Lorna grew up in Pampanga, the eldest of five children. From a young age, she took on the role of caretaker for her siblings while her parents worked in the fields. She learned how to cook, clean, and soothe a crying child before she even finished elementary school. Though she dreamed of becoming a teacher, life had other plans. When her own children were born, and expenses piled up, she made the difficult choice that many Filipino parents face; leaving home to work abroad.
Through a recruitment agency, Lorna was hired as a nanny in Hong Kong. It was her first time traveling outside the Philippines, and stepping off the plane filled her with both excitement and fear. Her new employers, a professional couple with two young children, welcomed her politely but with high expectations. From the start, she knew she had to give her best.
Her day began before sunrise. She prepared breakfast, dressed the children for school, and packed their lunches. Throughout the day, she managed household chores laundry, cooking, tidying the apartment but her most important responsibility was caring for the kids. She read them stories, helped with homework, and patiently handled tantrums. At night, she often stayed awake until the children were fast asleep, ensuring they felt safe and loved.
It wasn’t easy. The cultural differences were huge. At first, the children were distant, refusing to eat the meals she cooked and speaking to her in rapid Cantonese she couldn’t understand. Lorna fought back tears many times, missing her own children back home. Every evening, she video-called her family, hiding her exhaustion with a smile as her youngest daughter begged, Mama, uwi ka na po. (Mama, please come home.)
But slowly, things began to change. Lorna introduced the kids to Filipino dishes like adobo and sinigang, which they eventually grew to love. She sang lullabies she used for her own children, and to her surprise, the kids started asking for them before bed. The parents, noticing her patience and dedication, began to trust her fully. Within months, the children no longer saw her as just a helper they treated her like a second mother.
The most heartwarming moment came one afternoon when the eldest child, after finishing her homework, drew a family picture. In it, she included her parents, her sibling, and Lorna, smiling beside them. You are part of our family, the child said shyly. That simple sentence made all of Lorna’s sacrifices feel worthwhile.
Still, her journey was filled with challenges. There were days of homesickness, days when the workload felt overwhelming, and days when she questioned if leaving her children behind was worth it. Yet every month when she sent money home covering tuition fees, medical bills, and groceries she reminded herself that this was her way of loving them from afar.
After years of hard work, Lorna was able to save enough to build a small house in Pampanga and send her eldest child to college. On her first vacation home, her children hugged her tightly, their tears mingling with laughter. Ma, salamat. Dahil sayo, natupad and pangarap namin. (Ma, thank you. Because of you, our dreams came true.)
Lorna’s story as a nanny is not only about caring for someone else’s children it is about courage, resilience, and a love so strong that it crosses oceans. She may have spent years away, but through her sacrifices, she gave her own children the brighter future they deserved.
