We took the opportunity to take some pictures.It was around 1:30pm when the procession started.
Bam Bam Bam! The drummers started drumming, people started walking, some were praying.
“Hail Mary full of grace
The Lord is with you...”
Voices are getting louder; people are walking slower... and slower… I look at my mom and said “I just wanted to touch Mother Mary’s carro” Of course I wasn’t serious! People look so scary securing their positions and the carro. I was irritated with the purple umbrella this girl in my front was holding, as it hit my eyelids and started complaining.
After 15 minutes, I got an opportunity to hold the carro. Yes! 30 minutes later, I can’t almost control my temper with this people stepping my shoes and kicking my knees, especially with the purple umbrella. People around her were complaining with her umbrella, mom politely asked her to close her umbrella. However she didn’t. Anyway after 10 minutes, I found a technique on how to dodge her deadly umbrella. :D
Every turn was like a marathon for us. The men in front of the carro were pulling the carro and people on the side and the back of the carro needs to run in small steps so that we can keep up and protect carro. A couple behind me was pushing my back; my neck and shoulder was in real pain. I don’t have a time to look back who’s stepping my shoes. There are like 3 other hands on my side, trying to hold the carro. One arm across my shoulder, I can barely breathe. I was trying hard to keep my distance on the first person because I might push her too much. Everyone was wet. Everyone was catching their own breath.
“Stop the carro! Stop the carro!” devotees were desperately shouting
We all tried to stop the carro, people were pointing to Mother Mary’s crown. It was leaning backward, the rope of banderitas are holding it back. Someone offered an umbrella, someone climb up to the carro and use the umbrella to protect the crown of Mother Mary from the ropes so we can go forward.“Kindly keep distance” The old lady said
“Oh, my God! Please don’t step on my foot” The woman said
“Please don’t push us” The person behind me said
“Faster Faster Faster” I said, as the people behind me were pushing us forward and people were pulling the carro faster. The teenager boy who was wearing the white shirt with an Azumanga Daioh printed on it let go of the carro.
"Please don’t push us!!!”
People in front of me were irritated; some was giving a sharp look to the person behind them. Some were ignoring them. Another girl with a black and white stripe hoodie let go of the carro.
“Wait!” The girl in front of me with a purple umbrella shouts
Neither she nor I can stop. I can’t control the crowd behind me who’s pushing us so hard. Her friend beside her stopped and keeps up later then gave her white handkerchief that was fallen earlier.
“Don’t push the carro, do not push the carro!” the big man in front of the carro was warning us
I saw the road was about to steep down. Please don’t push the carro. I told the young men behind the carro. Four hours have passed. We were on the highway. Few more kilometers left. I can feel the pain on my feet. I can barely take a step. It was like there’s a heavy weight attached on my feet. I wipe off the sweat and the raindrops on my face. I fix my hair using my left hand. The rain stopped. I can feel someone’s breathe on my neck.
My mom and sister really worried. “Are you ok?” I nod and smiled.
My mom was pulling me away from the carro and the crowd. But I don’t want to quit, because they are expecting that I will. I just ask them that I wanted to drink water. Few minutes later, my sister was running with me, giving me a bottle of water. I drink as much as I can and give it back to my sister.
Suddenly, I can feel the energy back. There are a lot of confetti’s falling from old houses and buildings. “Faster Faster Faster” I warned the people in front of me again as I can feel the crowd were pushing again. I think I stepped on something again.
“Oh, my God” The girl with a purple umbrella let go of the carro.
I look back.
“She went to get her sandals” The middle age woman said
I was saving her some space so she can hold the carro back. When I saw her, I called her to go back on her position but she refuse. I feel a little regret for her since she was holding the carro from the start and she quit when we are near our destination.
Waaaaa…My right shoe was almost left behind. I tried not to lift up my feet because I don’t want to walk with just one shoe left.
“Please try not to step on my shoe” I said with a strong voice to the person behind me. I was a bit surprised that it was not the couple; it was already a girl in red shirt.
“Im sorry” She said.
Finally were near the Robinson’s. Suddenly there are a lot of people who are pulling flowers from the carro and most especially people who wanted to hold the carro. We are more crowded than before. I can barely take a step and people were pushing us even harder.“Please do not take the flowersI was thinking how hard it is to protect the carro of Mother Mary, protecting the carro of Sto. Niño must be very painful. I saw a lot of people who’ve lost their sandals, shoes and wallets. My white shoes and blue jeans were covered by mud.
“Please wait when the procession is over”
“No pushing, please”
We are almost there. It was around 5:30pm. Finally I saw the policemen and help us pulling the carro of Mother Mary inside the church.I look around and saw my mom and sister calling my name. And I pulled some flowers as a reward and gave it to my mom. I saw the girl in red shirt that was behind me and we smiled to each other. I asked my sister to take a picture of us. I even forgot to ask her name.
“We thought you’re not going to make it, we thought you’re going to quit and let go of the carro” mom said
I am sure, just like everyone else who helped on pushing the carro, people who have sacrificed on walking the long route under the rainy weather, families who have prayed together, individuals and devotees, have felt contentment and most of all, the happiness.
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