10/26/2010

Double Delight

That sounds like an ice-cream flavor.

Not really, but close. This is not about ice-cream but about two delightfully sweet little people . . .

Every Saturday at four PM, you know exactly where to find Tony—at home. Whatever he might be doing, wherever he might be before the hour, he makes sure he's home by four.

That's the schedule of the twins to come for their one-and-a-half-hour study session with, yes, Tony.

The twins are Maika and Nikka, seven years old. They live in an abandoned house not too far from ours.

Tony used to see them playing down the street in the morning when he did his morning walk. Last summer, he encouraged them to attend DVBS in our church by providing their tricycle fare for all of six days. Then one day, he happened to ask how old they were.

They said, seven.

"Where do you go to school?" he asked.

"We don't go to school."

"Why not? You're seven; you're supposed to be in first grade."

Silence.

"Every child of school age should be in school," my husband grumbled in his grumpiest mood when he came home.

"There's a public school in the neighborhood," I replied.

"The school in church, is it open to grade school?" he asked.

"Yes, but it isn't free. And there are uniforms and books and other expenses," I said. "Their parents won't be able to afford it."

The next thing I knew, he talked to the twins' mother and told her about enrolling the girls in our church's school. But there was one big question—qualification. The twins hadn't gone to pre-school and couldn't tackle first grade work, "Unless," the school head said, "they go through a whole month of rigid tutorials before enrollment."

They did, courtesy of my roommate, the grumbler, "Every child should have a future!"

The little girls didn't know an A from a Z, nor a triangle from a circle, nor an elephant from a whale. But their tutor said, "They have unrestrained enthusiasm and are always bubbling over with excitement!"

After one month of tutoring, they could recite and recognize the alphabet, all shapes and colors, and were raring to start school.

Two months after classes started, the girls knew how to read in Filipino, although very slowly. They still couldn't understand a word of English, the medium of instruction. The grumbler bought DVDs of Sesame Street and other educational programs. Under his breath, he grumbled some more, "My grandson, Adrian, knows all the dinosaurs and superheroes and uses 'privacy' in a sentence."

Last Saturday, they arrived saying, "Good afternoon!" and "Thank You!" after being served snacks. They shrieked with glee as they read a whole sentence and learned a new English word.

"They are still behind," their teacher reported, "but they are a million times better than when I met them the first time."

Maika and Nikka, doubly delighting us with their spunk and sweetness, will get there. I know it in my gut and heart. God's grace never fails.

14 comments:

Anna Vergara said...

Ninang Grace May, I am so touched by Uncle Tony's desire to help the twins.

May God continue to bless you and Uncle Tony so that you can help and inspire more lives.

Grace D. Chong said...

Please include the twins and their family in your prayers. They are just some of the many people in our country who are living in poverty, barely surviving. And let us not tire helping them, one at a time. God bless you.

Beng said...

This just warmed my heart. Your husband earned major brownie points in my eyes! (Not that it matters because ultimately, it's God who sees and knows everything about us, and He whose opinion matters)
Thanks for sharing this tidbit about him and your family. The twins are doubly blessed, and there's a "couple" of reasons why.

God bless your hearts, Ate Grace. You have one inspired and encouraged reader---Me.

Grace D. Chong said...

God bless your heart, too, Beng. There are so many Mikkas and Nikkas out there and although our heart bleeds, we can only do so much. Please include the twins in your prayers. Thanks a lot.

jers said...

Ahh...that is so sweet of you. So Christ-like. It's not only God whom you made smile through this post.

Love this post :)

Grace D. Chong said...

Ka Jerson, it's the least we can do to the children He loves. Thank you for your encouraging words.

aleks said...

What a refreshing and transforming act of grace! Praise God!

Grace D. Chong said...

Yes, indeed! Praise God! How nice to have you here, Aleks. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

what an amazing blessing to to the twins...you made me cry--
tears of JOY
mabelita

Grace D. Chong said...

Mabelita, you've been traipsing all over the world! You have to stop sometime so we could chat on Philippine soil. Thank you for the encouraging comment.

Karen H. said...

This post made my day! Your husband is amazing :) I'm sure that the twins have learned not only academics from him, but also kindness and generosity--by example alone. Wow!

May I share the link to your blog on my FB page?

Grace D. Chong said...

Hi, Karen, thanks for your kind note. Yes, you may share the link to your FB page. Warm regards and blessings!

Anonymous said...

priceless! no doubt you and your family are so blessed. ^_^ kudos.

oh, My former office-mate introduce me to you through your book " Gifts of grace". thanks to her. I was actually reminding myself, to go to NB to buy your book(s) "gifts of grace (1). I already read the 2&3 but not the book 1..c",

Grace D. Chong said...

The three books are bundled and being sold as package at the International Book Fair. Please drop by the OMFLit booth (Aisle D) and enjoy special discounts!