Four Sisters

Four sisters —

My mom and the elder three.

Four sisters,

Two of whom we lost just recently.

Pre-war sisters

The two were regarded.

Long lives of 88 and 85,

By the Lord, they were rewarded.

Tita Ninay

We called them both fondly.

Ninay Doris and Ninay Gena

From Iloilo and San Carlos, respectively.

I grew up knowing my cousins.

Our parents gathered us together

Either there or here in Manila,

For vacations and bonding time with one another.

More summers were spent

In CPU, in Iloilo city.

Many childhood memories there.

And the batchoy….mmmm yummy!

Nong Tinoy and the rides

In the Benz and the Beetle.

Different family gatherings.

Being the youngest cousin, I was just so little.

Nang Nits who cared for us

With her hair always in a neat bun.

The dimly lit streets full of frogs,

And the scary basement — that was fun.

Ninay Doris was a physician,

The school president’s first lady.

Ninay Gena was an optometrist.

Both in positions to help the community.

Women of faith they were.

With their gifting, served God and His people.

Ninay Gena for forty years was the church pianist!

Their ministries, by no means feeble.

Loving mothers they were,

Sweet grandmothers too.

Mentors to the next generation.

Of good repute, godly, and true.

But my fave is the sisterhood

That my mom had with them three.

Pre-war and post-war sisters,

Doris and Gena, Arline and Phoebe.

They loved one another so.

Distance was never an issue.

Car, boat, plane rides, emails and calls,

All these they made sure to do.

Despite all the loud voices,

Imagine seniors trying to communicate…

I thank God for technology.

The sisters were able to keep up-to-date.

I have daughters of my own now.

I tell them having sisters is such a special thing.

Just like their four wowas,

They will never be alone in anything.

We all miss you here

Tita Ninay Gena and Doris.

But we know you’re with God,where you belong

Because you have always been His.