Monday, November 10, 2014

Solo Parents...Twice the Love…Triple the Blessings



This poster on the Feast Alabang Solo Ministry Facebook wall sums up what it’s like to be a solo parent. We carry the burden alone so the rewards of raising our children are returned to us in double portions.

It’s stressful and tiring to be a solo parent. But not a trace of that was seen on the faces of 78 happy moms (including 10 from Feast Bataan) who gathered for the Solo Parents Retreat on October 18 and 19, 2014 at the Angels’ Hills Retreat and Formation Center in Tagaytay.

It was a cool weekend and it rained – with an abundance of blessings.

Blessing #1

The people who organized and conducted the retreat.

They made the experience something we will remember as a rejuvenating break in our hectic solo mom schedules:
  • Juvy Ramirez, Solo Ministry head, and her Core Group
  • Cris & Lani de Guzman, Discipleship Pillar heads
  • Fr. GC Carandang, retreat master
  • Bro Arun Gogna, guest speaker

Blessing #2

The fun, the laughter and the new friends.

It’s an all-female retreat, so tears were expected. We had trials to share and insights to reflect on. But the laughter, the singing, the dancing and the camaraderie overshadowed everything else.

We rollicked with glee during group activities like the alien invasion – an exercise that showed just how confused the picture gets when we don’t communicate.


We danced with abandon – during worship, during the retreat proper and during the impromptu Sunday morning exercise. We zumba-ed and swayed like the Atomic Bomb Dancers that we felt we were.  

And, we found sisters to share our lives with. Some have taken the solo journey before us while others are just taking the first steps.

Blessing #3

This last one is personal – the anointing to lead a spirit-filled worship.

It was a wish whispered by my heart that was granted, not a privilege I asked for but was freely given. I was honored yet anxious about it because I didn’t know the arrangements about the music. I didn’t want to assault the attendees’ ears with my solo singing so I prayed to the Lord for angels who will sing with me – heavenly or earthly, I left it up to Him.  I got my angels: the keyboardist and 2 music ministers. Not only that, God gave me a bonus, a dance minister, to rev up the worship.    



The retreat’s blessings are God’s reminders that we have a special place in His heart. We may stand solo but we get double the love and a host (many times not just three) of God’s graces.



*Photos courtesy of Annabelle Ignacio 

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