Angel in the Bank

WORKING from home since the COVID Pandemic was tedious for me. I am not techie— I had always relied on my staff to do the high-techie part of our work. So, it takes a long time for me to collect editorial materials sent by the staff and people we feature in The Feast Family, to research backgrounders online, write, edit, layout online.

One day, amid struggling to beat my deadline, I had to stop working, go to a bank for some business transaction. Following Quarantine protocols, I had to fall in line outside the bank, plus another line inside, and endure the long wait for one batch of depositors after another to finish their business at the teller’s booth.

Anxious I might not beat my deadline, I was like, “Angel of God, help to make transactions go faster, please.”

Finally, I reached the teller. But when I was about to finish my business, I remembered I had to deposit a cash donation urgently needed by a friend. I did not have the cash I needed. I had to go to the automated teller machine (ATM) to withdraw money. But that meant falling in line again to get back to the teller. Desperately, I told the teller my dilemma.

And she was like, “It’s okay. Go to the ATM and come back directly to me.”

So grateful, I asked for her name.

And she replied, “Angel.”

Home: Family, Friends, and WIFI!

By CYBILL P. BAYTO

MY family and I are based in Sorsogon, Albay. But most of the time, I am in Quezon City where I stay in a dorm as I work at The Lighthouse, the headquarters of our Light of Jesus Family in Cubao– as Information Technology specialist and reporter-writer for our The Feast Family online newsmagazine.

When the COVID Pandemic struck, we began to work from home. I could not go home so, home for me was my QC dorm.

In the next six months, online meetings, online gatherings, online church became the new normal for me. Most of the time, I was facing either my laptop or my phone’s screen, for online LOJ meetings, online planning session with the editor, attending, covering the online Feast-at-Home, sending interview- questionnaires to gather stories on the ministries we feature in The Feast Family.

In October 2020, I missed my family so much I just needed to go home to Sorsogon. So, I was beyond grateful when our editor allowed me to go home.

And thank God, it was a time when provincial trips were still allowed. So, finally, I reached Sorsogon. But following health protocols, I had to spend 14 days in a Quarantine facility near the bus terminal. It was frustrating. I was already in my home province, but I could not go home!

After the Quarantine, I was simply ecstatic that I’d finally see my family. It felt like I was freed from jail.

Crystal clear sky, fresh air, palm trees, roosters crowing, barking dogs, loud voices, messy corners, home-cooked food, chores…family and childhood friends! Finally, home.

And, thanks to the wonders of technology, by God’s grace, WIFI! With a good enough Internet connection, I’ve been able to continue working on The Feast Family, this time really from home.