I do not know when Mommy’s buying/selling enterprises ended and private volunteering became full time. But in my intermediate and high school years, I got caught up in her volunteering activities.
Very early, there was the Philippine Band of Mercy, a private organization providing free surgical and recovery services to children born with harelips. Mommy and sister Rory organized all kinds of fund-raisers. My contribution? Every so often 2nd sister Bernie and I had to prepare a presentation for donors (doing some kind of flamenco for the Spanish Ambassador was especially embarrassing). When Mommy got involved with the Inner Wheel Club of Manila, the volunteer activities became more varied and at times, intense. Mrs. Pilar Joaquin (who also became Inner Wheel President) and my Mom set up a women’s center hat not only trained women to sew but also provided regular income to the sewers. There were feeding programs for the elderly at Golden Acres. Most of the cooking was done at our home with huge calderos (cauldrons, really) of arroz caldo, a Filipino hot rice/chicken soup. At Golden Acres, my job was to hand out the soup bowls to the “Lolas” (the grandmothers) and listen to stories about their youth, their children and grandchildren. I just remember a lot of sadness in that old folks’ home. And then, there was the packing of relief goods after bad typhoons hit Manila. Mrs. Joaquin, Mom’s good friend, thought I was a great packer, and that was enough of a reward for me!
My Mom treated these activities as being normal and nothing out of the ordinary. I never thought that we were doing anything grand, noble or special. Years later, when my own work took me to very poor communities in many different parts of the world, nothing much would ever faze me. My mother prepared me well.
My Father's Gifts 
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