Telissa Balatbat-Oligario

My Testimony

the good

My parents were still young bucks when they had me. Because I was raised in a Christian family, I think that was the reason they tied the knot in the first place. I was a flower girl at their wedding. As young adults they were pretty busy with life and school as they should have been, so my grandparents, uncles and aunts were very much involved in my upbringing.

There were fights; that was normal. The only time I was involved was when they'd ask "who do youwant to live with, mommy or daddy?" I was too young to understand their arguments but I knew what that question meant; and I never chose in hopes that they'd stay together. Sure enough they ended up separating and my dad moved back in with his parents and siblings. After that I guess everyone came to an agreement where I'd live with my mom's family on the weekdays while I got to hang out with my dad's family on weekends.

Although my parents were separated since 1996, that never nullified the unconditional love I received from both parents and relatives on each side of my family.

My mother's parents - Papa Rico, Mama Evelyn, and my father's parents - Daddy Nonong and Mommy Luming mainly raised me into my early teens, with the support of my several uncles and aunts who have all had the privilege of changing my diaper and babysitting me out of sheer joy! I say that with sarcasm, of course, but they're cool with it. My childhool in a nutshell: grandparents keeping my rear in gear at home, and my uncles and aunt taking me out everywhere they went

I was especially close with my late Papa Rico. He was the head of the house, the backbone of the family; loving, hardworking, humble, kind to everyone, and carried the joy of the Lord. Papa was a very godly man and did everything in his power to raise me in the ways of God. I loved him with all my heart, but I never showed it much and to this day I don't know why. What's certain is that his love and patience knew no bounds.

the bad

My Papa Rico battled cancer and passed away in 2010. I can't forget the moment he left us. We spent our days and nights at the hospital for as long as staff would allow us to visit. I can vividly remember the moment he left us. Most of us decided to go back home from the hospital to freshen up. As we pulled into our driveway there was a sudden, supernatur