In the eyes of an infant...
Faith is when she laughs once thrown up in the air.
Hope is when she raises her hand and motions to be cuddled.
Love is when she smiles whenever she is surrounded by people.

In the eyes of a child...
Faith is when she jumps from a tree without thinking that she may be hurt.
Hope is when she expects for toys even if she fails an exam.
Love is when she hugs someone.

In the eyes of a teenager...
Faith is when she prepares her party dress before she asks her parents for permission.
Hope is when she tries on a new look and waits for everyone to notice it.
Love is when she blushes upon seeing her crush.

In the eyes of a student...
Faith is when she thinks of passing an exam when she failed to prepare.
Hope is when she studies hard for her future.
Love is when she tries to impress someone with her wits.

In the eyes of a job seeker...
Faith is excitedly looking for a job after five years of unemployment.
Hope is patiently waiting for an employer's call.
Love is perseverance.

In the eyes of a lover...
Faith is believing that someone can love her back.
Hope is wooing.
Love is being patient.

In the eyes of a married person...
Faith is giving her all to the person she married.
Hope is looking forward to having a happy family of her own.
Love is taking care of her family.

In the eyes of a parent...
Faith is letting her child explore the world.
Hope is waiting for her loved ones' arrival.
Love is understanding and acceptance.

In the eyes of an ill person...
Faith is waking up the next day feeling healthy and fresh.
Hope is praying for her quick recovery.
Love is being with the people she values.

In the eyes of a dying person...
Faith is finally seeing her Creator.
Hope is a peaceful death.
Love is a tight squeeze on her hand.

In the eyes of a bereaved...
Faith is holding on to God's promises.
Hope is moving on.
Love is letting go.

This is the story of our lives.
This is our journey.
This is our unrelenting battle for survival -
Armed with doses of Faith, Hope, and Love.

          "You matter because of who you are. You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can , not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die" this is the core concept of the hospice care by Dame Cicely Saunders who was the pioneer of the hospice service in1950’s.

          It was November 11, 2010 our teacher told me that we’re going to a hospice. What a hospice? I said. My heart started to beats faster due to excitement. Me and my group mates have spend our time planning on tomorrow’s program for the hospice patients. It was so flattering that everybody are cooperating it seems like we will have an astonishing program for tomorrow. I and jean were the assigned as the Master of Ceremony our friends were confident that we can do it so we shouldn’t fail them. The pressure had risen up.

          November 12, 2010, hospice day has finally arrived. I’m so frustrated, hey what should I do it is my first time to be the MC oh God please give me the wisdom so I can say things that I need to say. As I open my mouth to utter the words for the introduction it seems like everything is not in my head anymore but is now already in my heart .All of the information filled my heart and wants to burst out from my mouth. It is like God blessed me with so much knowledge.

          The flow of the program was smooth, it was so fascinating to hear the laughter of the patients as me and my partner crank jokes. This day was not meant only for throwing up punch lines but also sharing love to one another. The hospice patients are wonderful teachers they edify us with moral lessons. Our hospice experience gave me a flash of generosity. Sharing your love means you are offering quality life to other people, to put smiles on their face which gives you a feeling of happiness because for some point in their lives you let them put out of their mind that they will be in God’s paradise sooner; their hugs which reflect their sincerest gratitude for spending our time with them gave us so much pleasure and inspiration for us. An inspiration to move forward, that everything is according to God’s plan, that he gave these challenges to strengthen us and our faith in him.

          Just like the patients in hospice trust in our creator, He will never fail us, He is always in control of everything, Give your 100% faith in him and we will never stumble in the darkness. We can be the instrument of God’s love, of His appreciation and generosity. Let us be the angels and givers of His blessings. Be a blessing to everyone. Continue to inspire and love!

          Bravo to the true fighters of this life! Your love and appreciation has breathed us with lives and inspiration. It is our pleasure to be with you. All I can say is thank you.

          Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines-After being away for more than two decades from the UPLB crowd to work as a writer for TV drama anthologies and film suddenly I was on stage again not to act, but as a playwright.

          I remember those rehearsal nights back in the early 80's, the never ending supply of refreshments and "salabat." Oh yes, there was always an over-flowing supply of hot salabat for our vocal chords, that time there were no lapel, microphones and so we had to project our voices to be heard by the person seated at the last row of the UPLB Auditorium. Our director needed salabat too to yell at the actors on stage "voice projection… control!"

           There was nothing like that as I watched the young, unassuming director and professor Elmer Rufo during the run throughs. He was cool, no tension at all, holding his microphone he politely delivered his instructions during the technical/dress rehearsals. Oh, well, maybe I was not around when he walked out for some annoying rehearsal problems.

         I was teary eyed on the first matinee showing of "Pahimakas at Panimula", the stage play I wrote for the Madre de Amor Hospice Foundation and UPLB ComArts Society. I sat at the last row. It was a full circle experience. I was completely over-whelmed and mesmerized by how Prof. Rufo transformed the material into another unforgettable stage play. He simply nailed it and made a mark again in the UPLB theatre history.

          "Pahimakas at Panimula" was staged last February 17-18 at the DL Umali Auditorium with 3 p.m. matinee and 7 p.m. gala. The four shows were packed with well-informed audience. A full house, lots were seated on the aisle during the matinee shows, the poster with a pink ribbon was such an attraction. The concept was well thought to see the message.

          And so buses and jeepney loads of students came to the campus in both afternoon shows, some from nearby towns like Calamba and Sta. Rosa and speech students, people from all over packed the auditorium.

          Professor Rufo perfectly conceived the idea of designing a three octave giant piano to be the stage of the actors and effectively deliver the message and provide the drama of the story based on the book " Oh God, why Sarah ? " by Dr. Fermin Adriano.

          The story is simple, but gripping. It is all about Kate, a 14 year old student of Pisay, a promising pianist, intelligent, but her dreams are shattered when she is diagnosed of having nasopharyngeal cancer Stage IV. She embraces death like all the challenges in her life. Her grieving parents needed some answers as to why… why our daughter?

          Well, everything happens for a good reason, for one greater purpose. Kate had to suffer so that others will no longer suffer, and be in so much excruciating pain because of cancer. Her death leads to the founding of Madre de Amor Hospice Foundation, the Panimula ( Introducing/Beginning ), which takes Care of cancer patients and those terminally ill.

          Going back to the impact of Prof. Rufo's piano and set design, it was like he took as to a CCP theater experience as what my niece said "Ninang, parang CCP play...ang ganda, ang galing!". People came out of the auditorium in tears, with so much hope and better understanding, with so much positive comments.

          The piano provided so much drama, it established the opening which was Kate's recital, too bad the giant keys didn't work as was planned, the men who were supposed to pull the keys and have it bounce back while the piano piece played were not available. Instead the ballet that went with piece provided a more classy opening.

          The keys also served as the main props from dormitory to hospital beds, to chairs, to more dramatic devices like providing suspense as Kate steps on each key, it goes with an eerie, threatening musical effect signifying the start of dark days. The keys were also used for transition, with each key dropping one after the other symbolizes the Pahimakas ( Farewell ), it also served as the grave for the eulogy. That scene gave me goose bumps as the butterflies came down and the bouquet of roses rise from the grave.

          Direk Elmer also used five curtains for entrances and exits, it also conveniently provided transition and more drama as it rolls, unrolls, falls hard on the floor, one after the other. There was the second level platform which gave a higher and deeper dimension in some delicate scenes with Kate's last moments with her Nanay and Tatay, the priest giving communion and the ending wherein Gerry, Kate's father came to terms that Kate is gone and he had to let go as he was done writing the book. It was a glorious feeling after all the uncertainties, sufferings and struggles.

          The music was fluid in all scenes, it fully blended with moods. The lights came in perfect timing, considering that there was not much time for a technical rehearsal.

          The gay nurse, played by Oscar Bartolome was a scene stealer, everyone would love to have a nurse like him having a better understanding of how to treat a patient in a terminal case and walking an extra mile to make it easy for patients Kate played by Nadine Sales, was very effective, though some commented that her voice was too soft, oh well she was dying anyway. Dying people don't talk as loud. Gerry played by Jaime Rafael Ledesma memorized his lines too well and delivered.

          As I was writing the play, I couldn't imagine how he will blend some monologues and the actual story, but Direk Elmer found a way. The anxiety Maita, Kate's mother, as played by Andreah Celes was able to gain symphathy from the audience as she has always been there for Kate's comfort at the time she screamed for pain relievers and the discomfort of needles and all those life saving devices attached to her.

           I understand the play will be toured soon upon the invitation of interested cancer and hospice advocates. We all hope that you don't miss the next staging in your locale and experience a different way of looking at cancer and the experience of witnessing a completely absorbing stage play that made it much talked about for days. Though the story was sad, the direction kept everyone glued to it from start to finish. It is a must see stage play.

          Death is defined as the end of life of an organism or cell. It happens in an instance and no machine could actually predict the exact time a person or an organism would die. To people who have learned that they have limited time to spare here on earth and to those who have lost valuable parts of their body, living hurts, but dying is more unacceptable. These thoughts often lead to emotional problems such as depression and may eventually aggravate their physical illnesses, too. Such individuals need care and attention to ease their pain.

          It was March 8, 2010 when the class of English 2, section Y4, visited a very caring and important foundation, the Madre de Amour Hospice Foundation, located at 9957 Amethyst Street, Los Banos Subdivision, College, Laguna. The term "hospice" was derived from the latin word hospitium, which means hospitality. It is likewise defined as a program that provides palliative care and focuses on the emotional and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients at a facility or at the patient's home, services the Madre de Amour Hospice offer.

          Ms Gina G. Cabrera, the current administrative assistant and volunteer coordinator of the Foundation, welcomed us at the facility with a big smile. She told us that currently there are 27 hospices in the Philippines, the Madre de Amor Hospice, being the longest running. She said the Foundation was founded in memory of Sarah Katrina Adriano, who died of cancer at a very young age of 14. She showed us some very informative slides about the Madre de Amor Hospice.

         We learned that the Madre de Amour Hospice Foundation started in 1994. At first, it offered physical, emotional, psychosocial and spiritual healing to cancer victims only. But after two to three years, they started accepting patients with renal disease, cardiovascular diseases, and other deadly diseases.

          The institution's favorite quotation from the Bible, according to Ms. Gina is "Unless a grain of wheat falls on the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit (John 12:24)." Inspired by this passage, the hospice volunteers and staff served and continue to serve the terminally ill for almost 15 years to date. At present, they are helping patients, mostly indigents, from 23 out of the 30 municipalities and cities in Laguna.

          Ms. Gina made it clear that they do not give false hope to those who are about to die; instead they help them accept the inevitable and journey with them to their end. More importantly, the organization's aim is to spread hospices all over the country. At the moment, there are hospices in Batangas, Baguio City, Makati, Alabang,Laguna, Quezon and 21 more.

          The foundation offers 3 categorized assistance, all for free: homecare, daycare and supportive care. The first category is home care. Once a week, the nurses visit and provide medical care and medication (when available) to the patients' in their own home. Sometimes the nurses may visit accompanied by a doctor, a physical and/or occupational therapist. The second category, day care, is a program for those who are still able to move and walk. Day care allowed the patients to learn things they can use as source of added income on top of being able to enjoy the company of their peers. The patients meet once a month, usually on the third Friday. Spiritual care, the third category, focuses on the patients' spiritual needs. When available, the Foundation also lends hospital and medical equipments, like beds, wheel chairs, commodes, oxygen tanks, etc. On occasions, patients may also be given groceries, like milk, bread, rice, etc. which are made available by various donors.

          Patients are usually referred to the Hospice by the municipal offices, barangays officials, hospitals and social workers. Physical pain, depression and unresolved family issues, are generally the reasons a patient is admitted to the program.

          Currently the foundation faces two major problems. Ms. Gina pointed out that their primary concern at the moment is the sourcing of funds/ donations and sponsorships, which is becoming difficult lately. Another is the lack of new, dedicated volunteers, the oldest of their current volunteer being 89 and obviously, the hospice must find younger, more energetic ones.

          In the context of the quotation "Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life," by Bertolt Brecht, we learned that true enough, with the right preparation, the end of life may not be as fearful, but serene and painless, thanks to the services offered by institutions like Madre de Hospice Foundation.

          "Pahimakas at Panimula" is a very timely presentation, especially for "lost" young adults. It is a true story about a teenager and her family coping with loss and pain, about the "beginning and the end of life."

          In life, we rejoice at our births, but mourn our death. On our journey between life and death, we often lose our focus on the purpose of our lives. We get angry, hopeless, depressed, etc…

          The presentation showed how a family can cope with loss/pain and have a new beginning, new love, and new faith in their hearts. Likewise, it showed a truth that the life we have does not belong to us. When our lives come to an end, we must remember that a New Beginning unfolds. There can be no joy without loss/pain. We need to accept this truth with open hearts and minds.

          For Sarah (the heroine), her cancer/pain showed her new insights to the meaning of death/loss. She shared this with her parents and friends.

          Like Sarah, we should not be afraid of new beginnings. The purpose of this new life would still be the same, only in another dimension. The purpose would still be to share love and respect for one another.

          Today, love and respect maybe sleeping in our hearts and minds. If so, it is time to wake them up. For no matter how short life is, it is well-lived if you LOVE.

          When treatment is no longer possible, hospice care takes over or when cure ends, the healing begins.

          Students of English 2-Y4, accompanied by their professor Ms. Emie Cervantes, learned this valuable lesson after attending the hospice orientation given them by Ms. Virginia "Gina" Cabrera, administrative Assistant of Madre de Amor Hospice Foundation, last March 8,2010. Ms. Gina gave the students a brief history of the foundation and its mission.

          An organization that offers hospice care to terminally ill patients, the Madre de Amor Hospice Foundation began in Los Banos in 1994. Today, it covers 23 out of 30 towns in Laguna. The Foundation celebrated its 15th year last august 19.

          The students learned that the Hospice Foundation was started by the parents of a young girl named Sarah who had nasopharyngeal cancer. It was really hard for Sarah's parents to accept the fact that sooner or later, they would lose their daughter. They did not give up easily and searched for the cure for Sarah's illness. As they searched, what they discovered was beyond cure for any illness. They discovered the concept of hospice care. And that was how the foundation was born.

          Last month, February, the Com Arts Society held a stage play entitled "Pahimakas at Panimula", the story of Sarah and the Madre de Amor Hospice Foundation. Those who watched the play were one in saying that it was a touching story. Ms. Gina agreed and said that the play was based on a real life story. That it was a tribute to Sarah.

          Ms. Gina spoke of the various activities of the Foundation, such as homecare and daycare. She said homecare is the organization's main service. They provide hospice care in the homes of their patients. The nurses, together with the volunteers, visit their assigned patients every week. They give the patients pain and symptom control, emotional support, psychosocial assistance and above all, spiritual nourishment. When needed, they give practical advise to the patients and their families as well. To patients who are still strong and mobile, the Foundation offer daycare service, a once a month activity where they learn various arts and crafts, and some exercise techniques to help them stay fit. Because the Hospice takes care of the patients for at least half a day, Daycare also serves as the much-needed respite for the patients' regular caregivers. Sensing the students' need for a short, practical definition of hospice, Ms. Gina concluded the orientation with the information that hospice is a comprehensive program of care designed to address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the terminally ill and their families. While care may be and can be provided in other settings like hospitals, to most of the dying, especially the indigents, care is provided in the home, where an organization like Madre de Amor hospice provide them comfort and fellowship. Aside from volunteers who dedicate their time and talent to care for patients and their families, the Foundation has medical equipments, like hospital beds, oxygen tanks, wheelchairs and nebulizers which are available to patients to make home care more comfortable. Finally Ms. Gina informed the students that the Foundation regularly conduct a Volunteers Training Program for interested would-be volunteers.

          The lecture ended as Ms. Gina, Ms Cervantes and the English 2-Y4 students took their pictures as remembrance. Ms Gina was an animated lecturer who inspired lively participation from us, students. It was overall, an experience to remember.

          She was only three years old. She was chubby and very beautiful, even if she had acute myelocytic leukemia. Her prognosis was bad.

          August 3, 2006 was her third birthday. Aware that it could be her last, my partner volunteer and I wanted to make it truly memorable for her. Though it was raining heavily then and we had to cross a slippery creek to reach her house, we brought her festive balloons, a chocolate cake and a stuffed toy that we were sure she would enjoy.

          Mica and her family were really surprised by our arrival. She dressed up for us and had a real birthday party. Oh, how she had fun blowing out the three candles on her cake. And how she enjoyed playing with the balloons.

          My partner and I went home soaking wet but with hearts bursting with happiness. We knew we gave the little girl enough cheer for her to cherish through her short lifetime.

          Mica and her family were really surprised by our arrival. She dressed up for us and had a real birthday party. Oh, how she had fun blowing out the three candles on her cake. And how she enjoyed playing with the balloons.

          Indeed, that was her last birthday. She joined her Creator on October 30, 2006.