Adna went early to attend the Holy Mass. She sat beside the old nun who gave her the necklace after Adna had her legal clinic last December 8. This completes the work of Adna as a missionary with the help of the head of the city legal in their place. The judge requested Adna who liked the taste of Adna’s food to prepare the foods for their Christmas lunch. On the 26th, is the birthday of his wife and he asked Adna to cook again for their visitors who would come for lunch on his wife’s birthday. The day after his wife’s birthday, they left and went to U.S. The judge after a month came home first. The wife just arrived this month. Adna met her shortly yesterday, and today after the Holy Mass she asked Adna to go with her for a breakfast at a fast food nearby. At first Adna refused because she still has to buy for the breakfast of her family. Before going to the church she just left bread because only Al the second was awake. Al was still sleeping and Adna just asked him permission that she would be going to the church. The wife of the judge also brought lipstick for Adna. Adna told her, “”no need to give me lipstick.’’ She looked at Adna’s lips and said, ‘’you put lipstick, I can see it.’’ Adna replied, ‘’yes but too light.’’ She really wants to give the lipstick to Adna, so Adna said, ‘’okay, I will give this to Lex or Azia.’’ Then she held Adna, ‘’come with me, let us have breakfast’.’’ Adna was really obliged to go and on the other hand was thinking I would be going home late and I could not prepare breakfast for my family. When they reached there at the fast food restaurant, not much customers. Then she noticed another woman already sitting at the table and she said, ‘’she is the sister of a dentist, let us go near her table.’’ Adna was introduced to that woman, but Adna could still remember her, One time at the mall, Adna and Al noticed her kindness to the mall staffs. She was so caring and there is really too much concern from her towards others. Adna told the wife of the judge, ‘’yes, I remember her, I have seen her one time at the mall and I was so amazed with her kindness and concern to the mall staffs.’’ When they started eating, still the woman continued talking with Adna, I have so much testimonies about my prayers being answered, when my Visa was denied, I did not go home and I just sat quietly at the corner and I prayed to God, ‘’am I going home with nothing? Then later I heard my name being called and then I was given another chance for re-interview, the I got my Visa approved.’’ All the time when she spoke she was smiling and her face became prettier and prettier as Adna was staring at her closely. Adna told her, ‘’if you are the sister of a dentist, so you mean you have a brother who is a priest now in U. S?’’ She answered, “”yes,you know him?’’ Adna answered, ‘’I do, he used to come to our house having dinner with my Mom Rona and Papa Mar, many times. He also was the one teaching me how to pray properly. I have to make it slow and sincere from the heart. He loves me as a child and everytime he comes home for a vacation and when we meet, he can still recognize me.’’ All the time the woman just focused her conversation with Adna. The wife of the judge was just listening. One funny story was when she arrived in U.S. because she ran away from her husband who gave her marital problems and agony, her friend told her, you will be a citizen right away, a doctor will marry you here in order to get citizenship. She told her friend, ‘’I have not asked permission from God yet.’’ I also have a husband waiting for me at home. Adna told her, ‘’honestly when you speak, I truly admire you, it always begin with the words, I AM SO HAPPY, that is why your face looks twenty years younger than your age. Adna continued, ‘’that is the secret of life..GRATITUDE..Helping other people is a pay it forward after you received so many blessings not specifically money like when you were called for a re-interview to get your Visa approved, it is because of your joyful attitude.

The wife of the judge knew that Adna was in a hurry to buy food at the mall for her family. The woman still has so many stories to tell to Adna. She told Adna, I hope we could still meet again. My name is Mildred, and Adna also gave her name to her. When Adna arrived home, a visitor was already waiting for her. She brought lots of shrimps for Adna, but Adna refused to receive the shrimps, it is not good for Azia and Al the second. Adna instead shared to her the food she brought for Al, Lex, Azia, and Al the second. Adna who harvested her bananas also shared it to her friends who helped her in the legal clinic and medical clinic. Yesterday, she brought bananas to her high school classmate, the doctor. After she entertained the visitor who brought shrimps, she brought bananas to another friend who helped her with foods for the lawyers, doctors and even indigents. Anway, two bananas are still bearing fruits so Adna could still share to other friends when she would harvest. Everytime Adna would harvest fruits from her backyard, she would remember Uncle Mike who would always call Adna when he harvested his jackfruits and ripe mangoes. It was during Adna’s childhood but up to this time what Uncle Mike did to Adna is always remembered. When Uncle Mike had plenty of ripe mangoes, Adna was allowed to share it with her classmates. Making other people happy also. The old woman shared to Adna that she would ask someone to distribute and share equally money good for eight persons who were staffs at the mall. When she visited them, she noticed they were not having happy faces. Then she learned that all the money was just kept by the one person she assigned to distribute the money. Adna also told her, ‘’it happened to me also, when I was invited to attend a wedding, I just gave money as a gift for the bride. When I had the chance to talk with the bride after the wedding, I asked her if she received the money as a gift for her, and she answered, ‘’no, I did not receive any money’.’’ Adna told the woman that sometimes, you have good intention but it falls to a wrong hand.

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Adna had to relax with Azia, Lex and Al the second who were watching television show. Adna then came to her mind about the two women she had breakfast with. They look young but the age of the wife of the judge is 62 years old and the other woman her age is 68 years old. Adna just smiled, saying to her children Lex, Azia and Al the second, ‘’my friends are much older than me’’. Adna remembered when she was young that she joined an organization in the church and no one was like her age, most of them were old and one of them was Adna’s teacher in Grade one. Adna grew up with her old loved ones, still her crowd are the old ones. Adna is so comfortable with them. Al the second has his charity works during Christmas. At first it was only fifty children, now it become two hundred fifty children. Adna would run out of gifts for them and had to ask Al to go with her to buy more, but the children would wait at their gate and some would knock on the glass window of Adna’s house. These glass windows were Papa Mar’s window bought in 1956 but Adna took care of it and still it is used up to this time. Sometimes, Lex would raise her voice to the children, ‘’do not break our glass windows.’’ Azia would also go to the gate to stop the children from making noises. Azia with soft voice would tell the children, ‘’behave, my mom would give each one of you a gift, just wait.’’

Who I am now is because of how I am raised with much love by Papa Mar, Mom Rona, Aunt Felip, Aunt Feliz and Uncle Mike. My children Lex and Azia who are both intelligent and young professionals always stay simple and humble. Al the second who is my only son and the youngest is already gifted with wisdom to share to less fortunate children whom are being left out by their parents. My husband who had long proven his genuine love for me is also steadfast in helping me to serve others. I am so GRATEFUL to You my God, ‘’Adna silently saying to herself.’’ Adna learned, the secret of life is GRATITUDE, and the most important thing which value is the most high is TIME. The true treasure in this life is FAMILY.