Manila for the occasion.