"Life of Survivor"

Year 1972, I was a grade 2 that time. We lived from North Cotabato. We are two families living there in my mother's side. Which is my mother's brother, my uncle. He was married and have 3 children.

In my side, we are five siblings. We left there in North Cotabato b'coz at that time there was a fierce war. They declared "NO MANS LAND" .

My parents and my uncle decided that they should leave the said place. They have a sister living in South Cotabato that we can move to.

When we arrived at the place we're my parents going, my mother's sister did not expect the two of us to flock to them. My parents and their brother begged us to take shelter first b'coz of the war in North Cotabato.

But, my aunt was shocked although she did not expect the two families to live with them temporarily.

And that time my aunt has a visitor. She heard all our pleased to my aunt and her rejection of us there. So the guest did not hesitate to receive us.

My parents and her brother could'nt have imagined that their own sister would'nt accept them, while the land on which she lived was 8 hectares.

My aunt's visitor felt pity for us b'coz we were evacuators from North Cotabato. He was kind enough to let us live on her farm.

We never thought that her farm was wider than my aunt's farm. We went there immediately, we never slept with my aunt. We're immediately going there.

My parents and my mother's brother they made a pallet right away b'coz there was a lot of bamboo's there. The landlord just lent us a "gulok," so that we could immediately make a place "hut" to sleep.

No nails were used, only rope of rattan skin. They tried to finish it before it got dark. My parents and my uncle also made a temporary "wall and roof" made of Anahaw leaves that are squeezed by divided bamboo's. That serves as reinforcement to strengthen the foundation of the said anahaw tighted by the rattan skin.

And Mercy of God, that is only a temporary place for us to live. They also tried to make that hut even better.

The landowner gave us full support, she gave us CORN seeds. My parents and uncle they plant rice on the field. " The owner are not ask the share all the crops and products there. My mother and my uncle's wife were also hardworking. They planted root crops in large numbers. Such as like in different camote.

I even ask "What do you mean by that."

In my young mind, I didn't know that I was just surprised awaked from sleeping with my mother's "sobs" I really wondered WHY? Always in every midnight. I think b'coz she can't accept the fact that her own sister is still ruthless with us? Or her left behind our house, some pets and the crops in our farm there. Even if we we're just her nephews and nieces, she don't felt mercy? All that what happened in our life we could'nt understand b'coz we were young that time.

I also didn't think that the rootcrops what they would planted of my parents are we would be eat. We experienced we eat no rice. Only pure rootcrops. The corn plant, that's what we make our rice. We just grind on it in the stone mill. That was the "trend" then before.

At first, we don't know how to adjust in our situation. Because we are not used to that kind of life before. At a young age, my brothers, sisters, cousins ​​and I enjoyed eating it. Because at that time we just only knew and contented to eat and play happily. I just imagined we never tasted meat there.

But it didn't take long. .

My mother and father raised so many chickens b'coz the owner of that farm gave them a pair of chicken to take care of. Until such time it multiplied and multiplied. Having a Core quantity. . A Native chicken which is delicious until we we're concentrated everyday in excessive quantities. And they sell other chickens to buy our some daily needs.

Until my brothers, sisters, cousins and I studied and graduated. :)

So, this war in Lebanon and Israel I was really "related" makes me feel the hardships that the people there are going through. Because we are also left in the war.

------"So, whatever the hardships of life we encountered, if only we work hard with faith in God, all the trials of life will surely be overcome. The Lord will replace humility and patience with a good life."-----

I didn't hear my parents answer and scold my aunt when she didn't accept us in her area.

As I write this my unforgetable experienced. My tears are just dripping which I unknowingly turned into "sobs". Because, I feel more pain now, the bitterness that my parents encountered went through before. Our life and our sufferings.

LESSONS TO LEARNED: We don't lose our hope. We must have to fight with courage as what my parents did. Until you succeed.

Thank you for reading.