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Published: April 2nd 2008
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A time to mourn. I arrived in Zamboanga City on a sunday morning to attend the funeral of my father's uncle who had passed away thursday night. Just last thursday noon I was in Davao City to attend the memorial service of my father's aunt. My father was sick at this time so I was sent as a representative of our family.
I was picked up at the airport by my dad's cousins. I have not been here since 1990. I don't remember much of the place since my dad didn't tour me around the city when we visited in the nineties.
My dad's uncle was in Manila about a year ago, and my parents brought him and his family to Pansol, Laguna for a hot spring dip. His children and grandchildren were in Manila too at the time my grandmother passed away. my dad's aunt from Davao was also at the memorial service of my grandmother about four years ago. As our elders have passed away, I would like to remember the good times we had shared.
At the funeral parlor, there were his wife, children, grandchildren, friends, and relatives. My dad is well known with his
relatives as he keeps in touch with them. He regularly comes to visit them in the provinces. I'm just glad to see again those whom I know and to get to know those that were newly introduced to me. I was even given a "history lesson" of a relative about our ancestors. I've had questions about it but was unable to exchange detailed stories about it with my grandmother.
I took down some notes about our history. I should be asking my dad about this matter too. A story we can pass on to our children. A history that binds us to our roots in the island.
I stayed with Dr. Bernie and Dr. Clint, Dr. Bernie is a sister of a friend. I also took the time to visit her since I was unable to attend her wedding about two years ago in this city too. I'm thankful for them to accommodate me in their place on short notice.
After I've attended the memorial service for my dad's uncle on monday noon, I was toured around the city by Dr. Bernie and Dr. Clint. We went to the Yakan Village, it's a weaving and souvenir place
for goods made by the Yakan tribe. Across the village is the Ebenezer Bible College. Dr. Bernie told me that it's where they got married and had the reception.
It had a good location, big lawn, big old trees by the sea. We had good timing since we got there at sunset. I'm just so happy to see the sunset in Zamboanga City. The city center was easy to move around since there are no traffic. I was not able to check out even one mall in the city. I just want to take a look how the mall looks like down there.
I met a distant relative (perhaps a second cousin), Rousell, who treated me to "sati", it's chicken bits (barbecued) with hot sauce; rice cooked in "puso" way (inside a coconut leave) also placed in the plate. It was good. After having a morning snack, she accompanied me to meet relatives that my dad told me to visit. I also visited my dad's uncle's family to tell them I was leaving on Wednesday morning. Then we went to Canelar Barter Center. They sold a variety of items from foodstuffs, soap, toothpaste, shampoo from Malaysia and Indonesia,
to local souvenirs.
Rousell and I had lunch with her family. I rested for awhile before Rousell dropped me off at the clinic of Dr. Clint and Dr. Bernie. They treated me for dinners at a cafe in Tribu and a seafood restaurant where they served "curacha". We had also spa at the Garden Hotel.
I was also able to go around the hospitals in the city since Doctors Clint and Bernie have clinics in several of them and their friend Emjay also. I learned from them that a lot of doctors from Manila or those that are not locals of Zamboanga are practicing their professions there. It's very heartwarming to know about these doctors who opted to practice in the province and serve the communities and cities around Zamboanga City. It is a known fact in our country these days that doctors have become nurses to be able to go and work abroad. To the doctors who remained in our country, God bless them.
There is a time to mourn, a time to laugh. . . everything is beautiful in God's time.
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susan
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iam from suluan
I admire guts for braving the treacherous waves goin to my island suluan, I from suluan and most of my families are still there, thanks for taking great pictures