Denrica is the farthest island in the municipality of Garchitorena, Camarines Sur. The location is an unmissable tour for tourists. If you’re looking for white sand, they got it here. If you desire to have peace of mind, the place can offer you the tranquillity you need.
The island and its people are indeed a work of art. Beauty is all over the place, from its shore to the people’s inner soul. You wouldn’t mind living miles and miles away from the city.
Eden Somido is one of ADRA’s active beneficiaries since 2018. She has three children and is a great wife to her husband. Like other households, they live with simplicity and happiness. She runs a small sari-sari store near an elementary school while her husband ventures into the ocean as a fisherman. They trade their fishes to the market as their source of living.
“Sometimes I have trouble sleeping. I am constantly concerned with how to pay for our long list of debts. Of course, it’s tough when my husband cannot sail because sometimes the waves are strong, and it’s dangerous. Our coconut plantation that has also been a source of our bread and butter; has been ruined by storms.” It must have been pretty rough. However, in these difficult times, their faith in God becomes more profound. Although they are anxious, prayer has been their comfort and refuge.
Their prayers have heard when ADRA continues to respond to the crises we all face. For people who live on an island where opportunities are sometimes as far as where they are, a little assistance means a lot. For Eden Somido and her family, “ADRA has been a great help to all of us since we taught to plant. The tools they gave us, help us a great deal, particularly for the farmers who do their work on the ground. Even though we don’t have a place to plant, I do kitchen gardening. When ADRA entered our lives, that made things easier for all of us.”
Just like a bubble that signifies relaxation, peace, and good fortune, Denrica is an effervescent island. The island itself is their good fortune. Sometimes beauty demands effort and trust. The peace we need will cost us to steer clear of our comfort zones. To reach the island: there will be storms that will appear dangerous to us. But let us not forget the God who stands at the helm of the ship we set sail. Above all, allow God to be your bubble. That is when we can pay off our long list of debts and when our coconut plantation will start to flourish again. Keep the faith and keep the effervescence inside your heart.
by: Joydlynn Rivero, ADRA Writer