A quick “kwek-kwek” eating

Have you heard about this eggballs popularly known in the Philippines as “kwek-kwek”?

They can be found on the street sides where a crowd of people usually pass by. It must be a busy street. So you imagine the vendors of assorted things, foods, and the like taking advantage to the perfect set up for those who rush themselves with empty stomach.. And the kwek-kwek… yes. You can always find them in a corner.

And by gosh, it’s quite good that you give it a try. It’s delicious! I can assure you of that.

But hold on. It’s not much of the taste that I want to proclaim. But it’s the faith that I love to produce.

I can feel your shrug. Eating kwek-kwek and the faith? What in the world could be the ingredients of this kwek-kwek that produce faith?

And again, it’s not about the taste.

My personal experience is that it takes faith to eat kwek-kwek.

For a while, I am broke. I already spent my extra money to something else. And the consequence: I couldn’t afford the fare going to the kwek-kwek spot (that costs P16… too much for me. Laugh!) and so I couldn’t buy even a single one.

That’s the reality. But you know the other side of reality? Oh I love it! Still, from time to time, I can go to the hot spot stall of kwek-kwek. I still don’t have money. But I never lose my brothers around me. (Allow me to mention their names to acknowledge their sponsorship, kindness, and charity) thanks to Jay and Migz. For weeks, they’ve been putting me on their shoulders to save my ass.

And it takes faith for the three of us to walk in a dangerous highway at night. It takes faith for the three of us to ride in a tricycle loaded with other passengers running at least 60km/hr on a curved road together with those fast and furious jeepneys and taxis.

It also takes faith for the three of us to eat that kwek-kwek displayed on a dusty and polluted corner of Tandang Sora Ave. placed on a tray uncovered with its sauce unprotected from germs. And it takes faith for the three of us eating kwek-kwek in a crowd of by standers, drunk, addict, gang, and perhaps opportunists that pass in front and behind us. And it takes faith for Jay and Migz to eat kwek-kwek while back at home many readings and other school stuff awaits them.

It takes faith to consider time for all of these! I am glad to see that in the ordinariness of our lives, we’ve been using the “power” or the “force” that’s within us.

St. Paul’s message to the Corinthians is much better than my version:

“I’ve been continually in hazards of travelling because of rivers, because of bandits, because of my fellow Jews, or because of the pagans; in danger in the city, in the open country, at sea; in danger from false brothers…” (2 Cor 11:23)

There can’t be compassion within us if there’s no faith burning inside. And faith really makes us strong, spiritually.

And to the kwek-kwek we often quickly eat? That may contain germs and bacteria, layer by layer but it can’t make us vomit or sick or die.

Because it can never beat a strong immune system.