April and May were twins. They were alike in almost every feature except the color of their skin. April was fair while May was dark.
“Milk and chocolate!” People would describe the twins when they saw them together.
One day, May ran to her mom, who was gardening. May cried, “I hate being called chocolate! Why wasn’t I born as fair as April and you!”
“Hush, anak. Having dark skin is not bad at all,” the twins’ mother said. “Many Filipinos are kayumanggi.”
And many of your friends are kayumanggi, too – there’s Teo, Caloy, Karen, Sonia – right?
“Well, yes…”
“Besides, you took after your father, whom you love very much. You keep telling me he is the best papa in world!”
“Well, he is!” May said. “But…”
“Would you rather he had fair skin?”
“No! Papa won’t look like Papa anymore if he were fair!” May answered.
“Well, you won’t be the May we love if you were fair either,” her mom told her. “Hey, look at it this way, some people love chocolate drinks, and some people prefer drinking milk,” she teased, tickling May.
Oh, how May giggled!
* * *
Prayer:
Thank You so much, lord God, for my skin color and everything about me. Amen.
Memory Verse:
“I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well.” Psalm 139:14
“Quiet Time with Mateo – 52 Weekly Devotions for Children” is published by OMF Literature, Inc. and available at leading bookstores.