By: Sr. Tammy Saberon, SSC

Here is a little story of how Sr. Tammy, a Filipino missionary in Hong Kong came to write many songs which are now available in a book called: “God had a Dream for You.” In this article Sr. Tammy now in-charge of vocation tells us how she came to write songs and thanks all those who helped her to produce the book and the cassette tape.

We Don’t Read Music

Many of my Chinese friends in Hong Kong told me that Filipinos sing very well. I accepted the compliments graciously and I humbly told them that the majority of the Filipinos do not know how to read music. They opened their eyes with wonder. I told them, “You see me sing and play the guitar but I do not know anything about music.” Inspite of this revelation, they still wondered. I suppose some of you will also wonder how I composed these songs but this is one of Gods surprises for me.

Suddenly I was Humming

It was in September 1986 when I began to discover this gift. I had just returned to Hong Kong from four months vacation in the Philippines. At Shatin station one morning, I hurriedly took the first train that came. Too late did I find out that it was heading for the Race Course -- not to the Tai Po which would bring me to the Chinese University where I was studying Chinese. Sitting quietly after the initial anger over my carelessness, I noticed myself singing in my heart “Lord Have Mercy” in a tune I did not know before.

Then Came More

The next day, while traveling back to shatin, I composed the other parts of the mass except the Gloria and the Lord’s Prayer which I composed while traveling, walking, praying or upon opining the book of Psalms. At other times I would be awakened at night by tunes for the Gloria and Benedictus (the latter is not included in the volume.)

Salamat

Everyone helped me. I want to thank them especially my friends in Hong Kong who drafted and edited my first compositions: Denise Lai, Cecilia Briones, Sr. Josifina Santos, SFC; Fr. John Manalo, SSP and Fr. Jack Sullivan, MM, my retreat master who encouraged me to take basic music and to the unknown author of the song entitled “Song of My Life” from the music is adopted for “Jesus Lord Of My Life.”

Then the Book

Then the book Missionaries of the Assumption introduced me to Narcisa “Nars” Fernandez who did the final drafting of my book; Noel Hernandez introduced me to Nez Marcelo, the arranger of the music production and the music editor of this book; and Lourdes Villamo made the cover design and then The 5th Gospel group helped me sing my songs. My heartfelt thanks to the Columban Sisters in Ireland, Hong Kong and the Philippines; the Columban sisters General and Philippines Regional Council for their support and encouragement to make this musical production and publication possible.

Praise and Thanks the Lord

Most of all, I praise and thank the Lord for giving me this special gift of composing religious music. May those who listen and sing these songs be drawn closer to the Lord.