"So how do we go to heaven?"

This rainbow appeared east on the evening of that day when baby Loreen passed away, reminding us about "hope."

 Last All Saints Day, my family visited the burial place of our dear daughter who died some days from birth five months ago.  Our three sons aged 8, 7, and 5 were with us.  They helped us clean the surroundings of the tomb, prayed with us, and laid flowers for their sister.  We ended our visit with some snacks at the burial site to which one of my kids remarked, “Kay tau met munpicpicnic!” (It seems as though we are having a picnic!)  It was not at first difficult to explain to him that the day is a day of remembrance and paying respect to loved ones who passed away as other families gathered too in many other tombs nearby.

“Nada ngay peman an maid ha bimmisita?” (How about those that do not have visitors?), he asked noticing some tombs where no flowers were laid.

“Ninomnom nan iiba ya aammod da muden agge da nakaali.  Wennu nungay bigat!” (They were remembered but their loved ones were not able to come.  Or maybe tomorrow!), I replied.

For my son, the experience did not end after we went home.  While having some nap the next day, he came beside me and asked, “On wahdi pay hi ading hi sementeryo? Ngon tau e tinigo hiyana hidi?” (Is our sister still in the cemetery?  Why did we visit her there?)

I had no immediate answer.  Would my child understand “body and soul” if he hears this concept?  Maybe not for now but he was waiting for me to talk so I have to let words come of my mouth.  “Wahdi mo hiyana hi heaven.  Muden nan adolna ya nilubuk hi sementeryo. (She is already in heaven.  But her body was buried at the cemetery).

If our sister did not go to heaven, where would she be?, he asked.

 If a dead don’t go to heaven, then the person goes to hell, I replied hoping I said in the simplest way without being misunderstood.

How do we go to heaven?, he followed up his question ensued by a barrage of many others.

If we are called by God, I replied.  If it were adult talk, I would have said by the mercy of God.

How does God call us?

Many ways. Like our baptism.

Are we baptized?

Yes you were when you were still infants.

Why do we need to be baptized?

To be sons and daughters of God.

So are we sons of Satan before we became sons of God?, he asked knocking me off my logic.

We were sons of God from the beginning but because we sinned, we were separated from him, I tried to regain myself with this answer.

Was our sister baptized?

She was not baptized by a priest, I honestly told him.

So she did not become a child of God?, this question knocked me off again a second time.

She did not commit any sin that is why she is still with God.

Our sister sinned, he said knocking my brain off a third time.

What sin did she commit?, I took it as a turn to ask a question.

She dirtied her diapers, was his answer.

I almost laughed but held my chuckle making sure that my son understand he began a solemn question-and-answer and that it should remain that way.  I explained to him that such kind of “sin” was not the kind of sin that separates us from God. I immediately got up and went out the room, making sure he won’t see me chuckling about how we ended the short discourse he started.

...and the sky was simply beautiful too that evening.

...and the west radiates wonderfully.