Listed below are the names of inspired and dedicated leaders and teachers, alongside the names of the capable and efficient employees and young helpers: Sister Pat, the tireless and very adept administrator, who also taught religion and faith. Bong Ramirez, the husband of Delia, a University of the Philippines (UP) biology graduate who set the curriculum and taught science and math subjects. Delia Ramirez, also a UP graduate, who handled the other topics not taught by her husband. Julie, Sister Pat’s dependable and capable assistant. Rey, the young, skinny, and tall orphan who served as the liaison to the fish farm personnel. Jon-Jon, the very friendly young boy who went to the market three blocks away every morning to solicit vegetable and the occasional meat donations from vendors and butchers. Mark, the jovial abandoned teen who were friends with many of the workers at a nearby chicken farm. And Juanito, aka (also known as) Jani, the assigned leader of the group of orphans and misfits, tasked to clean up and to do other custodian responsibilities.
CHAPTER 21
THE CHICKEN FARM
Situated not even a block west of the orphanage is a stinky chicken farm. On thick humid days, when the gentle wind blew the air eastward, the kids inside the orphanage complained of the tear-jerking, foul-smelling, ammonia-laced odor of chicken manure. But it wasn’t only the nitrogenous amines that were totally responsible for the fetid stench. The decaying residue of digested food left in the chicken feces mixed with some volatile organic compounds produced by the bacterial colonies in the poop also contributed to the terribly suffocating odor.
Unlike the strong opposition demonstrated against the conversion of the agri-land to the fish farm, this poultry farm, while not warmly welcomed by any means, was allowed to be built (reluctantly). The owners of the chicken farm were more sophisticated and unquestionably public relations (PR) savvy. Even before construction of the farm commenced, its personnel went around the neighboring rice farms, promising availability of dirt-cheap, dried pelletized chicken manure once the farm was up and running.
………
The dried fowl poop is reputed to be a much superior source (vis-a-vis that of horse, cow, or deer dung) of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It is also a good soil supplement since it adds the necessary organic compounds-originated nutrients and beneficial biota, and increases the water-holding capacity of the soil. For those not in the planting and harvesting business, biyearly community gatherings and fun parties are promised. These will feature exciting contests like juggling of eggs, eating the most eggs (come join the fun: Joey Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi, and Miki Sudo) in a ten-minute span, carrying eggs with a spoon held by the mouth while racing to a finish line, and so on.
The pledge of free food, free booze, fun parties, entertaining contests, and supply of rock-bottom-priced chicken excrement as fertilizers for their farms guaranteed the quiet, unenthusiastic acquiescence to the unappealing project.
It was how the egg farm was reluctantly allowed to come to existence.
The official term for the business is layer poultry farming. It is an enterprising business of raising egg-laying fowls for the purpose of collecting and selling the eggs commercially. This business runs on roughly seventy-five-week cycle: raising day-old chicks into seventeen-week-old pullets into egg-laying (from week eighteen or nineteen to week seventy-five) hens, and then selling the unproductive old hens (at the end of the seventy-five-week cycle) as ready source of the tasty chicken satay, etc. After a brief period of decontamination and rigorous cleaning of the farm, the whole cycle can be repeated over again.
The possible differences in the myriad of enterprises engaged in this egg-producing business has to do with the color of eggs produced and the scale/scope of the venture. While in this country, white eggs are preferred by a wide margin compared to brown eggs, it is the total opposite in most Southeast Asian countries. There, white eggs are not as commercially desired as the brown eggs. Somehow, it is etched in the minds of the people in these regions that the brown-shell-encased embryos are more nutritious.
But numerous studies came out with similar myth-busting facts: exactly same servings of calories, identical amount of proteins, vitamin B, and cholesterol are found in both varieties.
Maybe the incorrect assumption came about due to the more expensive price (relative to white eggs) of brown eggs, and the fallacy of the logic: more expensive, ergo, more nutritious. But the fact of the matter is that brown eggs are more expensive only because the cost of producing them is higher. Why? Hens that lay brown eggs are bigger and consume more food, driving up the cost per brown egg, which then gets reflected in the higher price.
Another notable difference would be how the seventy-five-week cycle is conducted. Smaller, less capitalized businesses will run the cycle about once every eighteen months, while megacorporations might acquire a much bigger place and divide it into four quadrants, and then run four cycles concurrently but at a staggered start. That way, there is always a continuous, uninterrupted fresh-egg production.
………
For this particular layer farm, the owner decided to do a more expensive but shorter variation of the cycle. Instead of starting with one-day-old chicks, he purchased 70,000 fourteen-week-old pullets from a reputable and established company. He allowed the pullets to mature into eighteen-week-old egg-laying hens in his chicken farm, enabling these fowls to adjust and acclimatize to their new environment. These rapidly maturing pullets were placed on a rapid, growth-inducing concoction of starter feed, feed supplements, proteins, mineral, and vitamins. When these reach the eighteen-week egg-laying stage, layer poultry feed supplant the starter feed as one of their important source of nourishment. The egg-laying stage start at week eighteen and end around week seventy-five (although some might still lay eggs until week seventy-eight). The maximum egg-laying capability peak at week twenty-six and start tapering off gradually. Daily production of 50,000 brown eggs commencing at week twenty-six wasn’t too uncommon. Some key personnel of the layer poultry farm:
• Patrick aka “the chief,” supervised his crew of fourteen, ensuring smooth running of the farm
• Jessie, Patrick’s dependable assistant
• Ricarte aka Karte, the security guard
• Roberto aka Berto, the best friend of Mark (the jovial kid from the orphanage)
• Dominic, the lazy and ill-tempered worker responsible for gathering up the chicken manure and processing them; also an incorrigible bully
• Anita, the gentle lady who managed the cafeteria
• Melchior aka Mel, the veterinary student responsible for the health of the 70,000 egg-laying hens
CHAPTER 22
THE DECISION
This chapter is the continuation of the events in Chapter 16.
In JT’s opinion, all three choices offered to him weren’t really any good. He loved his paternal grandparents, David and Linda, having met them two or three times while they were on their respite back in the States. Both loving grandparents made it a point to try to drop by and visit the growing JT no matter how hectic or how short their biennial break from missionary work was. They fascinated him with stories about the joys and perils of spreading the Gospel of Christ to the poor people of Java, Indonesia. It was an especially hard task to preach and try to bring these poor people into the fold of Christianity.
………
Islam is the major religion in Indonesia, with approaching ninety percent of the population being its adherents. That means there are about 225 million Muslims (also spelled as Moslems) in that country. But at least present-day missionaries no longer face the life-extinguishing predicaments that early missionaries suffered.
Paul was martyred via decapitation for his unwavering faith even in the face of death, and the stories of persecutions and executions of missionaries along with their Christian converts in sixteenth-century Japan are all too familiar. But it is a major challenge nonetheless, a very difficult test of one’s mettle and deep religious conviction to proselytize in a place steeped in Islamic
culture and beliefs. It is made exceedingly more difficult by the uncompromising message of Christianity: that Jesus is the only way to salvation.
While this Gospel truth is deeply rooted and backed by Jesus‘ own words in John 14:6 (NKJV): “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” it makes it a difficult proposition. For how can a person, indoctrinated and immersed in zealous Islamic teachings, suddenly just do a 180-degree turn and blindly accept the fact that salvation is only accorded to Christian believers? But the Lord works in mysterious ways.
………
Through David and Linda’s compassionate nature, their dedication, through “action, not words,” through their tender care of the needy, through their overflowing love for the downtrodden and poverty-stricken populace, these missionaries became very capable “fishers of men (and women).”
Jake, however, quickly struck this option off his list. He knew that he had neither the religious convictions nor the talent necessary to do this spreading of the good news about salvation, which left him with two equally unappealing choices: Either he spend the next six weeks helping the tireless nun run the Philippine-based orphanage or a summer internship working with his old man in researching life-extending drugs.
He spent the next several days contemplating and weighing both options. After utilizing many long and hard hours of exhaustive and careful deliberation, he finally arrived at a decision. But unlike that famous, multitalented basketball superstar who had the capability to announce his intentions in front of a nationwide audience, JT could only relay his decision, rather meekly, via a text message to his dad.
The dejected teenager was taking his meager talents and sorry behind not to the exciting coastal SoBe (nickname for South Beach), but to the boring, suburban Dela Paz.
His text to his dad Jerry read: “Please let Sister Pat know I will be helping out at the orphanage.”
The motivating factor that made him choose this option was his health. He didn’t think he could stand the rigors and demands of working under a slave-driver father. Not only was Jerry very meticulous and exacting, he demanded the absolutely right thought processes or justifications for any course of action. It was always an intense atmosphere, which could be likened to defending a doctoral thesis.
On the other hand, he could mix fun, play, chilling out, and work while babysitting the young ones at the orphanage.
CHAPTER 23
DEAR UNCLE REGGIE
JT was quite happy when he was met by his Uncle Reginald at the Cebu International Airport. He was very shocked to see how his mom’s brother had aged so fast, wildly speculating that the intense, competitive pressure of being in the copra business must be having this life-shortening effects on him.
Reggie is an astute businessman. He also owns several mini-marts and is a franchisee of a popular Filipino pharmacy giant. But he lets his Filipina wife May manage the twelve mini-marts and seven pharmacy stores. Reggie is content to focus on his extensive copra trading business and his growing real estate portfolio. Yet the intricacies and vagaries of this ultracompetitive business could be more than enough to drive even seasoned traders batty.
………
In agricultural commodities trading, there are so many variables and unexpected occurrences that can greatly affect profits and losses. Some of the following factors can make the price of copra fluctuate wildly: weather conditions, supply coming from foreign sources, bountiful or poor harvest, prices of this commodity in neighboring countries, number of typhoons or hurricanes hitting the coconut plantations, frequency and scope of coconut tree infestations, worldwide spot price of pure coconut oil (extracted from copra using expeller or cold-press technique), possible aflatoxins contamination in improperly dried copra, and many more.
Essentially, any of these factors affects the supply-and-demand economics of copra. But there are also some other situations that can potentially bankrupt even an experienced trader. An example of which is narrated below.
At the start of the season, a trader needs to advance substantial amounts of money to many small, undercapitalized coconut farmers, as necessary funds for nurturing, irrigating, fertilizing, and de-infesting of coconut-yielding trees, as well as for planting of young trees, etc. Basically, the trader underwrites the expenses associated with inducing the trees to yield a substantial number of coconuts, which then gets turned into copra. The only way for the trader to recoup the money advanced, plus some expected profits, is for the coco farmer to turn around and sell the copra to the same trader at an agreed-upon price at the end of the harvest (allowing for subsequent processing of coconuts to copra) season. These types of transactions rely heavily on an element of trust. Sadly, not a few of these farmers can be dishonest and untrustworthy. You can just think of various permutations of misplaced trust. Taken together or in some combinations of these can lead to utter ruin. In short, one has to make this type of risky business decision every coco season. One can just imagine the ulcer-causing moments experienced by helpless traders, all the while trying to convince themselves into believing that they entrusted those substantial amounts of money to the right group of coco farmers. But things don’t always turn out as expected.
………
There were years when Reggie’s gut instincts failed him and he suffered considerable losses. But the extremely profitable years more than offset the bad years, and as a whole, this dread-filled business made him a wealthy man. The only bad collateral damage was that, by engaging in this anxiety-filled trading, Reggie aged prematurely.
In his excitement in meeting his uncle, JT initially failed to notice the two large, muscular men standing some five feet away, squarely behind his uncle. After finally becoming aware of these two men, JT took a good look at them and could vividly see the contour of some segment of a handle (definitely indicative of concealed firearm) on the lower right portion of the shirt of each men. His uncle read the puzzled look on his nephew’s face, so he explained the need for the services of two armed bodyguards. Reggie was a trusting person before the incident that he was about to narrate to his young nephew.
A rival copra trader had informed Reggie of an incredible deal being offered by a group of coco farmers who needed to raise funds pronto due to unpaid loans from the local bank. These farmers were willing to liquidate 65,000 kilos of copra at fifteen percent below the prevailing market price; the stipulations were that the sale had to be consummated that same day and in an all-cash transaction. Reggie’s rival mentioned that he wasn’t able to raise the necessary cash to take advantage of this great deal, but that he was willing to pass this along contingent on a zero point five percent finder’s fee.
Reginald graciously thanked the other trader for this opportunity and promised to reward him with the fee once the transaction was finished. He quickly went to a local bank to withdraw the cash needed. He was halfway to the town where the coco farmers were supposed to be waiting when he encountered a roadblock put up by several men toting automatic weapons. They forced him off his vehicle and started beating him up. One of the goons scampered up his late-model Toyota Land Cruiser and looked for something. He found Reggie’s blue duffel bag and alighted from the Japanese-made car. This bad dude then opened up the bag and expressed feigned surprise at the sight of thirty bundles of 1,000-peso bills. The bad guys then huddled together, in all probability discussing the copra trader’s fate.
Before the evil men had a chance to carry out Reggie’s execution, a big Isuzu heavy-duty truck approached, the passengers shouting and cursing and making all sorts of noises. This commotion scared off the villains and they scattered in different directions. The perfectly timed arrival of Reggie’s workers, whom he had previously instructed to ferry the sixty-five tons of copra, saved his life. Yes, he lost 3,000,000 pesos that horrible day, but the trader was feeling fortunate that he got to live another day. Fearing a repeat of this ugly and scary incident, his friend the mayor sent two ex-soldiers to serve as Reggie’s personal bodyg
uards.
His rich uncle booked JT for a week’s stay at Shangri-La hotel. After letting the eager teen rest a day from the effects of jet lag, Reggie delivered on his promise to be a gracious host. Tourists spots like the Taoist Temple, Magellan’s Cross, Mactan Channel, Basilica del Santo Niño, Fort San Pedro, and Cathedral Museum were some of the places they visited. To satisfy JT’s fine gastronomical cravings, eateries like Anzani, Circa 1900, Kanyeon Yakiniku, Zubuchon, Garden Cafe were patronized.
On the eve of his departure for the orphanage, Jake’s Uncle Reggie took him to a popular karaoke bar, and the two now fully bonded amigos really had a heck of time.
This Cebu-based relative of his sure knew how to give this maturing teenager an unforgettable time of his young life.
CHAPTER 24
FOUNDLINGS, ORPHANS, RUNAWAYS, STRAYS, AND THE “RUGBY” BOYS
When Sister Pat chose to commit to a lifetime of service, she decided to focus her energy on the most vulnerable segment of society: the innocents. These were the young, who, through no fault of their own, or in their desire to escape from untenable domestic situations, and at the worst possible moment of their lives, were left alone in this physical world.
They were devoid of parental guidance; lacking in familial warmth and care; helpless and unable to fend for themselves; untrained in skills necessary to eke out daily living; negligible spiritual growth; low self-confidence, low self-esteem, and low sense of dignity; and the worst thing, rejected and unloved. This miserable group included the orphaned, the misfits, the strays, the runaways, the rejects, the abandoned, the street urchins, the “rugby boys,” and the outcasts. Although these innocents hadn’t suffered the same heart-rending fate as those felled by the murderous Herod’s edict (Matthew 2:16), in Sister Pat’s eyes, doing nothing for them was tantamount to dooming them to the same unfortunate fate.
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