A Christmas Experience

A brief visit of a friend,

a benefactor and a brother

@ Houston, Texas






25 December 2008
Sugar Land City, Texas
USA

It's 7:00 AM and a my cell phone rang with the familiar voice of - Zaldie, ......... "Manong nandito ako sa Port of Houston, Pier #16 where my ship is docked!". "Do you want me to pick you up now?" and he answered, "Not yet, when I'm done with my refueling job then you can pick me up!". "Okay then and spend the Christmas with us since we will be having a family reunion with one of my sister's house".


Wow that was really a prolific event and I'm such honored to welcome one of our most revered benefactor of our arnis activities. It's such an amazing thing and a good experience having seen a long time sparring partner, a friend, a good benefactor and most of all ..... a brother I can be proud to call!

From the Pier we went home and introduce him to the boys and Mely, while she was busy doing the cooking and preparing some stuff for the "Noche Buena". We tried driving around to the different shopping stores but it seems everyone was rushing for the the last minute shopping for Christmas ........ the line seems endless! So we decided to go around and just give him a tour of our city.


The city hall was empty with no promenaders seems to be wandering around the streets and they all seems to be busy having a buying spree in all the stores and shopping malls. It was a nice day to stroll around because of it!

And so, we went around ..................... and as usual, the old frolicsome Zaldie, a jolly and a happy fellow he is that makes you smile and laugh on his jokes and stories on his ship.


He admires our city and asks, "Bakit marami ang mga puti dito sa Amerika?". Well its the old Zaldie's corny jokes! Iba talaga ang nakakalabas at nakakababa sa barko namin, para ka kasing naka bartolina lagi! Looking the same old faces for the next 24 hrs for the next 9-10 months! He! he! he! That's life of being a seaman anyway and the pay is compensatory naman for all your boredom and hardships!


Truly they are the era of new heroes for our country ................ because they generate a lot of income for the remittances they do that amount to $10-20 billion annually! Without this OFW's Philippines should have been long gone bankrupt financially, and most of all ............ intellectually drained!

For the last three decades, we all strived hard to pursue our own career. The vision we always follow and the mission we still need to accomplish! Having someone to talk to regarding all the plans and programs that needs to done is really fulfilling and boosts your morale and the desire to continue doing them regardless of the economic down trend!


It is an investment, for the future of the organization and those people, like the young Turks, who still believes in our vision and mission in life!





A visit like this from a person like Zaldie, makes me sentimental and passionate, for all the things we started thirty years ago ............. just couldn't let go no matter how far we've gone! Probably, its really imbibed in our blood and will never, never go away from our heart!


Again, I may quote, "Who is really the loyal subject?"

Zaldie also did tried to shun away from us for seven years because of personal and family matters but ........... olah! One day he dropped by my clinic crying and desperate of his personal predicament - he was financially and emotionally drained!


Without hesitation, I presented him to Bro. Rick and ask him what can be done? I can give him money today but not tomorrow or next day - so, we gave him a rod so he can fish for himself and no longer beg for it! Thanks Bro. Rick for the chance you've given him, now he is much richer than me - kaya nga may bumalak na kumidnap sa asawa niya eh!!! He! he! he! And again you were there to protect his wife and family, caught the culprits and brought to justice!!!


By the way, that was a team effort of the LM members - Bros. Bong Liliit, Junch, Mike, Rey, Rick and others (sorry I can't remember their names). Job well done anyway!

And so his Christmas visit ends here! We can only say ..............








Merry Christmas to all

and

looking forward for a

Properous New Year!!!