Barasahan sa Barangay

Kan petsa 3 kan Enero, nag organisar kami ning barasahan para sa mga aki sa Soledad. (Last January 3, we organized a reading session for kids in Soledad).

May dara akong mga libro para sa mga aki. Koleksyon kan mga estorya: Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang. Para sa mga aki an mga libro asin mga estorya. (I brought several children's books. A collection of stories: Lola Basyang's Stories. The books and stories are all for children).

Pinabasa ko an pirang mga aki habang nagdadangog an kadaklan. Mariribok an iba. Pero natural na talaga siguro sa mga aki an dai magaontok. Nagngangalas ako ta dawa mariribok, naiintindihan man ninda an saindang nadadangog na binabasa. (I asked some children to read while most of them were listening. Some were noisy. Maybe it's really natural for children to be uneasy. I am surprised because even if they are noisy, they still understand what is being read).

Si Adrian pinabasa ko man. Si Melyjane nagbasa man nin saro pang estorya. Iyo man si Maestrang Feching. (I asked Adrian to read. Melijane also read a story. And so with Teacher Fe).

May mga kawatan na itinao sa mga aki na nakakasimbag sa mga hapot. Igwa man nin mga dulse para sa gabos. (Toys were given to kids who can answer the questions. Candies were given to everyone).

Pinakakan nin goto an mga aki. Pagkakakan, may saro pang nagbasa. Grade 2 pa sana su aki alagad maray nang magbasa. Marhay man talaga ang pagtukdo sa satuyang eskwelahan.
(Children were fed with rice porridge with egg and chicken. After eating, another child read again. She is just in Grade 2 but she can already read very well. The quality of education at our school is also that good).
Uuliton mi pa an pagbarasahan sa barangay. Dudumanon mi pa an ibang barangay. (We will repeat this reading session in the barangay. We will go to other barangays as well).

May nakua na akong gustong magtao nin mga libro. Habang nagdadakol an mga libro, mas dakol an aaboton kan barasahan na ini. (I got several book donors already. As more books come, we will reach more children and readers).

Madya, tabang na sa barasahan sa barangay. (Come and help in this reading session in the barangays).

Midnight Mass in San Jose

"Mag-awit an malinig an puso, mag-awit sa kaogmahan."

"Bangging banal, bangging diosnon, mga anghel sa langit, maogmang nag-aawit! Pag-omawon ang Dios, sa kaitaaasan, sa mga tawong marhay an boot. Pag-omawon ang Dios, sa kaitasan, sa mga tawong marhay an boot."

The San Jose Parish Grand Choir's voices filled the church on Christmas eve.

As always, the church is filled to the rafters; churchgoers spilling over at the doorway with still a lot at the patio.

Attending the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is central to most people in San Jose. Dai baleng mayong noche buena, makaatendir lamang kan misa.

This explains the overflowing mass attendees not just during the Midnight Mass but even during the Dawn Masses (Aginaldo), with kids and youngsters eager to complete the novena masses even if it gets biting cold early in the mornings.

With the beautiful church after the restoration efforts by the community, attending mass at the cathedral-like parish church becomes even more enticing.

The structural change inspires an inner renewal. Just as the interior of the church is now filled with radiance, so must our inner selves be just as radiant. This calls for an individual effort to renew the house of God in each of us - our hearts.