EXPERIENCING A UNIQUE CHRISTMAS AT THE LION’S DEN

EXPERIENCING A UNIQUE CHRISTMAS AT THE LION’S DEN

Now the story can be told.

Those of you who have read the articles titled: “LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRISTMAS” and “COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS” deserve to know how the tale ended. So here it is.

One week before the scheduled event on December 23rd, rains continuously poured. In the early morning of December 18, the main road that cut through our adopted hometown was made impassable to vehicles forcing traffic to a standstill till late afternoon. On the DZRH radio band, the announcer periodically gave flash reports on the landslides that occurred at Southern Leyte, also chronicling the resultant deaths and missing persons in tragic tones.

The lion tamer and her friends who formed themselves a group called “Lakas Loob para sa Diyos” which has for its creation the objective of repairing the dilapidated church roofing with a goal of raising a million pesos, were compelled to postpone to a later date the “dinner fund raising program” that was scheduled that Saturday, December 20, on account of the uncooperative and unruly weather.

Which also made her remark: “What shall we do with our plan on December 23?! Shall we postpone it also?” and got from the aging lion this reply: If I were you, I won’t worry, I am confident rains will not fall on that day for I already appealed to the Lord to be at our side. This project is dedicated to Him anyway!” I added: “If General George Patton was able to launch his offensive in Europe during “D’Day of the Second World War, I’m certain the morning mass that you have so meticulously planned for our neighbors at our backyard will transpire!”

By Sunday, December 21, our daughter called long distance from her residence saying that she, her two brothers, their respective spouses and children have grouped themselves together at her residence to enjoy the Yuletide Season. They knew it was what the now-toothless lion would have wanted, she said. If only our finances permitted it, then we would have been there to enjoy the holidays with them! To the approving nod, but with misty eyes, of their mother at the phone’s other end.

At 4:30 in the morning of December 23, the lion opened his computer and at the Internet, read an e-mail from Tante, his friend in the States, reminding him of the big event that is on the trestleboard that day but cautioned that news about the Philippine weather which he closely monitors at the other side of the globe says that rains are still expected within the next forty eight hours thus making the prospects of our celebration rather bleak. Could our plan materialize?!

At seven that morning , the priest arrived and promptly conducted the confession of parishioners as the sun showed its radiant circle on the eastern horizon. This is it, the lion mused: “the first part of our celebration which involved the mass and blessing of the pump-boats will materialize”. And to cut the story short, a very solemn mass was officiated by the parish priest to a hundred or so parishioners and later blessed some thirty pump-boats to the delight and awe of the attending fishermen.

As part of our preparations, we also served breakfast to the priest at our residence who complimented us on the food that was served especially because the lion and his tamer have no household help. The priest, who earlier displayed a skeptical attitude and who was earlier reluctant about officiating mass at our backyard, (he also previously denied a request by the local barangay council that a mass be held for them) was generous in his commendation at our efforts to bring “the Lord to the beach for the benefit of the fishers of the sea” He also intimated that he would gladly return for another mass engagement should a request from us be made at some future date.

Then afternoon came. But the darkness in the horizon that was caused by dusk was made more so as cloud hovered on the eastern shore. So to counter its effect and add luster to the festivities, another 18-watt bulb and nine gas-fed bamboo torches were added.

But still the lion could not help it but worry. All through the previous days, he communed with his Maker for the celebration of successful mass but forgot about the evening functions. Will his inadvertent omission to include good weather during the night result in rains during the second part of the festivities?!

The appointed hour of seven in the evening came. The neighbors who prepared their food “KKB” style progressively arrived. In fine, more than fifty families partook of the dinner that they brought with them and with the total attendees exceeded two hundred adults and children. Gifts that were bought by the lion tamer earlier at Tagbilaran City which consisted mostly of educational supplies for grown-up children and candies and other goodies for children not yet of schooling age were distributed as prizes for the fun games. Every child had something to bring home with some getting more than his fair share. Children and adults still endowed with sturdy legs danced all night while the fishermen whose legs could no longer execute basic dance steps contented themselves with emptying bottles of “long necks” called Tanduay Rhum that flowed freely through their thirsty palates. The four special baskets consisting of food that the families of the four fishermen can partake of during the next day’s “Noche Buena” she will give the at the approach of dawn the next day.

At one in the morning of December 24th the affair officially ended. The fishermen and the other neighbors were profuse in their thanks and expressly echoed that next year’s celebration will be merrier. Which made the lion and his tamer remark: “We can only ignite the wick, it will, of course, help much if you can add powder to the keg.”

And so that ends the unique tale! Merry Christmas to all of you out there. !!