Together in Our Hearts

"Life is like the wind that blows you away to many places. Even if sometimes you don't want to go, the breeze just gets too strong until no other option is left but to give in and let it take you away." This is how Alma Bibar, a young mother of two, simply described the feelings of her young husband before he left the country last December 8.

It was an emotional night before that day of Sherwin's departure for Abu Dhabi. He had to leave and work abroad as a butcher for his young growing family. Their two beautiful kids were really young. Kevin is four while Cristina is two years younger than her brother. The kids needed a father figure as they grow. It hurts her to imagine those two coming years of their lives separated from their father.

During the time Sherwin had finally made up his mind, Alma was both proud and sad for her loving husband. She couldn't explain the exact feelings she was experiencing that time. She wanted to protest yet she felt relieved that finally there was hope for a better future for their family. She just hoped that time would run really fast. It was like crazy of her to say it but sometimes she really wished she could fool time so that next week those couple of years would be finally over. But she knew reality better than that. She knew she was just hurting herself more. When she knew that she had to be strong for their children and for Sherwin as well.

"This is for the kids, for us," she remembered Sherwin whispered to her ear.

After a week, the tension of missing her husband kept swelling and it was making her weak inside. Whenever her children asked about their father, she didn't know how to explain this to them. She was forced to make up funny stories that she knew what their young minds only could understand. But many times she ran out of words.

Every time she observed how people were excited about Christmas, the more she felt the absence of Sherwin in their family. She realized she never thought of Sherwin that much ever since they settled down until he finally had gone abroad. Just two years ago, they had a serious fight that almost broke their married life because of the other woman.

She thought she never loved him that much anymore. Yet, she terribly felt so alone and longing to be with him now. She had re-discovered her love for him.

Sherwin never turned to look back to see his crying children when he left the house. It was as if they knew what was happening. Perhaps they could feel the situation. Even though their young minds were not able to comprehend any of it. It was breaking his heart to bid them goodbye. It had to be done. He never turned back even as he and Alma together with his brother Zaldy had arrived at NAIA. He was trying to keep his control over his feelings. He had to show a strong attitude towards his family so that they would stop worrying about him. Besides, it would be only two years. It seemed a long way to go but he knew it would be just two years. He silently prayed that God would give him the strength and faith he would need to get through this process. "Be with us, God, through these years."

Kevin started to ask about his father every other hour whenever he saw or heard something about Christmas. Sometimes He woke up in the middle of the night and asked his mother what time his father would come home. Alma just told him, "Papa has gone to Santa Claus to get your gifts. It's a distant place. But soon, he would be running through that door with big hugs and kisses for all of us. Okay? Be patient and take care of Cristina for him so when he comes back, he would be proud of you."

She knew Kevin's young mind would not fully understand the words she said. But he nodded and gave her a trusting smile. She just prayed to the Lord that everything would be fine. Then the cell phone rang. It was Sherwin. She was so excited like she had never been in her whole life. "How are you? How is the job? Are you okay there? We miss you." While talking over the phone, a faith was finally crawling up in her soul. They might be separated physically but in their hearts, they were always together.

at 8:39 AM