Casia Sheila Santiago I November 8, 2020
From the start, she never knew she would send someone to school much more make them enter college and eventually graduate. This story started when Joy and her mother decided she will work as a house help and believed it was what she will always do for the rest of her life. But God has a better plan laid out for her. She came to meet her next employer who was a teacher at that time she kept on urging her to go to school but she’s reluctant about it. It only takes one person to believe in you and your life can change for you. That is what she did to her. She didn't give up on her and even encouraged her and her sister to take an acceleration exam so from elementary she jumped to college and true enough she and her sister passed and went to college and graduated. At that time they were the only ones in their Barangay to ever reach college and graduate. But where did the story of generosity or giving came in?
Even with a lot of trials personal or even in the family she use to work too and has now become her family, `even if for others its nothing compared to their problems but for her a person with a speaking disability that led to very low self-esteem it comes deep, she never gave up because the Lord never allowed for that to happen. God used her Ate (to address a female a little older than you or an employer) Sheila who has been her employer for 14 years so that she won’t give up. She saw something in her and believed she could do it. So from the start of her sister and her schooling she walked them through it. It's like a wedding promise in sickness and in health. That's what she did to them. She stood to her promise of helping them finish their education even if it is beyond her means and capacity both physically, emotionally, and especially financially. Stretching everything beyond her by asking God in prayer and supplications. As her Ate would always say to her and her sister when she hit rock bottom when they all became sick, her Ate and the twins “Even if I don't have money to give to both of you, just this that I can send both of you to school and finish college and with God's help would change you and your families future.
That's why to her post Joy said “Ate Sheila our gratitude is overwhelming words are not enough to express our thanks to you. And now I’m working as an office staff no longer a house help which I’m very proud that I have been. That has led me to meet my Ate Sheila, a mother, a sister, a mentor, and more to me and my sister. I love you Ate I may not be that expressive but you have been a mother to me. For almost half of my life, we stayed together you, me and the twins. All that we are going through we can pass all that together we can see the light after darkness. Trusting we will be financially secure and be stable in His time. Thank you, Ate Sheila and my mother who trusted Ate I love you both. Mama, thank you for guiding us. We may not have enough money you still tried to provide for me to help out the best way you can. We may not have spent the last 12 years together God gave me Ate Sheila and the twins. Thank you, Mama I love you more. Stay healthy and I will try to fulfill my dreams for you and Ate that is to provide you with a good life with God's help. Thank you twins Raim and Aseh even if we always argue like cats and dogs we are still together and I am still your Ate Joy. Again thanks and I love you both you are the young brothers I never had. And of course to my sister, Karen Reyes, if not for her coming with me to school I will not have the confidence and courage to attend school and for the financial support too. I love you my sister and God bless you more. And to my cat’s Twinkle, Big, Noisy, and Shy. I love you all, my stress reliever, and my listener of my pent up emotions. Just seeing you warms my heart and puts joy to it instead. And to all of Ate’s friends, my friends, and to everyone who shared their blessings with me. For everyone to know me and my sister stayed by Ate’s side for free. It's a decision we made. We never left her during the lowest part of her life. What is so amazing she still won’t give up on her dreams for us. And tried to still support us the best way she can on our schooling needs. So all the blessings you gave to me, and to us, it was such a big help for me and Ate. For three years I waited to be able to march on that stage and finally graduate and yes it came. I did march not just to graduate but a degree holder at that. Thank you, thank you, and again thank you. My name is Joy Encarnacion graduate of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and my sister is Karen Reyes graduate of Computer Programing Technology.
Thank you, Lord”
A journey of love, hope and faith that one person shared changed the lives of the people around her. Not on the measure of her wallet but the measure of her heart. Not on her own riches but on the riches of the one who provides. Not on how big she is but on how big her GOD is.
This is the story of my housemaid, now Ate Joy has a job and Karen is still with me helping us with the house chores. Now we decided to be a freelancer as Virtual Assistant to get through with our financial, health and physical struggles. We know that there's a lot of opportunities in freelancing, that's why we enrolled at Filipino Virtual Assistance Academy to learn and know what is our niches to focus and to give our good quality services and excellence to our future clients. Please visit my website and learn what services I can offer to you and this is my Upwork account.