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ROMERO, Jansen Joel C.

1lit

WASHING OF THE DISHES

A scorching day inside a studio-type condo unit filled of Hope, dreams, and memories

there sits alone a fair looking 30 year old Filipina named Jasmin stunned in front of her small

four-sided dining table that can only accommodate 7 persons, with a half-empty glass of water in

her hand that was not able to be finished because of the news she received a while ago from her

other co-workers. Her heart is filled with grief, fear, and worries as she received the news that

there were Filipinos sentenced for execution and some are sent home by the Arabian

Government after being caught from a Christian gatherings, and she as well with her co-workers

are warned to stay at their respective homes, never go beyond the borders of their area, and avoid

to make phone calls because their telephone lines are tapped. Everywhere is a hot spot,

authorities have their eye upon every structure where Filipino Workers are living, and they are

just waiting for one careless move. As Jasmin received this warning, the only thing that came up

from her mind is the undesirable consequences she might get whenever she would be caught.

The atmosphere inside the small room is jam-packed with fear, lonesomeness, worries

and noisy spoken-words that come from the television. Jasmin, as she sits blankly and stares at

the left-overs of her meal, became worried as memories came flashing upon her. The picture of

her gathering the left-overs of her three sons from their meal which is sardines and eventually

scolded them for being too playful that even their food becomes a toy for them, Jasmin along

with her mom takes care of the three restless boys. Her mom cooks and she is the one who helps

the children to eat and the one who also washes the dishes. Tears falls with faint whining to those

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smooth and pinkish cheeks of hers down to her glass of half-emptied water as sadness slithered

upon her heart, the desire of a mother to see her children was upon her, the intense yearning that

seems nothing to cure just made her more restless. Being young, single parent and still young at

her Faith, Jasmin is not yet matured and sometimes emotionally unstable. So Pastors at their

condominium always allots time to visit her, talk with her, join her in meals, and encourage her

in times of trouble and loneliness, she often calls their Pastors or co-workers to pray for her or

even just spend some time if there would be no gatherings or hospital works. Unfortunately it is

not possible at this time, because telephone lines are tapped and being monitored by Arabian

Authorities.

Financial support for the studies of her sons was the primary cause of Jasmins decision

to go abroad and practice her profession of being a nurse. Even it is hard to be separated from her

sons, she worked fervently, and do the best for her sons. She always makes it sure that the needs

of her sons and even their wants will be satisfied. She always finds time to write to her children,

mom and his older brother and asks if they are in good condition. Jasmin cannot tell to her

children what her true condition is, She doesnt want her children and even her mom and brother

to worry about her, she would always write that she is okay and they must do their

responsibilities well because she works very hard in order to meet their needs. Whenever she sits

at the dining the table to write to her loved ones, she would always place the yellow paper and

the blue ball-pen on the table and think deeply how would she make her relatives feel at peace

and not worry about her. She would always have in her mind the image of her loved-ones, her

innocent three sons, old mom that keeps on doing the responsibility of raising a children in spite

of her old age, and her brother that helps in raising up money by involving himself in various

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businesses, longing for her so that when she starts to write, all she will be saying is words of

encouragement and relief to her family and not cause of apprehensions.

After recovering from being emotionally down, Jasmin decided to fix her left-overs, with

swollen eyes, as she always do even when she was still at her home time. She placed the glass of

water in her hand on the table, stood up from her chair and removed the stains, bits of rice, using

a spoon and fork on the dishes and piled them up along with her glass of water. She headed to

the kitchen near where she was seated earlier; the kitchen was not quite big, populated with

various appliances, such as blender, microwave, egg-beater, and coffee-maker. The sink is

located beside the entrance of the kitchen, so that she could still watch television or somehow

have a glimpse of her Filipinos shows whenever she is washing the dishes. She gently placed the

dishes upon the marbled sink and turned the faucet on, cold water poured from the faucet and

runs through her hands as she hold and rinsed the dishes. The clattering sounds of spoons and

forks while washing somehow helped Jasmin to divert her attention and forget her sufferings

even for a couple of minutes. In times when they are advised to just stay on their respective

houses she just keeps her place clean and sing praises to God while doing the chores or read

some books or invite some of her colleagues that lives on other rooms. They would talk about

their next plans on their gatherings, when, where it will be held.

Most of the times, they would have a gathering in some of their members places. As they

gather and held some fellowships they would assign people that would serve as a look-out but

still can join the Fellowship. They would close every door, window, or anything that would serve

as an instrument for the Mutawas (or the religious officers that are in charge of arresting people

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who doesnt comply with their beliefs especially the Christians) to know that fellowships are

being held. They would pass the message secretly; they would do all possible ways in order for

their other members to pick up the news and when they are joint together, there would be lots of

laughter, encouragements, singings, testimonies and words of God. For Jasmin this is the best

thing that she gets besides from companies, money; the atmosphere of being blessed, spiritually

renewed and somehow physically refreshed. This is the only thing she can state to her letter

whenever she writes to her loved-ones, that she is spiritually fed at her place, so her morals,

point-of-views are still okay.

After finishing washing the dishes she also returned to reality but now full of joy, utensils

are now clean, no more stains or grease can be found in the dishes the same in Jasmins face, no

marks of sadness or even depression can be seen upon her light face. She started to clean up the

sink that is now full of soapsuds because using a wet semi-clean cloth. No more tears or even

signs of pain can be seen in her beautiful, wide, hazel-nut colored eyes. It is now full of Hope,

joy, and strength that would help her to do the remaining chores that would also serve as an

instrument of encouragement for her and a reminder that she can still do the job she wants even

she is away from her children and loved-ones. To have time reflecting, doing her chores,

recalling how God has become so faithful to her giving her companies, activities,

encouragements, time to do everything that would bring good benefit to her life. It is just her that

puts herself in despair where she does not do anything, letting herself being eaten by depression.

Jasmin went to the living room and sat at her pillow-soft sofa chair that brought comfort

to her aching back after standing a couple of minutes in washing the dishes. She stretched her

legs towards the living room table and looked around the condominium unit and uttered a prayer

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Thank You oh Lord for giving me rest in times of distress, peace and protection in times

of trouble like this. You are so faithful to me, inspite of my frailties. I cant wait for the next

fellowships to come, I am so excited!

As Jasmin sits at her sofa chair, cheerfully, with smile upon her face and eyes that sparkle

because of gladness, courage filled her gentle heart. That she doesnt need to worry because she

experienced a lot of rough roads in her life, she must not quit the race and she shouldnt be afraid

or even back down because God gave everything she needs in every moment of her life.