19 March 2007
Hi everyone! I'm just new here and I just hope I'm making things right. I was actually checking on websites and was searching for money making ideas on the web when I happen to came across this website. At first I was hesitant to ask for help, but then I think the only way up for me is to open up, so I can be helped as well. Besides I haven't really been used to asking help from people. But after awhile, I came up with a decision that I also need to and there's really nothing wrong about it. There really comes a time when one seems to arrive at a 'dead-end' it seems, and there's no more choice one can do except to reach out to others and seek for their help. As for me, really, I would not dare ask help from people if I can still control/ handle the situation.
I actually is an Ex-Nun (I just hope you all understand what this is). It's almost a year now since I left convent life and presently I'm back here to my family on my home country, Philippines. Let me share a bit of my experiences...this is all about my economic and financial situation both at the moment and of the past.... Money and the rest of my personal needs was not so much a problem during my stay in the convent, even though we the Sisters do not then receive personal allowance for ourselves, (except for a monthly minimum amount for our fares in going to the mission sites, and then we were to submit the accounting at the end of the month, and of course we remit every remaining centavo). Of course our stipends go straight to our Superiors for that was for the whole Congregation's use. With regards to personal needs such as soap, toothpaste, etc..we could just ask for them when we run out of them. With regards to clothing, really a big help that nuns wear habits. You only need to have a pair, and you're done. And nuns eat and live at the convents. (oh yes, perhaps that's one reason why we work too, to earn our piece of bread). But only that,... 'cause oftentimes, since these people were freed from having families and children, nuns and religious won't have to worry so much about the rest of the other things that lay people may often worry about, and the financial burdens that married people are encountering through. Though generally speaking however, if not only for their 'callings' (vocation), (and the rest of the 'spiritual' factor), .then I think these people are more better off financially/economically, had they remained on the 'outside world'!
But now that I'm no longer within convent walls, I have seen the difference of things. All the while I was thinking that I'd be forever in the convent (no, doesn't mean they let me out/I was the one who left however),.. and I'm on my mid-40's now,.. and I'm thinking back... unfortunately, I wasn't able to save a bit of money before I ever entered the religious life. While I was a missionary (of course I still remain to be one, and genereally speaking, everyone else is) or while I was a Nun, much more I didn't have a chance to save money, How could I? As I've said, we don't receive personal allowances for ourselves or for our personal use (this case now, depends or differs from Congregation to Congregation) And if ever there were chances, still we won't be able to avail. Money or gifts we receive from people are same thing to be surrendered 'cause that was one of our Congregation's rule which all of us ought to follow. And how could one go cheating?? Then that's not a quite good reason then for one to become a Nun or God's servant at that!! And so that's it.. Now, I began to realize that everytime I go inside the bathroom, I will need to spend for my soap, and everytime I will sit at the breakfast table, I realized I need to buy my food. And it was only lately that I found out that I need to fix minor health problems as well.. Lately I've just found out that I need change my reading glasses.. Also lately I've just found out that I need treatment for some slight skin problems. Tiny bits of flesh are coming up so fast from around my neck, and the skin clinic told me that they are warts. Another is that, there's a black mole (not so big though, but a live mole), at my back part, just lower my right shoulder and ocassionally, I could feel it's a bit itchy and irritating. I also wanna check this to a dermatologist if ever I can. I also need a dentist's check up for my teeth that for a long time had just been neglected. All the while I was on my mission abroad, I just forgot to request even for my teeth clean-ups... And as things went worse, I was already forced to borrow money from friends here and this is one of my latest problems at the moment. I need to raise money so I can pay them. And this is what pushed me now to hang on to this site! Perhaps this is the reason why this world is full of people or that it was meant to be created with lots of people, so they can interact, help each other, and so that no one would be left so needy. I consider my discovery of this site, as something 'sacred'. Something I treasure 'cause I found you during the very days I was praying, seeking for the Lord's help. Surely the Lord introduced me to this site. You were God-sent and I'd be forever grateful to the people behind Aidpage. The influence and inspiration you've got, could only be something 'Divine'.. and I appreciate as well the rest of the aidmates here who never get tired helping people. What keeps you 'moving on' guys? And as I was saying earlier, I also need a few money to recover from some debts. When one becomes 'broke', the closest friends are the first recourse. But after you've asked from each of them, where would you go next? Everyone has limitations. It's just unfair to seek his/her help for the second time, without settling first your former obligation towards that person. To have debts is not a good experience. It's robbing one's peace of mind. Really I don't want to repeat this experience again once I settle this. Doesn't matter I have to go hungry rather than hear people knocking at my door to ask for payments!.... Indeed I never thought that I would be the one seeking for people's help now. Perhaps because I was just used to helping people or most of the time that was me extending the help.. I worked (or that was my assigned mission) for 2 years as an AIN(assistant in nursing) in a nursing home somewhere in Australia then twice a week, same nature of work, but in another hostel.. I learned to bathe, feed people and the like activities. Then following that, I worked for 3 years in a Retreat House and a Pilgrimage Site somewhere in Italy (not in Rome), and our work together with my 2 co-Sisters then, were maintaining the cleanliness of the House and of the nearby Pilgrim Site, look after the visitors, attending to linens etc.. So may I end my sharing here, and very sorry, perhaps I'm talking much!
Again I am now here on my country and if I am to work or find a job in offices or in companies, the major problem would be my age 'cause there are certain age limits in applying for jobs, surely. Oftentimes these matters are left now for younger people and for fresh grads. On the other hand, if I apply for some domestic jobs or manual labor, I might not be able to make 'both ends meet'. My need would be greater than my-would-be salary. (And time is such a precious thing to waste! I hope you guys understand me). That is the situation here in our country. But then again, this would not be a big problem though. That is why I am seeking help from the kind aidmates here, that is if you'll grant me the favor, for whatever help you may have in mind for me now. I'll gladly appreciate anything. Whatever your help, it is perhaps just what the Lord wants to give me. For instance, does anybody here knows of a 'true' money making job on the net wherein I will make some money? I mean the one you already tried for yourself or one that already had been tried and proven by some. I'll try to learn these things eventhough I'm just a beginner here on the net, 'cause I can't be depending all my life for people's aid. I may be able to ask for once, but maybe not for a second time 'cause I understand almost everyone is working hard for a living. Everyone needs money, no matter what! But most of all, even if I can ask help at times from people, still there's no better thing than an income wherein I work for it.. wherein I can call my own...some permanent income that I can always count on!...Well, I found similar sites as these, but I think not yet for me at present 'cause they would usually require a certain fee (but of course for perhaps that's there business!). So how can I even join at the moment? I don't have money yet. Or does anybody here knows what are the best sites for grants? I've also found out in the net that grants are mostly for US Citizens. Are there some grants for Asians as well that anybody here knows of? But if it is only for my personal needs, maybe I won't be needing much more or what I mean, I may not need to work more harder.. But good fellows, please help me once again to become like you. I would rather be a part of the 'helping' crowd, rather than the 'asking' crowd. Please help me so I can establish on this goal. Not really in big ways, but even only in small ways as long as I can be of help to others again. There's still a lot in life for me to do while I still have the capacity (We pass by in this world only once, we can help others only once. We will never do it again or ever pass this way again, so the only time and chance to help is now!) I would even be writing soon to an institution here 'cause I would be needing a few Bibles, 'cause even my nearby kins, and oh my, even my own household, I just discovered lately, some of this people here, lack on even just the basic knowledge about the Bible and of about our Faith. It seems that I won't allow to let it pass just that way. And this is only one reason why I will be needing my time, and so the job that I would probably need or would just be right for me, is a job wherein I can just manage my time. I think I even need to travel again, meet people, I still don't know..I may, I may not. I'll just first hang on and ask for signs to whatever else the Lord may still want from me. Right now, it[s still me who would be needing assistance first. I first need to seek help... the reason why I'm here. This for me is now just like starting things up from the very beginning once again. Any kind of aid, any kind of good news, I'll gladly appreciate. I would even be asking one's help who is expert on research, 'cause I am now on the process of looking for my former Spiritual Director as well, while I was a novice in Australia. From after a long period of time, it is important for me that I correspond to him once again. So just in-case there's somebody here who's interested or has the inclination to help people in this way, kindly inform me through this site, 'cause I'll supply you with the information about this person I'm looking for. I don't have money the moment to pay for PIs (Private Investigators), and oftentimes researches on the net also requires certain fees to pay for databases etc..But this person (Catholic priest actually), is a significant person for me to meet (after already a long time searching), that is why. So really a good news for me if somebody would take interest on this type of help!
But no, I'm not ending here or leaving it just that way. Surely everyone has been endowed with something and each one has a capacity for helping. I may not have money but I can help people in other ways. Only whatever is within my capacity/resources...... So what can I do for you, anyone? For the Aidpage Team, what can I do to help your noble task/mission? What can I do to help you on this site just in-case? Or if there is somebody down here who might need to ask for information or just for anything here in my country, Philippines, well just ask me, I'll try helping you whoever you are and just for whatever I can. Perhaps you are also looking for somebody, a long lost Filipina friend whoever,...who knows he/she is just my neighbor. You know possibilities happen. And that's one good thing about this site wherein we all need to salute! The larger the scope of people this site may reach, problems of people becomes more lighter and easier to solve, as doors for solutions open up. ..Or you may be interested buying Filipino products or who knows you already visited our country, particularly the province wherein I am in, perhaps you've tried certain products here before such as native products, and you may want to have some once again but you don;t have the possibility to travel here once again the moment, then I can help you on that, especially if the things you need are within here, or you were able to procure that product before, here on my area/province,.. then I can help ship it for you if you like...perhaps, as long as they are not perishable. (Of course such arrangement would require both of our trust on each other!) But if you are my country folk who lives in some nearby province, and your needs are same things I've mentioned, my offer of help is just the same. If you are my kabayan who's somewhere abroad and you may need help for anything here in our country, well just feel free, tell me what is it all about... I'll see what I can do for you. No need for me to elaborate all types of help. Whatever they are, just open them up and I'll see what I can do. If they are within my capacity I'll offer help, of course as long as we will only transact legal matters then no problem! But please at the moment, not financially yet ..Later on... maybe just a little later.
Once again, for whatever help, I'd be a lot grateful. The moment I settle all the major problems I stated on this letter through your help, then I'll start returning back the help right away. Thank you so much for sparing the time reading trying to know my needs. More power and may our Lord bless this your noble mission! A real blessed day!
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