I admit, being through a lot of heartaches in 2013 and 2014 put a strain in my faith. The worst was when I lost my parents to Yolanda, my mother and father and our household help. Then just a few short months after the tragedy, after losing our home, I might also lose a portion of the land our house is on to the government in a road-widening project. To cap it off, exactly a year after Yolanda, on the eve of its anniversary, my brother and I talked to a survivor who was at the same hotel our parents were in. His detailed description of that horrible day forced images into our heads—pain and emotions came rushing back. A few days after, I suffered an Acute Myocardial Infarction. Yes, I’m only 30 and I suffered a heart attack. In but a year’s time, I went through problems and heartaches as fast as smartphones change their models. Something was bound to snap. Ever since, I kept questioning God, “Why? What are you trying to do? What else will you give me? How long will you test me?” I haven’t stepped inside a church since Yolanda. I haven’t fully accepted what happened. I am not ready to enter God’s house with anger in my heart. Then Pope Francis was about to visit our scarred land filled with many scarred people. I thought, Attending the papal mass might just give me the answers I needed. As media, I wanted badly to cover the event, but as days went by, that reality became bleaker and bleaker. When accreditation for media was scheduled, I was at the Philippine Heart Center, undergoing tests. I said to myself, I will attend as a pilgrim and get enlisted at my parish, but work and circumstance did not allow me to do so. I told my fiancée Daisy that we would just go in as walk-ins, attending the Papal Mass, wherever we may be is enough. Two days before Pope Francis’ arrival, I was asking details on how to get in as walk-ins, the organizers said that walk-ins where not allowed anymore. Daisy and I lost hope and enthusiasm. Then my friend Jude, part of the Secretariat for the Papal Visit to Leyte, called me and said, “Aaron, there’s still another chance for you to get in. Not as media, but as part of the official list for Yolanda survivors. With what you’ve gone through, I want you to be part of it. You’ll be seated in front along the other VIPs.” My heart skipped a beat. Waiting the whole day for confirmation was agonizing, but a day before Pope Francis’ arrival, Jude sent me a message that said, “Okay na.” I cried. This is a dream come true, not only for me, but also for my parents who were devout Catholics. I was crying not only for joy but also for sadness and regret — my parents should have been the ones attending. Another miracle happened as my friend Sharilee also told me that she had an extra ID for my fiancée; though its in the standing crowd, she’d still be able to attend the papal mass.
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 07:11:04 +0000
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