In a small wooden and nipa house situated in one of the thirty baranggays in a class- C municipality, resides a girl who is used to pray. She believes that living without prayer is like trudging in an endless road without actually having a place to go. For her, life is dead itself without prayer. At her young age, a strong belief has been borne in her heart that whatever she does and says must not negate to the will of the Divine Creator from whom her life was given. Thanks to her mother from whom she learned the value of prayer. She lives placidly in this chaotic world filled with so much trickery,deception, rejection and complexities and from time to time escapes momentarily from this kind of world and traverses alone to the world where she could live as happy as she could be without being bullied, without receiving any rejection and without experiencing tribulation. All she does in that world is live a happy life in a peaceful universe. That world is the world that she herself has created in her wide imaginings.

On the other side of the world, in a nearby baranggay, occupies a boy who used to play. He' s carefree of any anxieties and worries. He lives a simple life with simple dreams. He satisfies himself with what he has. He finds joy in the things he does with his childhood friends and makes silly and memorable things with them. He treasures every friend that comes his way and avoids any chance that can ruin the tie of friendship that binds them. His parents are blest enough to have his presence in the family. He is obedient to their orders and makes no resentment to their commands though sometimes he is tempted to delay the completion of his tasks due to his playful nature.

These two different persons come from two different corners of the world. They are like X and Y in a mathematical equation that come to intersect at some point in a line. Their paths have happened to cross. They both are of the same age. In fact, they're born in the same month of August in the same year and they go to the same elementary school to study. So, they meet.

It' s a day in June that opens the school year. They' re in Grade 4 now. Everyone seems very enthusiastic. Chitchats are here and there. The classroom is filled with a deafening noise. Boys and girls are talking. They seem to be boasting of each other's summer vacation experiences and thrills. They talk as if there's no tomorrow to come.

"Those whose general average in grade three is 79, please you pick up your things and proceed to Room Section 1", the Grade 4- Section 2 teacher announced. " When I call your name, please stand up", he added. The boy' s name, Gary, was one of those who were called. Without a second thought, he grabs his bag and moves out of the room. Some of his classmates followed him.

In room Section 1, there is that girl. Her name is Faith. She remains quiet and observant in her desk. She glances in a while, the new faces that have arrived in their class who are now part of their group.

"Class, please stand up. We will start our class today with prayer", Mrs. Malinaw, the Grade 4-Section 1 teacher requested. So all the pupils stand up and pray.

After the prayer, Mrs. Malinaw asked the pupils to be seated. She then introduced herself to them.

"Since today is the first day of classes for the entire school year, it is best that we get to know each other first. So I will ask each of you to stand up and say something about yourself",Mrs. Malinaw suggested.

"Good morning Ma'am,good morning classmates, My name is Irish Tribunalo and I am ten years old", the first sitter of the first row said.

"Good morning Mrs. Malinaw, good morning classmates, I am Faith Tumulak, the sixth of ten siblings. I am nine years old, thank you", Faith said in introducing herself.

While Gary was watching Faith introducing herself, he feels nervous for his turn to speak is near.

Then, "Good morning ma'am, good morning classmates, my name is Gary Malayo, I am nine years old, I am happy to be in this section. Thank you", Gary's turn finally came.

The rest of the class also did the same.

It's a year later, and the same procedure happens. Those who are listed in the second section during the enrolment having the general average of 79 are called to transfer to the first section. Again, Gary volunteers to stand up and go. They're still classmates then. And still the same happens in the last school year of the elementary level. They're grade six pupils now. Time has passed swiftly and March comes its way.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let us give a warm apllause to Faith Tumulak for her declamation!", the MC said during the graduation ceremony as she called for Faith to come on stage.

Faith climbs up on stage with a nervous feeling. But in her mind she has to conquer her fears and must succeed in her task to declaim. As she walks through, she never forgets to pray that God may stay with her and lessen her fright and that the Holy Spirit may remind her of all the words she needs to utter in front of the crowd. Then she begins...

"The Master Is Coming". This is the title of her declamation

" They said, the master is coming to honor the town today. And none can tell at whose favored home the master will choose to stay. And I thought while my heart beat wildly, 'what if He'd come to mine?How would I strive to entertain and honor the guest Divine?...", she continues and in the later part of the piece, she cries,she really cries that her cries move the emotions of the audience. It's indeed a success

On this day, her Grade 4 teacher Mrs. Malinaw, who had retired a year ago has come with her daughter and some friends to witness this momentous event in Faith's life. After which, they go home.

Faith might have been dismayed at that time for the reason that her mother wasn't there. It's her mother's due to deliver their youngest sibling and her father was supposed to be there but wasn't able to walk beside her during the graduation march because he was late in coming, besides, he was drunk. However, the presence of her elder sisters and Mrs. Malinaw made her day a little brighter. She still goes home with a smile on her face. This is the last of her childhood days and she has to prepare to face another chapter of her life.

"Mom, may I ask your blessing?I am now leaving",Faith said to her mother who is tilling the soil in their spinach garden, as the former took the latter's hand for a goodbye kiss.

"It hurts me to see you go off but it hurts more the thought of holding you back, of depriving you of great opportunities for a better and brighter future. I wish you all my children to be intact with me. But that wish would only make me too greedy of a parent. There is nothing your father and I could give you for a good education. That's why even if it tears my heart into pieces. even if your leaving may cause me so much pain, but for your future's sake I'm letting you go. I am sorry if you have sprung from poor trunks and that you need to do this. You need to be away from the family. Good fortune may have never been ours but don't forget that God is always watching us. When you go, when you're there,always remember the Most Powerful One. In times of loneliness, in times of weariness and in times of hardships keep believing that God will always lighten the burden. And in case you make mistakes, be sorry enough to acknowledge your shortcomings and be humble to accept your fault and be more cautious the next time in order not to make the same mistake again. In the school where you will be in, be kind to all you meet. Be friendly. If possible, keep yourself away from trouble. Remember my line?'I'd rather be hurt than to hurt', bear it with you for it may be applicable in your own life as well. Be courteous all the time. If you respect, you will also be respected. Above all, don't forget to pray. This is our only weapon in the battle of life. Keep safe my child. And always bear this in your mind, though I don't say this often,but, mom loves you".

These are the words that Faith's mother instilled to her the day she left toward Mrs. Malinaw's house where she spends her next five years of life's existence. She lives and stays in there as a working student.

There are only four including Mrs. Malinaw in the new family she now belongs. Mrs. Malinaw introduces her to the family members: her daughter- Ma'am Benie who is a high school Biology teacher, teaching at the school where Faith get enrolled,who was married to Doc Alfie Verano-the Rura Heath Officer/Doctor in the municipality and their only son who is a college student studying in the city who is named Joemar.

"Tic", came the sound of the second hand of the clock, "Oh, it's already 4:00 o'clock in the morning,I must get up now."Faith hastens to to get ready for her early routine. "Good morning, Lord, thank You for this another day", she always says upon getting up from bed..

Then, she gets the coconut husk and broom and begins scrubbing the floor and sweeps it afterward. It takes her almost an hour to finish the work since the house is quite huge. After cleaning the inside of the house, she then proceeds to clean the outside, at the front part in particular. Right after, she goes to the kitchen, and cook rice for breakfast, never mind cooking the viand, since Doc Alfie always takes care of it. So, she just then hangs the laundry which she washed the night before and then takes shower.

" Ma'am Benie, breakfast is now ready", Faith calls as she prepares the table. Usually, during schooldays, only the two of them eat breakfast together, since they go together to the same school. After dining, Faith has to wash the dishes before getting dressed with her uniform and then leave for school.

She gets enrolled as freshman in the only Catholic-private school in their town. Gary, on the other hand, has entered first year high school in the town's public high school.

"Hey dud", Gary approaches his close friend Cleo. " Hey!Dud, what's up?", replied Cleo.

"Is there something interesting?",Cleo asked with a smile on his face.

"I plan to attend mass this Sunday, do you have plans?", Gary told Cleo and asking at the same time.

"Well, I guess, going with you is the best", Cleo remarked and they both laughed.

Gary and Cleo attend the mass in the morning. In the church, Gary's eyes are in search for something or maybe for someone. Unluckily, the person he's looking for isn't found in any corner of the church.

"Maybe she will attend the mass in the afternoon", Gary thought to himself.

The next Sunday, Gary alone attends the afternoon mass. He's still hoping to see the girl he longs to see for months. But even her shadow wasn't there to be found.

Years later, in the last week of January, the town celebrates the Sinulog Festival. Gary attends the morning mass. In the middle part of the mass, Gary didn't expect to finally see what he has been hoping to see. The expression on his face is filled with joy beyond explanation, when he saw Faith walking in the aisle toward the altar carrying her offerings in her hands together with other offerers.

It's the first time since they graduated grade six that he sees her. After many times of attending mass with hopes to at teast see her, the day has finally come. Deep inside him, he wishes to talk to her, but in his perspective, she seems very busy with school and church activities that made him hold himself from approaching.

He just couldn't explain how he feels. Even at a distance, seeing her makes his day complete. And he goes home with a delightful spirit.

Four years have passed and they finished high school without having seen each other at all.

Gary and Cleo go together to the city and get themselves enrolled in one of the famous universities. The former takes up Bachelor of Marine Engineering(BSMARE) as suggested by his parents and the latter takes up Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) but both study in the same school. They share a small room in a male sharehouse. Cleo's father is also staying in the city and is working as a jeepney driver. He joins with them in their shareroom.

Faith continues her college at a nearby college school taking up Education Course, but a year after, a stormy wind struck her family.

Her mom, complains of pains in her hips, thighs and legs that she could hardly walk. Not long after, she gets bedridden. One day, Faith visits her family and finds out the condition of her mom who has always been her inspiration for struggling hard in her studies. The family agrees that it will take two to take care of their sick mother. Faith volunteers to stop from schooling in her second year in college. The same goes with her younger sister named Florence, who's also a second year high school. They both decide to nurse their mom.

Faith goes back to Mrs. Malinaw's family who have been her guardians for how many years to tell them of her family's plan.

"Do you really need to go home?", Ma'am Benie asks. She has no idea how worse Faith's mother's health condition is.

"Come to think of it, don't you realize how much help you can give to your family once you finish your studies, become professional and have a well-compensated job?", she continues.

Deep inside Faith is the thought ' To whom is help would be given then, if by fate, God will call my mother's name before I finish? What can be done with the hay when the horse is gone away?'.And it seems that the Almighty has His ways. Though it took three days and nights, Faith is finally granted to go home.

As previously agreed, the two sisters, Faith and Florence take care of their sick mom. But day after day, the condition seems to worsen.

"Faith,Florence", the mother called them. "Yes mom", they replied. "Can you come and join with me in prayer?, the mother asks as she gets her rosary beads under her pillow.

"Yes mom", they answer. And they pray the Holy Rosary.

There's no single day that passes that the mother skips praying. And she shares this to her children. She teaches them to do the same.

The scary day has finally come. Death has arrived to take away their mother's life from them. It's the gloomiest day for Faith and her siblings' lives. Faith just doesn't know it is this painful to see her mother breathes her last breath. It seems for her that the Divine God never heard nor granted her prayers. This time, she wished to go against Him.From then on, she stops praying as she wants to take a strike against His power. She tends to question His existence.She couldn't help but violate her mother's wish that they should not cry for her as she leaves. She couldn't stop herself from sobbing.

Months have passed, she realized that life shouldn't stop just there. She has to stand on her feet once again and venture for something good she could find. She looks for a job and temporarily forgets her dreams to become a teacher. And she finds one. She lands in the city where she works as a caretaker of a two-storey sharehouse with ten bedrooms fully occupied, three restrooms to clean, four children and three workers of the building to prepare meals for, and many household chores to do. But despite that hard work to do, she never complains at all.

After a year, Faith thinks that working isn't good enough and she needs to do more. So, she asks her boss if she could continue with her studies. Thankfully she's being allowed. Indeed, she's able to continue in her second year this time, with lesser units though.

Florence also goes to where Faith is, and so the two of them stay there and live as working students. They arrange their schedule that Faith goes to school in the day and Florence takes the night shift.

Perhaps, time is being harsh on Faith. In herself she's always been strong and capable of doing all her works, even spending late or in the middle of the night to finish all the chores she needs to do. One day, she's startled to be called by her boss and asked to have her 18-unit study load be deducted to 12 units only. She's deeply depressed by this. She wants to finish her studies the soonest possible time and the idea of reducing her loads directly contradicts to what she plans. So she decides to withdraw all her subjects instead, and bid farewell to her bosses. Florence, in her part, does not want to stay without her sister in her side.So they both go home.

While Faith is in this misery, Gary continues his studies in the university and has finally reached the finishing line. He now graduates BSMARE. Just one more year of Apprenticeship and he'll be successfully done.

Faith recalls those days when she was still there working in the city where Gary is studying, and he happened to pass by in the place where she was at. Gary was riding on a jeep that Cleo's dad is driving. When he saw her, he got down from the jeep to talk to her. He looked so good with his smiles. His eyes sparkled like shining stars. His nose though being scarred but still appeared being well-formed. His skin was dazzling under the brightness of the sun. He was standing before her and she couldn't hold her excitement and smiles in seeing him. But there was no enough time for them to talk too much for Gary had to go and leave with the jeep and Faith had to go on doing her works.