I was not looking into posting this. Especially not here on my blog.
"But when you give to someone in need, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." - that's written on Matthew chapter 6 verse 3 of the bible. It's a cardinal rule to most catholic family like ours, when you give to the needy, do it secretly.
The photos here were taken while we were preparing food and distributing it to some of our frontliners including those manning the check points we were aiming to feed and extend help to. All of it were taken with my beat-up mobile phone and were meant only for personal consumption - forced of habit because I'm a blogger, also, a remembrance of some sort.
"Ma'am, baka pwede nyo po i-post sa Facebook, para makita ng iba. Para ma-inspire din po sila magpadala ng tulong. Nabubuhayan po kame ng loob pag nakikita namin na hindi po kame nakakalimutan."
After hearing those words from one of the frontliners in between spoonfuls of the adobo and rice that my family and I prepared for them, I know I have a promise to keep.
Truth be told, just like most, I am just an average salary woman. Part of my earnings from my day job I set aside as a budget for daily needs and the other part is for the medical maintenance of my mother (she is diabetic, has thyroid issue, and has undergone mastectomy.) The earnings I am getting from my food styling and photography side jobs are put into a halt because of the pandemic.
I wish I have more, so I could do more. But I know I could do something even with the little that I've got. I am not playing saint here, but I have experienced having none and was blessed with people who extended their hands despite having less.
The adobo we cooked is my father's recipe. Prepared ever so lovingly and slow cooked until the meat falls apart and the flavor infused in every parts and morsel of the entire dish. He rarely cook this on ordinary days unless we requested for it. When I told him that I am going to cook for the frontliners, he immediately started prepping the kitchen.
My father is in his senior years - with blurry eyes and weak at times, but he pressed on. He started pounding the garlic and prepared his secret marinade for the adobo. He helped out patiently and never told me off for buying a little less pork and getting wrong part of the chicken.
It was hard to buy food in big batches because of the anti-hoarding law that we have in the market. We worked with whatever we got on hand.
The end result of the adobo as always, was amazing. It's a labor of love after all.
My mother, equally weak and aging, cooked a batch of creamy macaroni. Upon tasting it, I figured it lacked a bit of salt so I sneakily sprinkled some. To my surprise, my mother was right behind me. "Wag 'mong damihan ng asin, baka magkasakit sa kidney ang mga tao." she said knowing very well that I like my food a bit salty.
While helping in the kitchen, I cannot help but feel proud because I have parents like them. I can only utter words of gratitude because despite the global scare, I have them and everything else seems less scary.
That moment, I was thankful to be able to prepped food for our heroes while I'm working in the kitchen with my personal heroes.
I was aiming to feed a hundred, but we were only able to come up with a little less than that - 95 packed lunch to be exact. Too few considering the numbers of frontliners we have, but it was all that we've got. I prayed to God to bless the food.
Adobo, creamy macaroni, and rice - simple food we take for granted at times. But at that moment, despite its simplicity, it fed our heroes. I hope it nourishes them and made them realize that we are thankful for them and that they can never be forgotten.
Our frontliners are our modern day heroes. They are out there to save lives even if it means risking their own.
Some of us may have more, some may have a little. But the quantity doesn't matter. A simple and well-intended help could go a long long way.
Early today I was buying bread at the convenience store when someone tapped and told me, "Ma'am, napakasarap po nung adobo at sopas. Maraming salamat po ulit." He remembered me even if I was wearing a mask. It goes to show how truly grateful he was.
This pandemic may have led us to an uncomfortable situation where we interrogate what used to be the certainties that put us to sleep every night. Life is not easy these days, but the sheer fact of it being really scary makes it somehow quite challenging. And we are warriors, we will not back down. We will look at these challenges eye to eye because at the end of the day, we all got each others back.
Thank you for reading this blog post. Again, I am not posting this to brag that I was able to help. I am not also posting this to tell you to go out there not minding the rules set while we are on EECQ. I am posting this to encourage you that even in our little ways, we can do something not just for our frontliners, but for everyone who needs help.
Please stay healthy and safe.
To our frontliners, mabuhay po kayong lahat.
