Labandera

“Labandera” is a Filipino word used to refer to a woman who offers laundry services as her source of income. The fee varies to the quantity of laundry you have but normally they will have to charge you around 200 pesos. They are mostly found in towns or just along the neighborhood but less in the city proper because most people are into laundry shops.

Today, I felt tired looking at my long pile of clothes to be washed. I am not anymore motivated to wash because I don’t know where to start. My hubby suggested that I should hire a “labandera” tomorrow to wash our clothes. I told him it would be so expensive because we have 3 baskets full of laundry and this includes blankets and bed sheets. Still staring at those clothes to be washed I decided then to start washing. I just decided to wash a little but I thank God for giving me so much energy and strength that I was able to finish two baskets of laundry. The remaining basket will carry on tommorrow.

Feeling very tired, I lay down to bed and whispered a prayer to God thanking Him for the strength. After the prayer, I realized that it wasn’t easy to be a “labandera”. It’s really very tiring. Good for me, I used the washing machine but for the “labanderas” they only use their hands. That is why I also include them in my prayer. I asked God to bless them in their hard works and that their strength will be renewed each day.