news tidbits

i came home last night from the peace center where i conducted a training on basic communications skills for grassroots young women, feeling tired but satisfied and happy. the young ladies exceeded my expectations; they were not only vocal and participative, their eagerness to learn, their hunger for more knowledge and passion to better themselves and their lives touched me to the core. it was like being in the presence of something Sacred...

these young women are aged 18 to 30 who, because of poverty, were unable to finish high school. the peace center is providing them a one-year certificate course in conflict management and transformation and political participation, as well as a chance to qualify for a high school diploma, through these series of trainings. these young women attend the courses on weekends, as on weekdays, most of them work as housemaids, salesclerks, etc. or just stay at home helping out.

i learned with them as they learned with me. times like these make me feel blessed i am in the kind of work im in.

*******

i got 6 missed calls on my cellphone while i was at the peace center the whole day yesterday. when i checked, the missed calls were from home, so i promptly called back.

it was little Bea who called.

she just wanted to tell me her first tooth fell off yesterday. : )

so last night, we made a ceremony of wrapping her precious tooth in tissue paper and placing it under her pillow. before falling off to sleep, she asked me if the tooth fairy leaves her fairy dust behind, and i said, maybe...

this morning, the first thing i did upon waking up was to take out a twenty-peso bill from my wallet and exchange it for her tissue paper-wrapped tooth under her pillow. i told Thea about it and Bea's question last night.

our responsible big sister promptly mixed some red glitter with baby powder, and sprinkled it under her pillow and around Bea's toys and art materials under the bed. : ) : ) : )

*******

paolo came home last night from a day out with his dad at his taekwondo competition. Thea and I were worried why it was taking him so long to come home; we thought he must have been having a grueling day at the competition and wondered if he won.

paolo won alright! when his opponent saw him put on his helmet and leather vest and assume his fighting stance, the opponent backed out.

our little hero won his first competition through intimidation.

: ) : ) : )