Chicago’s Menchie Par. a Filipinx, raising two young Pinoy sons with so much love and care in Manila.

Life is complex, and it’s not that simple to get any human being going and to be reachable for another human being, to touch each other’s lives. Whether rich or poor, our faith in God and our fate to carry us through our life’s passages would guide us in our lifetimes.

Feelings of love and compassion are the two determining human traits that drove Menchie Par, a Filipinx from Chicago, to adopt two Filipino baby boys when he temporarily moved to the Philippines in 2008, as an expat in a way . Upon his move back to his motherland, his entrepreneurial self made her decide to open up a small fast food and restaurant bar in Sampaloc, Manila which served as a favorite hangout and eatery in the barangay where she lived.

Menchie’s daily business routine was unexpectedly interrupted one day with the arrival of baby Michael Jobert T. Santiago at the age of three days old, given to her by her therapist; this was followed seven months later with the arrival of the second baby, John Reed Lumabong. Baby John was sold to Menchie for 3,500 pesos by her mother when he was only six months old. Instantly, she felt an instant feeling of rapport, of a kindred motherly love upon seeing these two babies that fell on her lap. She did not even consider them as interruptions in her daily business activities, but great blessings from God.

As a new devoted mother of two boys, Menchie is making sure that her boys are being raised right, in a home surrounded by love, kindness, respect, discipline and spirituality. Growing up, she taught them to honor God by praying together before going to sleep and going to church on Sundays, to study well in schools where they are both currently honor students, and always be kind to others. Eating together for breakfast, lunch and dinner are strictly observed as a family. Menchie makes sure too that they have a very good endearing yaya (nanny) that supervises and helps them in their daily wants and needs, and when Menchie is not around. She also makes sure that both boys are aware of their family backgrounds so there would be no animosities regarding that particular aspects of their lives when they become adults.

Now both 11 years old, Michael and John excel and are special stars in their respective schools. Michael is a seventh grader in Holy Trinity School in Sampaloc, and John goes to Legarda Elementary School. They both lovingly call Menchie “MINE,” instead of Mom.

“Mine” Mench Par with her two adopted sons, Michael Jobert T. Santiago and John Reed C. Lumabong.

Happy brothers Michael Jober Santiago and John Reed Lumabong, now both 11, loved, well-cared and nurtured by their Mine Mench Par.