Hapunan (Dinner)

Mula Cebu City, kami ng aking kuya ay bumyahe papuntang Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental upang katagpuin si Ate Malou at ang kanyang mga kasamahan sa Singles for Christ mula Qatar. Kami ay naimbitahan ni Ate Malou na mag "side trip," dahil na rin siguro sa pasasalamat niya sa pag-asikaso ni kuya para sa kanyang ticket pa-Cebu. Nang araw na iyon, ang SFC Qatar ay nasa Bohol, at kaming lahat at nagpang-abot sa pier ng Tagbilaran. Mula Dumaguete City, kami ay sinundo ng isang Couples for Christ member (kasamahan sa trabaho ni Jill), at kami ay tumuloy sa isang bahay bakasyunan sa Tanjay City, Negros Oriental (mga 33-kilometro ang layo mula Dumaguete).

{From Cebu City, my brother and I traveled to Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental to meet up with Ate Malou and her co-Singles for Christ members from Qatar. Ate Malou invited brother and I to do a side trip, as her gratitude to brother for booking her to our flight to Cebu. On that day, the SFC Qatar members were doing another side trip in Bohol, and coincidentally, we all met up in the pier of Tagbilaran. From Dumaguete City, we met up with Tito Bingbong (our host), who drove us to Tanjay City (around 33 kilometers away from Dumaguete) where we stayed.}

Kinabukasan, kaming lahat ay pumunta sa kung saan saang lugar. Maraming sorpresa ang aming natanggap mula sa aming "host," pero ang pinakamalaking sorpresa ay ang paghahanda nila ng isang "thanksgiving dinner." Ramdam na noon pa ni Jill na merong nangyayari dahil makailang beses sa araw na iyon na sadyang pinatatagal ng aming "host" ang byahe, at kung madalas din naming makita ang isa pang ka-trabaho nila sa Qatar na si Tito Lito.

{The next day, we went to different place. We received so many surprises from our host, but the biggest surprise would have to be the thanksgiving dinner they prepared for us. Jill already felt something was going on because there were instances when Tito Bingbong would be slow in driving, or he would drive us somewhere else, and we would always bump into Tito Lito, his workmate in Qatar.}




Ang hapunan ay ginanap sa "By D Blvd," isang kainan na pag-aari ni Tito Lito. Lubos kaming nagulat at namangha sa hapunang ito sapagkat ang buong pamilya nina Tito Bingbong (ang aming "host") at Tito Lito ang nag-abla upang maganap ang pagkakataong ito. Bukod sa lechon, ang iba pang pagkain nang gabing iyon ay kilawing bangus, halabos na sugpo (na kasing laki ng aking palad), caldereta, piniritong tilapia, at para sa panghimagas, silvanas.

{The dinner was held in "By D Blvd," a food place owned by Tito Lito. We were so surprised and amazed because the whole family helped in making this a reality. Aside from the lechon, they also served milkfish kilawin, prawns (as big as my palm), caldereta, fried tilapia, and silvanas for dessert.}

Hanggang ngayon, tuwing naaalala ko ang araw na ito, 'di ko mapigilang hindi mangiti at magpasalamat.

{Until now, whenever I remember of this day, I can't help not to smile and give thanks.}

*** Jenn ***