It wasn’t ever easy or fair for 43-year old Ardel; a lifetime of sacrifice for her family. She is one of many women who had to leave their loved ones, and travel to Lebanon to work as housekeepers to improve their financial conditions. Ardel definitely deserved a better future, yet she lost her life to a tragic bloody explosion that killed so many innocent people, including herself; it wasn’t enough that she was already paying a price so high, being so far from her family.
ولدت اردل في كنف عائلة متواضعة في الفيليبين من أبٍ يدعى Ricardo وأم تدعىLorna ، لها تسعة أشقاء. مُتأهلة من Rogelio Maglamgitولهما ثلاثة أولاد Rhodel (24 سنة) Nikki (22 سنة) و Jehan(17 سنة). رأت أردل في لبنان مصدرا لرزقها ولتحسين وضعها المعيشي، فتوجهت اليه أسوة بباقي مواطناتها اللواتي قصدنه للعمل.
قدمت إلى لبنان عام 2012 تاركة زوجها وأولادها الثلاثة ولم تكن صغيرتها قد بلغت التاسعة من عمرها، كما أنها طمحت إلى مساندة عائلتها المؤلفة من عشرة أفراد في مصروفهم.
Ardel was a common girl; she graduated from De La Salle University, and she was a strong woman with a beautiful voice. A voice that will be the only tangible memory her daughter Jehan will hang on to, as she was deprived of her mother’s love when she needed it most. Ardel only visited her family twice between 2012 and 2020, in 2016 and 2019, for a month each time. However, her daughters still saw her a perfect supportive mom. Ardel always spread positive vibes around, and she was an amazing friend. She was serious when needed, and always fun.
بالرغم من وضعها المادي شبه المعدوم، كانت ملابسها تحاكي آخر صيحات الموضة. أما عن كرمها ونُبلها فحدث ولا حرج، لم تبخل يوما على اسرتها بالرغم من حواجز الزمان والمكان، كانت دائما تمدهم وتساندهم مهما تنوعت وتعددت حاجاتهم. كانت إنسانة مسؤولة، شجاعة للغاية، ومن أفضل الطهاة."
On August 4, 2020, Ardel was at her employers’ home in Mar Mikhael, finishing her daily chores. Suddenly, an explosion sent shock waves through the city, destroying the apartment she lived in. She was trapped under a door and covered with glass shards; a piece of glass stuck in her head, causing an extreme hemorrhage that killed her.
Ardel’s journey in Lebanon ended in tragedy; her return home, a return she always anticipated, was heartbreaking.