Hero or Overcomer

You bump into the most amazing folks even when you're up in the air, just twiddling your thumbs and bolted to your seat.

Meet Vicky, my seatmate as I flew home from Davao after two wonderful days with yuppies and women.

Vicky, an accountant, and her husband Ferdinand, a mechanical engineer, were en route to Saudi Arabia to resume their work after visiting their two year old son Jack. They met in Saudi Arabia, got married, and when Jack was born, brought him home - to be cared for by her sister.

Sensing the questions circling my mind, Vicky said, "Hindi maintindihan ng ibang tao kung bakit nagta-trabaho kami sa ibang bansa at iiwan ang pamilya. Hindi lang nila alam kung gaano kahirap ang buhay dito sa atin. (They don't understand why we work in other countries and leave family behind. But they don't understand how hard life is in the Philippines.)"

Vicky is quite fortunate because her sister loves Jack like her own.

We often hear of kababayans getting the wrong side of the bargain when they work overseas: Couples eventually split, with their kids going wayward - these in spite of the material abundance they've toiled for and lavished on them. Many bear with torment from abusive employers.

Again in this respect, Vicky and Ferdinand have pulled through.

"Dasal lang ako nang dasal. (I just pray continuously)," says Vicky. "Kahit palasigaw ang amo ko, hindi ako gumaganti. (In spite of my boss' verbal lashes, I never took it on their children." Mahal ko sila talaga. (I love those kids.)"

Yes, Vicky is a nanny.

And she goes where her ward goes, even in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she spends most of her time today, waiting on him as he attends Edinburgh's Royal Blind School.

The boy developed retinoblastoma - a common ocular malignancy in childhood - when he was two years old. He survived the malignancy but lost his sight.

Vicky makes sure that he lives as normal a life as possible. He is adept with the computer, skis, composes music and has remained at the top of his class.

Vicky a hero? Probably yes.

But see, I'm reluctant to call her that. Because I know the motivation behind the government's use of "hero" is pretty political - to applaud and appease a marginalized sector who wanted so much to improve their lives, but denied of prospects, was forced to go somewhere to get just a slice of that dream.

Emotionally, I believe Vicky is conflicted, leaving her baby in the Philippines while taking care of someone's elsewhere. I can't imagine what she might be going through every time she thinks of Jack.

For her devotion to duty, unconditional love and humongous faith, I believe God will honor Vicky's heart.

"Overcomer." That's how I prefer to call her. Vicky continues to stand on God's promises and waits for just the right time for her prayers to be answered.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33