My Faith - an altar in my room, the first place I visited in the morning and the last one before I rested at night. Being away from home, in times of finding hope and spiritual guidance; my faith is my cornerstone.
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| The Bench - it might be a simple bench as what you can see, but for me, it's a silent witness for the many things that happen in the lives of a people around this area. A place to sit and relax after a long day of work. A comforting place that carries and ease every burden that makes ones life heavy. |
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Her smile was filled with so much joy and gladness; an aura that I couldn't imagine to see from a woman who dedicated her life to serve a family which is not her own.
A few months ago, Aidha, an organization that helps empowering women, particularly FDWs in Singapore held a free workshop in Photography sponsored by The Lensational Organisation. I was one of the privileged women who attended the workshop. It was amazing, interesting sessions. There I learned different techniques and functions of highly sophisticated cameras. One day, on an early morning walk with my dog Hope, at the park across the road from my employer's house, I met an Aunty Josie. She's on an early walk with her employer's grand daughter. She greeted me, "magandang umaga" in tagalog which means good morning. I am surprised to see her after a long years of her disappearance. The weather was calm and the sun was just about to rise and set its rays in the horizon, we both settle in center area of the playground and began a morning chat.. I took a stolen shot of her on the swing with the cute little girl she carried. Her face reflected a smile that was filled with so much joy and gladness; an aura that I couldn't imagine to see from a woman who dedicated her life to serve a family which is not her own. Her wrinkled skin, slender body and gray hair that once vibrant and young, are a superficial evidence of hard work and perseverance which she bore over 30 years.
Sometimes, I couldn't imagine myself to be like Aunty Josie. She had long forgotten her own self for the sake of loyalty to her employer. Her dedication to her duty being a domestic helper is outstanding. But before we parted , as my dog was impatiently barking and dragging me home, I asked her why she is still working here. She answered, " This is my home and they are my family. As long as the government will allow me to work here, I will remains to be a maid. After all its a noble job. Singapore has Prime Ministers, Olympian, Social Workers, Professionals and many more. Most of them have maids and had participated in molding their values and characters. I am proud to be a maid, and happy to grow old as a maid." Her words are like a stigma that wrapped my heart and whole being with so much pride of being a Maid.
The Playground in Binchang Rise, Singapore. A sole witness of the moments of laughter, tears, friendship and disappointments of most helpers here in Singapore. A place where we used to get together every afternoon to bring our "kids" our employers' children to play and mingle with other kids in the neighborhood. The place where I met Aunty Josie, a maid, a woman, and a noble person, who was proud of herself being a Helper for three decades. This is Singapore, this is our second "HOME".
I turned my self towards home with my dog walking along, and I looked back to that playground. The Aunty was still there and I told myself, "will I be able to see the same playground after 5 years?" Tears of Joy trickled down my cheek as I realized how lucky I am to be given a chance to study in preparation for my retirement. I am proud to leave Singapore someday, for I know that in my journey back to Philippines, I had left a wonderful footprints behind.
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