“I raised my niece as if she was my own daughter. We were very...

“I raised my niece as if she was my own daughter. We were very close, but she fell in with a bad crowd and left my home at a young age. She had six children in six years. But then she got very sick with cancer. Right before she died, she asked me to look after her children. At the time I had no income. I’d been retired for years. But I didn’t hesitate because they were my own blood. So now I have six children at home—the oldest one is eight. All of them call me ‘Papa.’ I really love them. I’ve gone back to driving a taxi because there’s nothing else to do. I’m seventy-five but my eyes are still clear. I can work long hours. I don’t need much sleep because I get my strength from the children. If I get tired, what will happen to them? I also have a lot of help from my wife and siblings. If I get too worn down, the children will take a ‘vacation’ at their auntie’s house. But that never lasts long. Because I miss them too much and want them back.”

(Manila, Philippines)