Justin and Sarai welcomed their son, Sage, to the world last month and April and I were invited to be part of his Baptism. This was an honor on its own, but it was extra special to April and I since Justin is one of April’s closest cousins, and I’ve known Justin for the better part of a decade at this point.

It has been an amazing transformation to see him transition from different phases of his life to being newly minted father. Just as apparent has been how Justin and Sarai’s [our?] families have been brought together as a singular family built on Sage’s wellbeing and security. Uniting Sage’s two families was especially poignant because he is the beautiful result of his father’s Filipino heritage and the wealth of Nicaraguan culture on Sarai’s side.

These feelings of togetherness pervaded the proceedings of the day; Sage was the glue that cemented the two families together while catalyzing interactions that strengthened them as a whole.

This sentiment made for a beautiful afternoon that started at Justin and Sarai’s home, dressing Sage in his tiny Barong (traditional formal Filipino Male’s shirt), onto the ceremony at All Saints Church in Hayward, closing out at an Italian restaurant reception. The feelings of celebration held throughout the day and was a just really nice to be around. It was a pleasure to cover this milestone for this special family!

There is a tradition in some Filipino families that dictates that newly baptised children will meet with the most fortune and spiritual wealth the more quickly they arrive in public after baptism. To facilitate this, a family member promptly whisked Sage too meet the outside world just after the ceremony, seen above.