I have recently added another category in this blog for my favorite people. ? How timely as I’ve been wanting to write something about this person who has been in my life for about six years now. She’s a friend, officemate, and one of my role models for servanthood. Yesterday, we awarded her for her five years of service in our organization.

Onie is a silent machine that makes sure things are running from the back-office. Through her servanthood and hardwork, she has grown her work capacity in the past five years, even volunteering to take ownership of processes beyond what she is required of, so that other people can focus on what they do best. What she hasn’t outgrown, on the other hand, is her being “very magugulatin,” so the team is fond of startling her once in a while. 

Onie is not only a great work partner; she is also a genuine friend. She is a friend not only to everyone in our team, but to the whole Victory Makati congregation. If you want to know about anybody from the congregation, ask Onie.

We pray that God will continue to abundantly bless her as she works in Victory Makati until Jesus returns.

Back in 2010, I got to know Onie when she joined our Administrative Support volunteer group, and I believe she was also volunteering with our Ushering and Security group at the same time. We had a good acquaintance, until we hired her as part of our staff, and was (unfortunately) assigned to my supervision.

I don’t want to talk about myself here but a little bit is needed to show how resilient and resolved Onie is. She met the worst people-manager-me at that time (if not her worst boss ever), expecting her to deliver perfectly and in the way I do things, and right away. Onie could have left or ranted about me to everybody (because she knows everybody!), but Onie stuck through my worst: she chose to stay, to do what needs to be done, to learn what needs to be learned, to serve without grumbling. Over all, she knew she was in this because of and for God.

Because of her humility and steadfastness, she has grown from a trainee to a trainer, a new hire to someone who has a solid grasp of running all functions in our local organization. I say this again and again in all truth: we wouldn’t be where we are without Onie. My second maternity leave is coming up, and for the second time, I have peace to take this leave because Onie is on staff. And I am so glad she’s one of the few who is absolutely convinced that this is where God wants her to be for the long haul, and that the only reason she will allow herself to leave is if God tells her to move to somewhere else.

From an acquaintance and a direct report, Onie has also become, unquestionably, a trusted friend. Her being dependable at work is also how she is very dependable as a friend. She gives 100% to her work and still have 100% left for her friends, plus more for her travels! ? She is the go-to person of so many people. People just naturally open up to her.

I am so privileged to have Onie in my life, both at work and personally. I know I’m not the only one who is blessed by her, so let me ask all of you to leave some comments below on who Onie is for you, and tag our #wanderfulOnie.

Time flies so fast! This little swimmer is now six months in my belly. ❤️ I am the author of the book, When God Could’ve But He Didn’t, which is available in ebook at Amazon/Kindle, and now available in paperback edition!