CEBU, Philippines - One cold February night, six-year old Andrea knelt down at the side of her bed with eyes closed and hands clasped in prayer.
"Papa Jesus, can you send back my mother even for just one day?" She whispered. "Please Papa Jesus, I so miss her a lot already."
She paused and waited if Papa Jesus would talk to her. But the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the altar did not talk as always.
She continued, "Yes grandma combs my hair after I take a bath but it's really different if it's mama who would do it." She gulped a little saliva in. "Please Papa Jesus, I've a lot of things to tell her if you would just send her back. I only ask one day, Papa Jesus."
She opened one of her eyes to check on the lips of Papa Jesus. But they didn't move to say anything about her wish.
She added more prayers for her grandma and grandpa and her classmates in school before she jumped on to her bed and slept.
A little later that cold evening, Papa Jesus came to Andrea in a dream.
In the dream, Andrea was sitting on a small rock beside a lake throwing small stones at the water in front of her while looking at the afternoon sky.
She was looking at the sky like there's some kind of movie going on up there. Yes, there's a movie and in the movie she saw herself and her mother and all the happy stuff they did together while she was still alive. Stuff like shopping at the mall, strolling in the park, swimming in the beach, and cooking in the kitchen.
The last part before the imaginary TV went off was what made little Andrea cry for it flashed a scene in the hospital where her mother spent some months before finally saying goodbye to the world.
Andrea did not notice that Papa Jesus was just sitting beside her on another rock all this time until she heard his voice.
"Why are you sad, little girl?" Jesus said.
Andrea immediately recognized Papa Jesus because he was wearing the white garment and the crimson cloak he's wearing in that image of the Sacred Heart on top of the altar back in her room.
Andrea hugged Papa Jesus and said, "I told you already Papa Jesus, one day is just what I need to say the things I want to tell her."
Papa Jesus paused to think for a while and before he could say something, Andrea said,
"Mama said you walk on water and you heal the blind, the lame, and all sorts of sickness. You even returned from the dead,†she said. “I guess you have enough powers to give me one more day with my mama, won't you?"
Jesus smiled and said, "Ok, ok, you will get your wish little girl but with condition. You have to do three acts of kindness to anyone before you get your wish."
"Okay, okay Papa Jesus I will." Andrea talked in her sleep before the chirping of the birds on her window woke her up.
After that dream with Papa Jesus, Andrea waited everyday for the right moment to do the three acts of kindness Jesus wanted her to do.
She waited long until the opportunity came to her.
First, an old lady in their village accidentally dropped her glasses. Andrea picked up the glasses and gave it back to the lady.
Second, a little bird was blown into her room one stormy night all soaked in rain. Andrea dried the poor thing up with her towel and let it stay in her room until the next morning.
Third, a small boy knocked on their door asking for some bread to eat. Andrea did not only give him bread. She gave him three peanut butter sandwiches which she all made back in the kitchen.
That night she made peanut butter sandwiches for the boy Andrea dreamt in her sleep.
Papa Jesus gave Andrea her wish.
In the dream, Andrea and her mother spent the whole day talking and laughing and walking and playing and doing all the things they were not able to do together while she was still alive.
They had a really good time together until they got tired and sat on a small wooden bridge where a stream of clear water runs underneath.
Andrea held her mother's hand tight realizing that the day is almost over. Almost over means no more time with mother, she thought.
As they both watched the sun setting over some distant hills far yonder, Andrea felt her mother's grip tightened.
"You'll be fine, Andrea. You will always be fine. You will grow up to be a fine young woman like me." Her mother said.
"I love you, mommy. I love you very much." Andrea hugged her mother.
"I love you too Andrea. I will always love you my little girl." Her mother's voice cracked.
Andrea looked at her mother and saw that she was crying. She wiped it with her tiny little six-year-old hands and said, "Don't cry mommy. Don't cry. I'll always be your little darling, promise."
Both mother and daughter held tight on to each other until Andrea realized that her mother is gradually turning into colorful butterflies that started to leave her to join the wind as the moon and some stars started appearing in the almost-evening sky.
Andrea held on but the butterflies kept floating away. She realized she just have to let go because no matter how much she cried all she asked was just one more day. Just one more day. So, she let go of all the butterflies and watch them fade into the night.
"I love you mommy." Andrea said before the chirping of the birds woke her up.
She smiled and looked at the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the altar and said, "Thank you Papa Jesus, thank you very much."# (FREEMAN)