Somewhere in Milaor, Camarines Sur, there lived a fourth grader boy who
would
follow this route to school everyday: He has to cross the rugged plains
and
cross the dangerous highway where vehicles are recklessly driving to and
from.
Once past this highway, the boy would take a short cut, passing by the
Church
every morning just to say Hi to God, and faithfully say his, "Magandang
umaga
po" in Bicol dialect. He was faithfully being watched by a Priest who
was happy
to find innocence so uplifting in the morning,
"Kamusta, Andoy? Papasok ka na?"
"Opo padre ... "he would flash his innocent grin, the priest would be
touched.
He was so concerned that one day he talked to Andoy.
"From school...", he advised "Do not cross the highway, you can pass
through the
Church and I can accompany you to the other side of the road...that way
I can
see that you are home safe...."
"Thank you father ... "
"Why don't you go home ... why do you stay in this church right after
school?"
"I just want to say 'Hi' to my friend, God," and the priest would leave
the
boy to spend time beside the altar, talking to himself, but the priest
was
hiding behind the altar to listen to what this boy has to say to his
heavenly
FATHER.
"You know my math exam was pretty bad today, but I did not cheat
although my
seatmate is bullying me for notes... I ate one cracker and drank my
water, Itay
had a bad season and all I can eat is this cracker.
Thank you for this! I saw a poor kitten who was hungry and I know how
he feels
so I gave my last cracker to him ... funny but I am not that hungry.
Look, this
is my last pair of slippers ...I may have to walk barefoot next week,
you see
this is about to be broken... but it is okay....at least I am still
going to
school.... Some say we will have a hard season this month, some of my
classmates have already stopped going to school .... please help them
get to
school again, please God?
...Oh, you know, Inay hit me again, it is painful, but I know this pain
will
pass away, at least I still have a mother.... God, you want to see my
bruises? I know you can heal them.... Here... here and .... oh
...blood..I
guess you knew about this one huh? Please don't be mad at Inay, she is
just
tired and she worries for the food in our table and my schooling that
is why
she hits us....Oh, I think I am in love ... there's this pretty girl in
my
class, her name is Anita ... do you think she will like me? Anyway, at
least I
know you will always like me, I don't have to be anybody just to please
you,
you are my very best friend! Hey your birthday is two day from now!!!
Aren't
you excited? I am! Wait till you see, I have a gift for you ..... but it
is a
surprise! I hope you will like it! Oooops, I have to go ..." then he
stood up
and calls out, "Padre, padre, I am finished talking to my friend ...
youcan
accompany me to the other side of the road now"
This routine happens everyday. Andoy never fails. Father Agaton shares
this
every Sunday to the people in his church because he has not seen a very
pure
faith and trust in God, a very positive look at negative situations.
One Christmas day, Father Agaton was sick so he could not make it in the
Church,
he was sent to the hospital. The Church was left to 4 manangs who
would chant the rosary in 1000 miles per hour, would not smile and
would always
find fault in what you do, they were also very well versed in
cursing if you irritate them! They were kneeling, saying their
kilometric
rosary when Andoy, coming from his Christmas party,playfully dashed in.
"Hello God! I ......"
"P----!! (a curse) bata ka!! Alam mo nang may nagdadasal!! Alis!!"
Poor Andoy was so terrified, "Where's Father Agaton? He is supposed to
help me
cross the street ... and to be able to cross the street I will have to
pass by
the back door of this church ...not only that, I have to geet Jesus. It
is His
birthday, I have a gift right here.... " Just as he as about to get the
gift
out of his shirt, the manang pulled his shirt and threw him out of the
church.
"Susmaryosep!!! (does the sign if cross fervently) Alis kang bata ka,
kung
hindi matatamaan ka!!!
So the boy had no choice but to cross the dangerous side of the road in
front
of the church. He crossed. A fast moving bus came in.
There was a blind curve. The boy was protecting his gift inside his
shirt, so
he was not looking. There was so little time. Andoy died on the spot. A
lot of
people crowded the poor boy, the body of a lifeless young boy ...
Suddenly, out of nowhere a tall man in a pure white shirt and pants, a
face so
mild and gentle, but with eyes full of tears... He came and carried the
boy in
His arms. He was crying. Curious bystanders nudged the man in white, and
asked,
"Excuse me sir, are you related to this child?
Do you know this child?"
The man in white, His face mourning and in agony, looked up and
answered,
"He was my best friend .... " was all he said. He took the badly
wrapped gift
in the bloody chest of the lifeless boy, and placed it near His heart.
He stood up and carried the boy away and they both disappeared in
sight. The
crowd was curious ...
On Christmas Eve, Father Agaton learned of the shocking news. He
visited the
house, and wanted to verify about the man in white. He consulted the
parents of
Andoy. "How did you know that your son died?" "A man in white brought
him
here." sobbed the mother.
"What did he say?" The father answered, "He did not say anything. He
was
mourning. We do not know him and yet he was very lonely about our son's
death,
as if he knew our son very well. But there was something peaceful and
unexplainable about him.
He gave me my son, and then he smiled peacefully. He brushed my son's
hair away
from his face and kissed him on his forehead, then he whispered
something..."
"What did he say?"
"He said to my boy..." the father began, "Thank you for the gift ... I
will
see you soon ... you will be with me..." and the father of the boy
continued,
"and you know for a while, it felt so wonderful ... I cried, but I do
not know
why....all I know is I cried tears of joy .... I could not explain it,
Father,
but when that man left, something peaceful came over me, I felt a deep
sense of
love inside ... I could not explain the joy in my heart, I knew my boy
is in
heaven now but...tell me, Father, who is this man that my son talks to
everyday in your church, you should know because you are always there
...
except at the time of his death ......"Father Agaton suddenly felt the
tears welling in his eyes, with trembling knees, he murmurred, " ... He
was
talking to no one ..... but GOD...."
would
follow this route to school everyday: He has to cross the rugged plains
and
cross the dangerous highway where vehicles are recklessly driving to and
from.
Once past this highway, the boy would take a short cut, passing by the
Church
every morning just to say Hi to God, and faithfully say his, "Magandang
umaga
po" in Bicol dialect. He was faithfully being watched by a Priest who
was happy
to find innocence so uplifting in the morning,
"Kamusta, Andoy? Papasok ka na?"
"Opo padre ... "he would flash his innocent grin, the priest would be
touched.
He was so concerned that one day he talked to Andoy.
"From school...", he advised "Do not cross the highway, you can pass
through the
Church and I can accompany you to the other side of the road...that way
I can
see that you are home safe...."
"Thank you father ... "
"Why don't you go home ... why do you stay in this church right after
school?"
"I just want to say 'Hi' to my friend, God," and the priest would leave
the
boy to spend time beside the altar, talking to himself, but the priest
was
hiding behind the altar to listen to what this boy has to say to his
heavenly
FATHER.
"You know my math exam was pretty bad today, but I did not cheat
although my
seatmate is bullying me for notes... I ate one cracker and drank my
water, Itay
had a bad season and all I can eat is this cracker.
Thank you for this! I saw a poor kitten who was hungry and I know how
he feels
so I gave my last cracker to him ... funny but I am not that hungry.
Look, this
is my last pair of slippers ...I may have to walk barefoot next week,
you see
this is about to be broken... but it is okay....at least I am still
going to
school.... Some say we will have a hard season this month, some of my
classmates have already stopped going to school .... please help them
get to
school again, please God?
...Oh, you know, Inay hit me again, it is painful, but I know this pain
will
pass away, at least I still have a mother.... God, you want to see my
bruises? I know you can heal them.... Here... here and .... oh
...blood..I
guess you knew about this one huh? Please don't be mad at Inay, she is
just
tired and she worries for the food in our table and my schooling that
is why
she hits us....Oh, I think I am in love ... there's this pretty girl in
my
class, her name is Anita ... do you think she will like me? Anyway, at
least I
know you will always like me, I don't have to be anybody just to please
you,
you are my very best friend! Hey your birthday is two day from now!!!
Aren't
you excited? I am! Wait till you see, I have a gift for you ..... but it
is a
surprise! I hope you will like it! Oooops, I have to go ..." then he
stood up
and calls out, "Padre, padre, I am finished talking to my friend ...
youcan
accompany me to the other side of the road now"
This routine happens everyday. Andoy never fails. Father Agaton shares
this
every Sunday to the people in his church because he has not seen a very
pure
faith and trust in God, a very positive look at negative situations.
One Christmas day, Father Agaton was sick so he could not make it in the
Church,
he was sent to the hospital. The Church was left to 4 manangs who
would chant the rosary in 1000 miles per hour, would not smile and
would always
find fault in what you do, they were also very well versed in
cursing if you irritate them! They were kneeling, saying their
kilometric
rosary when Andoy, coming from his Christmas party,playfully dashed in.
"Hello God! I ......"
"P----!! (a curse) bata ka!! Alam mo nang may nagdadasal!! Alis!!"
Poor Andoy was so terrified, "Where's Father Agaton? He is supposed to
help me
cross the street ... and to be able to cross the street I will have to
pass by
the back door of this church ...not only that, I have to geet Jesus. It
is His
birthday, I have a gift right here.... " Just as he as about to get the
gift
out of his shirt, the manang pulled his shirt and threw him out of the
church.
"Susmaryosep!!! (does the sign if cross fervently) Alis kang bata ka,
kung
hindi matatamaan ka!!!
So the boy had no choice but to cross the dangerous side of the road in
front
of the church. He crossed. A fast moving bus came in.
There was a blind curve. The boy was protecting his gift inside his
shirt, so
he was not looking. There was so little time. Andoy died on the spot. A
lot of
people crowded the poor boy, the body of a lifeless young boy ...
Suddenly, out of nowhere a tall man in a pure white shirt and pants, a
face so
mild and gentle, but with eyes full of tears... He came and carried the
boy in
His arms. He was crying. Curious bystanders nudged the man in white, and
asked,
"Excuse me sir, are you related to this child?
Do you know this child?"
The man in white, His face mourning and in agony, looked up and
answered,
"He was my best friend .... " was all he said. He took the badly
wrapped gift
in the bloody chest of the lifeless boy, and placed it near His heart.
He stood up and carried the boy away and they both disappeared in
sight. The
crowd was curious ...
On Christmas Eve, Father Agaton learned of the shocking news. He
visited the
house, and wanted to verify about the man in white. He consulted the
parents of
Andoy. "How did you know that your son died?" "A man in white brought
him
here." sobbed the mother.
"What did he say?" The father answered, "He did not say anything. He
was
mourning. We do not know him and yet he was very lonely about our son's
death,
as if he knew our son very well. But there was something peaceful and
unexplainable about him.
He gave me my son, and then he smiled peacefully. He brushed my son's
hair away
from his face and kissed him on his forehead, then he whispered
something..."
"What did he say?"
"He said to my boy..." the father began, "Thank you for the gift ... I
will
see you soon ... you will be with me..." and the father of the boy
continued,
"and you know for a while, it felt so wonderful ... I cried, but I do
not know
why....all I know is I cried tears of joy .... I could not explain it,
Father,
but when that man left, something peaceful came over me, I felt a deep
sense of
love inside ... I could not explain the joy in my heart, I knew my boy
is in
heaven now but...tell me, Father, who is this man that my son talks to
everyday in your church, you should know because you are always there
...
except at the time of his death ......"Father Agaton suddenly felt the
tears welling in his eyes, with trembling knees, he murmurred, " ... He
was
talking to no one ..... but GOD...."
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