lice girl

*Written by Ashley Lorson, my roommate. She's a genius.

“Ma’am, you have LICE!” exclaimed my kinder students, who are severly contaminated as well. My jaw dropped as if I had seen a ghost. “The students are so giving. They even share their lice,” texted Tim de la Torre when I requested kerosene to terminate my lice and my dog’s fleas. After Joy Adalaon, my co-worker and roomy, applied my de-lice-ification treatment, I smelt like kerosene for days and carefully avoided direct contact with open flames. The kerosene treatment worked, but our success was short lived. Weeks later, Racquel, a seventeen year old student, shattered my hopes with another lice discovery.

You might think that by this time I would have accepted my fate as lice girl, but I’m not a quitter. Instead, I went to the extreme. I lathered my scalp with my dog’s highly concentrated and pet friendly flea, tick, and LICE killing shampoo! “Why not?” I thought. It instructed the pet owner to massage Flea-Away Dog Shampoo for five or ten minutes before rinsing. Then for best result, apply Flea-Away Dog Powder after drying your pet to perfection. At first I pondered, “Hmm. Shall I or shall I not?” Then in an act of pure desperity, I clenched the white bottle. My thumb covered the logo of a happy puppy wearing a red bow collar. “Man, I should have got the dog powder too,” crossed my mind. “Oh well. I’ll just let it soak into my hair for half an hour,” I decided, which was a big mistake. I could not last even twenty minutes. My burning, itching scalp regretted this half-brained idea until the irritation subsided. Amazingly, it worked, and I now have a new found liceless confidence. I am keeping the shampoo in case of an emergency. Joy is also at great risk.

Weekly, I have my check ups with little Miss Lice-Detector. Risel is seven years old. During recess, she searched my scalp with the intensity of a person hunting the right wire to defuse a bomb. With her little hands filing through my hair, I asked her in Tagalog, “Mayroon itlog [Have egg]?” She replied in Tagalog, “No. I don’t have any, because my baby chicks are still to young to lay eggs.” She is precious!

When I told my family about my infestation, they teased that they might “accidentally” forget to meet me at the airport if I have lice in April! They do not want lice. It is okay though. I can count on my grandparents, Lenard and Carolyn Lorson, to get me, because I know they love me lice and all!

Update: The bad news is Ashley has lice once again. The good news is her parents will still be meeting her at the airport in April.

Risel

*My article during my missions trip ('-')
It was about 11:00 c’clock in the morning, Risel, an eight year old Kinder I pupil asked me, Ma’am Joy, are you planning to go home soon? Why did you asked that question sweety? I replied. Because you can’t walk. Your foot is foot swollen and I saw the pain in your face, answered Risel. Tears started to fall from her eyes. She kissed and embraced me tightly and cried, Ma’am Joy please don’t leave me, I love you so much.
That time my heart melted with teary eyes when I recalled the time I spent with her chatting, dancing, singing. laughing and swimming. I felt the yearning of a mother’s sympathy, care and love living all her life without a mother’s presence. The touches, kisses, hugs and cares blossomed into an intimate relationship.
A week later, I had a great time talking with her brother, Jomel. I asked a bunch of question how Risel grew up. Only to find out, she lived with her grandfather for seven years. A battered grandchild, working so hard to help in taking care of infants, fed the carabao and fetched water from the river. She has an attitude adopted from a very hot tempered grandfather. I then realized that her unacceptable attitude inside the classroom is due to her upbringing. I can now say that she’s not a problematic child, but rather a “child with a problem”. Correcting her attitude is what I’m working now for her to be closer with her classmates and be more patient with them. Being connected with Risel in just two months made me more intimate with my Creator.

Through the eyes of this child, I saw the agony Jesus suffered on the cross of Calvary because of His matchless love for me. Moreover, I felt the infinite sacrifice of God when He gave His Only Son for my redemption.

Through the eyes of this child, I feel God’s ultimate love and His perfect touch in my life. When challenges hovered me in this task He has given, there’s a child in me running and crying to God not to leave me. I may not know what lies ahead, but one thing for sure, I have the blessed assurance that Jesus is mine.

The more I studied God’s Divine character through nature, the more I see His compassion, mercy, love and forgiveness. Above all, I clearly see His unparalled love that urges me more to testify and be a witness so that others may also feel the greatest love of all. To God be the Glory.