Kela Flor

March 28, 2013

This has been a special week for us and for one of our PEF participants.  Kela Flor graduated from La Salle University with a bachelors of Psychology.  She is a wonderful, talented young woman.  Her parents are PEF Church Service missionaries and have their own special story.  So to begin at the beginning of the journey, the Flors married after they both graduated from college. Elder Flor graduated in law enforcement and became a police officer.  Sister Flor graduated with a degree in elementary education yet her desire was to be a stay at home mom and raise her family (we have found that is an oddity here as the women are the ones with professional careers normally).  The Flors quickly had a son Prim, and a daughter Kela.  After several years they were thrilled to have twin daughters and five years later they were blessed with their youngest child, a son.  Shortly after their son's birth, Elder Flor suffered a stroke.  Although he is now able to work as a security guard for the department with only minimal wage reduction, he was unable to work for quite a while, he worked on his rehabilitation.  His balance and strength in his legs have severely suffered although he was able to eventually return to work, his wife had to go to work to support the family and once he returned to work help pay for the medical bills.  Thankfully she had an education and was able to find work as a teacher quickly.  Their children rallied around to help with their father, the meals, the cleaning, laundry, and helping care for Sister Flor's mother who also lives with them and is disabled.  

The family is such  a joy to watch and spend time with as they glow as they share each moment with each other.  Prim, the oldest son has served a mission and is in school to become a civil engineer.  He is engaged to a lovely young woman who is close to becoming a doctor.  Prim is also a teacher at the Institute of Religion.  The twins are twelve and the youngest son is seven. 

Dan and I have only been here nine months and thus have not been of any help with Prim and Kela and their PEF applications, but have grown to love them and their parents.  Surprisingly, though we were invited to Kela's college graduation party. We were thrilled to attend but could not believe we were one of those invited as the small group included family and friends and Kela's Bishop and her seminary teacher.   The party was in a private room in L' Fisher Hotel, the nicest place in town, but also the most expensive.  Tuesday evening we were even more impressed when we arrived to find out the party was also a dinner!  The family also had planned to provide a wonderful program to honor Kela.  The program began with a wonderful musical number by one of the twins and her cousin singing, with Prim and another cousin accompanying the girls on their guitars.  This was followed by dancing by Kela's youngest brother (of course he danced Psy's Gangum Style phenomina). He did a great job, but the amazing thing was to watch Prim (remember Prim is just the big brother), beam with pride as he videotaped his little brother.  If one did not know, one could easily assume Prim to be the dad, with his eyes lit up like Christmas.  After that performance, the twins and one of the girl cousins, joined the dance doing the "Harlem shuffle".  The end of the program was a ceremony where Kela's Dad placed Kela's Cum laude medal around her neck.  Now all this was wonderful, but the sweetest thing was the honor and spoken thanks expressed by every speaker and member of the family for the support Dan and I had provided.  Now, I remind you we have only been here nine months and have done little more than visit their ward, make monthly contacts with Prim and Kela, and support their parents  for their service to PEF.  I do not think I will every understand how the people here love us and treat us as if we are angels.  We are just ordinary people and at home are only the couple who were previously divorced so not really capable of any great service or importance.  Here we are angels and are loved and cherished.  I continue to be amazed by the attitudes and love of the members here.  I always feel so special and loved no matter where we go or what ward we attend.  We are kissed in greeting on our cheeks and  couple times kidded on the backs of our hands out of love and respect.  I just can't imagine how we would be greeted if we were important. 

Finally, to end this narrative, I want to tell about the most spiritual and wonderful part of the story, (right can it get any better). Kela had interviewed a couple of weeks earlier for a dream position with a great company here in Bacolod.  During the interview, Kela was asked if she would be willing to work the night shift.  She enthusiastically assured the interviewer she would work day of night.  Then she was asked if she would be willing to work on holidays, to which she replied she would.  She was asked if she would work Saturdays, again she assured the interviewer she would work Saturdays and happily give 100% on any shift, holidays and Saturday.  Then came the question Kela had worried she would be asked.  Would she work on Sunday.  Kela did not hesitate to answer that she was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and thus could not work on the Sabbath as she attended church with her family on that day and could not break her commitment to the responsibilities she performed at church on Sunday.  We were so proud of Kela and her courage, and prayed fervently with her parents that in the very competitive job market here in the Philippines, that Kela would not be eliminated from consideration for living her religion. You can imagine our joy and Kela announced that she had just earlier received the news that she had been hired to her desired position. She also thanked us for including her in our prayers and said she knew that she was hired due to the faith and prayers of her family and Dan and I.  I was so thankful for the answer to those prayers and wept for joy to be included in this wonderful family's lives, celebration and announcement of Kela's success.  I will always be thankful that our Father in Heaven is mindful of his children, that he loves us, that he answers prayers, and that we have been blessed to serve here in the Philippines among these humble, faithful, loving, happy people.  Even when their lives are so difficult and hard, they are thankful for their blessings and see good and joy in everyday events and blessings.  I hope I take home the ability to love life and family rather than physical things, as taught by these great saints.