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Guam--Part Four
Posted by: jesse on Saturday, October 15, 2005 - 12:08 AM
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The days and nights flow from one into and out of another. I'm confused. So confused that I've edited this blog because I confused Saturday with Sunday. So if those of you who might be reading this are having a case of "deja vu," don't worry. It's just a case of "What did Jesse du?"
Sunday started with a surprise. I received a phone call. Kathy McDonald said that there was a Fr. Lee who was a shut-in at Dominican Senior Care Center, who wanted to come to the concert, but alas, he was a shut-in, and "Jesse, I know
your schedule is very busy, but it would be great if you could visit Fr. Lee, I'm sure he would love it!" Knowing full well, that I need the sleep and that my schedule is definitely full, I ask Kathy how long it will take for her to pick me up. She introduces herself to me in the lobby, and we head over in her car to Dominican. While standing at the elevator, I hear a loud voice, saying, "That is the singer! You are that Jesse Manibusan!" She starts waving me to come over to her as she points at several elders in wheelchairs. I assure her that I'll come over as soon as I've finished visiting Fr. Lee. I enter the elevator with Kathy, as I wonder what in the world she has in store for me. Her name is Sr. Corazon. I meet Fr. Lee, a big man in a small bed. He's definitely confined to it as his legs are definitely done in by years of living. Kathy cuts Fr. Lee's nails as I sing HOLY GOD WE PRAISE THY NAME, PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS, GENTLE WOMAN, and OPEN MY EYES. Fr. Lee is thrilled and I am on the verge of tears at the realization that I am singing for Jesus. Right in front of me...Jesus. And Kathy is right there cleaning his hands and cutting his nails. And I am amazed at the wisdom of my parents to have me grow up singing in nursing and retirement homes for the elders. And I know that this was the moment for all of that. Fr. Lee is grateful; we talk a little. I tell Fr. Lee that I'll send him cookies. I ask for his blessing and prayers. I offer mine to him, then make my way down to Jesus downstairs. Sr. Corazon has gathered about 20 elders in wheelchairs in a small room. She and two other sisters, Sr. Remedius and Sr. Milagros, are present. Sr. Corazon then introduces me as "a very famous singer from around the world," and then asks me if I could sing one song. I sing about four songs. The elders are pretty amazing. I sing Open My Eyes...and Sr. Corazon is floored that I wrote it...she excitely tells Milagros and Remedius. I sing Dahil Sa Iyo for the Filipino elders, then Nobia Kahulo for the Chamorus, and Gentle Woman for everyone. I finish with a chorus from Ken Canedo's FLY LIKE A BIRD, because the lyric says it all...."though I may journey, far away from home...I know I'll never be alone." Sr. Corazon asks everyone who can clap---to clap. Then all three, along with Kathy and myself, go for a photo op in front of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, and then out front of the building where the the backdrop of "Dominican Senior Care Center" is part of our group photo. Sr. Corazon invites me to stop by anytime I'm on island. I will.
Kathy takes me back to the hotel. My dad is picking me up in 7.2 minutes and I have to change my clothes for mass at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral! My dad knocks on the door and I'm not ready! Lord have mercy. I can't be late for mass. I move like a blend of cheetah and gazelle....imagine that. We run out the door to the elevator, jump in the car and head over to the cathedral. Dad drops me off in front of the church, and I sprint and bound towards the front of the church where the music team is setting up. I've got about six minutes to spare. Praise God. EMMAUS is the music team, terrific, outstanding, wonderful, and totally great. Fred and Joel sets me up with guitar stuff and we're good to go. As mass begins, my head starts to spin, not literally, mind you, because that would be gross and creep both you and I, out. But it's like time starts to blur as I watch all of these people at mass, the majority of them brown skinned and black haired, save one person with brown skin and bleached hair. I think of the years that my grandparents worshiped in this place, and all of my relatives living and deceased. It's like time has no boundaries. I feel like I'm with the communion of saints, I know that probably sounds weird. I know that we are always with the communion of saints, but this is so extra super tangible. I am just moved deeply by the moment. Prayers are prayed, songs are prayed, ritual is prayed....I was asked to sing two songs for mass, so I lead the assembly in OPEN MY EYES for the gifts and preparation of the table, and then sing Tom Franzak's song, "Come and Follow Me" as a song of praise. At the end of mass, the presider introduces me to the assembly and recaps the work of the weekend. We're sent forth to love and serve the Lord by serving one another. Hmmmm, we need to repeat that command over and over and over and over. Sr. Marian tells the folks still in church, that I'll sing a few songs, so a bunch of folks hang out and we pray some more. There are little children so I have to sing COW SAYS MOO. When I get to the "rooster's on the roof" line---somebody actually crows exactly like a rooster, I am dumbfounded; and you know how rarely founded I can be. After I pack up guitar and stuff; pictures are taken, and then I run upstairs to KLOG Catholic Education Radio, and record a bunch of radio intros for a few of the shows. Pretty fun. I see Mr. Ed Siguenza, Photographer extraordinaire, and offer him a fangingi. (explained from a previous Guam blog)
Then Fred, Sr. Marian and her mother, are off to Shirley's for some more Chamoru home cooking. Mom and Dad, as well as more of our relatives are already there chomping Chamoru sausage, spam, rice and eggs, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, cakes, and lots of Diet Pepsi. Yep. That'll work reeeeeel good.
Fred, Sr. Marian, her mother and myself, sit at the table beside my folks. We want to process the weekend and dream a little for possible ways to follow up. We're praying about Dec. 8th, 2006, for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, where over 10,000 folks show up. What a moment that could be! The food is great, the friendship and fellowship even sweeter. I head back over to the hotel for another seriously needed nap.
But noooooooooooooo nap. I promised my nieces that they could come to the hotel and we could go for a swim. So knock, knock at my door and it's Jim and Alecia, and super nieces Maxima, Felicia and Tanie. Okay, now here's the deal, these nieces whom I love to pieces, got big uncle Jess into the waterslide. HELLO. I say again, Big Uncle Chubby Shady Jess into the waterslide. Folks, try and imagine that. No, don't. Nightmares galore. But I did. It was fun and scary, but I did it for my nieces. I got three gallons of water up one nostril and then another pint in the other nostril. Lovely. Then for good measure, the girls want Uncle Jesse to go first. So here I am, all 700 lbs of hotness, trying to position myself on the foam pad that makes you go faster than a elephant soaked in italian salad dressing down a slip 'n slide. Sorry about that image. Well I get halfway down and Merry Christmas, the foam pad slides out from under me. I come to a crashing halt and scurry to get back on my foam pad lightning carpet, but alas, too late. The Chamoru feet of my niece Maxima (Chamoru feet of any age and size are similar to those of Hobbits and Fred Flintstone) and the back of my head begin this funny dance called SMACK! It's all pretty funny. Then we all go into the swimming pool to play some serious volleyball a la the GUAM OPEN INVITATION. So we're smacking this ball around and figure it'll be more fun if we try and keep the ball in play for as many hits as possible. I say again, the name of the game is "keep the ball in play." So the ball floats over to Max and she delivers a Karch Kiraly SPIKE SMASH. I'm like...uh, nice spike but spike smashing on a game of "keep the ball in play" is like going on a diet while eating at an all-you-can-eat-spam buffet. It's hilarious. We're just trying to consecutively hit the ball ten times. We can't do it. So we say, "the number is now 9." And we can't do 9! So, "the number is now 8." And we can't do it. We actually do get to 23 at one point and go into a super celebration as if we just won the SPAM Super Bowl. I ask Jim for the time and I'm way late to be ready for the rosary for Uncle Eddie. Dad's going to pick me up five minutes AGO. I blow kisses and run up (figuratively speaking) to the room and jump into dry clothes.
Uncle Eddie Palomo passed away just the week before my trip to Guam. Uncle Eddie was a great historian for Guam, as is his brother and my Uncle "Ning" Tony Palomo. It was good to go to mass in the evening, and then pray the rosary with the family. Afterwards, Uncle Ning introduced me to a bunch of the family gathered. I got to see Auntie Annie Guzman, wife of blessed Uncle Frank, who passed away some years ago. Uncle Frank was one of my main inspirations for the journey back into my Chamoru heritage and the collection, "HOMELAND," that was a direct result of that journey. Dad and I said our farewells to the family, then made our way back to the hotel. GUAM is beautiful folks. Day or night...our drive back was beautiful with city lights below us and starry skies above us. Just beautiful. In the day, there's a wide open sky of blue, and crystal blue waters that flow from the beach, outwards towards deeper blue. Cool tropical breezes at this time of year move the the palm branches gently to and fro like a gesture of welcome to paradise...
Yikes.
The night's not over. I give Fred a call on his cell and we must see "Serenity." It's like..."Serenity." Must see. Or it's like "Cookie." Must have cookie. Anyway, "Serenity" must be seen and so Fred, Therese Matanane(filmmaker extraordaire)and I head over to the theatre; Fred and Therese spring for the tickets, and I of course spring for my specialty...SNACKS. Movie. Must have snacks. Must have snacks.
Okay, like Serenity is sort of a Buffy (Vampire Slayer)meets Zena (Princess Warrior) meets Trinity (Matrix) meets Vernita Green (Kill Bill) meets Selene (Underworld) meets Alice (Resident Evil) meets LeeLoo (5th Element)....so I like movies.
Okay, so this part of me is definitely not the Franciscan part. This is more the shadow side. Okay.
It's just cool to hang with Fred and Therese.
Back to the hotel. Gotta pack. Get ready for the long trip over the Big Pond of the Pacific Ocean. 4:15AM will arrive too soon. But not soon enough, for Jodi, Jayme and Jennah are waiting for me. And I am waiting for them.
Guam is Good...it is a holy place, and this has been a holy and blessed time.
Great love to the familian Reched, LeeLee, Panco, Nganga, Camudo, Logan, and all of the other branches of the vine of which I am soooooooooooooooo unaware.
A shout out to Joe Meno, Ann Gogue, Helen Flores, Sr. Marian Arroyo, Fred Rodriguez, Tony Diaz at KLOG, Tony Blas and Ryan at KUAM, Ray Gibson, Patty Arroyo at K57, all the Sisters of Mercy at the Roberta House, the Dominican Sisters, Corazon, Remedius, and Milagros and the Man Umko of Dominican Senior Care Center, Fr. Lee, Chris Duenas and staff at DYA, all my young sisters and brothers at DYA, Vice Mayor Robert Hofmann and St. Jude LIFETEEN band, Guam Visitors Bureau, Governor Felix Camacho, Lt. Governor Kaleo Moylan, the Most Rev. Anthony Sablan Apuron and great and hardworking staff at the Archdiocese, along with all the generous, holy and amazing people of Guam.
Dankulo na si yuus maase.
Jesse
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