Emmaus Encounters

ERNIE MAIPID JR

We just arrived home from Sunday mass. Two weeks after Easter, the Gospel related the ‘Encounter’ on the road to Emmaus. I had taken mind notes on ‘not recognizing the risen Lord’ and ‘hearts burning as He spoke.’ Meanwhile, the choir kept singing the refrain: ‘Hearts ready to LOVE; Lives ready to GIVE.’

The lines left me smiling as I realized that these were exactly my precious experiences interviewing two teachers of Padre Pio Sibol School in Caloocan.

Sally Condino teaches ten-year-old Grade 4 students Edukasyong Pagpapakatao (EP) or Character Education and Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP) or Home and Livelihood Education, aside from Math and English, her regular subjects.

Sally relates the story of a recent project where her students staged the cooking of a chicken curry dish. Details considered in the contest included condiments, measurements, mixtures, down to plating, and table setting. As the cooking of all five entries were judged ‘excellent,’ the winner was decided based on plating and table setting, which were important competition features, as well.

‘The students enjoy the ‘learning by doing’ approach by teachers. Here, teachers regard their students as partners and journey with them through their learning process. The teachers gift their students with presence, planning lessons with their students, top of mind, and then getting active feedback onsite. This exchange between the two parties enhances the learning relationship bringing benefits to both,’ Sally adds.

Mother to a 16 year old son, Sally considers her students as her own. ‘Para ring marami akong anak. Pag sinasalubong nila ako, natutuwa ako at nagiging mapasalamat. Pinalalabas nila sa akin iyong kagustuhang maging mabuting guro!’ (Just like a mother with many kids, I am overjoyed and thankful when welcomed. The students bring out the desire within to give my best and all!)

Sally adds that a good education is crucial to a bright future. A church volunteer doing reading tutorials, Sally regularly sees an adult neighbor struggling with his reading skills.

Cha Dimaiwat, on the other hand, handles older Grade 6 students. She relates her recent EPP story of a carpentry session with her wards, where they tried hands fashioning a ‘bangkito’ (a low bench), up to a paint finish. She listened to feedback from each one. Some found the activity, enjoyable and exciting; while some found sewing the wood parts, challenging, and the long process, boring and a waste of precious time.

As she handles a more senior batch, Cha adds that she enjoins her team’s leadership assistance in tapping them as student teachers, helping with library recordings, as well as documentation of donations to the school.

Having taught for nearly 18 years, Cha has come to deeply appreciate her dealings with children. ‘I have been as much a mother, as well as sister, mentor, and friend to the young, honing my relational and communication skills, especially in listening.’

Three years ago, Cha lost her young husband who was accidentally stabbed as he was pacifying a drunken visitor to a friend’s wake. Suddenly widowed at 38, with five children and a sixth due that month, Cha has learned to trust the Lord’s provision for her every need.

‘Natuto po akong maging masaya at mapagpasalamat sa kung anuman ang mayroon ako. Para sa akin, mahalagang mahal mo kung anuman ang ginagawa mo.’

(I learned to love and be thankful for what I have. It is also important to love what you are doing!)

Hearing this made me fully understand what grace made Cha happy, giving her all.

Sally and Cha are among Padre Pio’s dedicated teachers to 130 students, all-out in the service of their profession, and faithful to the precepts of its patron, Padre Pio, who encouraged the living of a prayerful life like Christ, whose wounds he carried.

The lyrics of the church song echo in my ears, ‘Hearts ready to LOVE; Lives ready to GIVE!’ I just heard and encountered Him in Sally and Cha.