What I will never forget is the period of my life when I was a child. I was a cleaner at the Protestant church of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines Badbad Orient Loon Bohol. Every Saturday afternoon, I would clean the entire church inside and out. When I was still in elementary school, I was earning money and I would give it to my parents. I was used to working, especially in the summer, I got a job and I also gave my salary to them since I was 12 years old. Every end of the month, I would go home and bring bread for my dear sisters who were then Zalde Mejorada Castrojo, Liezl Escudero and Judith Mejorada Castrojo. I didn't have June Ed Mejorada Castrojo and Mai Castrojo yet. My salary was 400 pesos and I gave it all to my parents.
I only lighted a candle just like when I was in the province long long time ago.
At the church, it was 50 pesos per month and that was a lot and I still gave it to them. I won't reduce even a peso because I'm happy that I gave it all to Mom and Dad..♥️♥️♥️
The good thing about my childhood was that my grandmothers molded me in going to church. One of my grandmothers was in UCCP Badbad Loon Bohol and one of my father's side was Catholic. I experienced how to meditate during the holy day. I learned a lot about the Syete Palabras in UCCP and in the Catholic Church, I learned the procession throughout the town of Loon from the church. My two grandmothers fought me to take them to their church.
I remembered Nay Lucia, we would leave early to walk three kilometers. My grandmother Nanay Lucia would step on the ground and put on our beautiful sandals when we entered the church door in town. That church built by the Spanish was reduced to ashes in the 2013 earthquake that hit us while I was in Saudi Arabia and I returned home in 2014. I saw the aftermath of the earthquake with our house destroyed but by the grace of God my entire family in our village was safe.
But when I returned home in 2022, the Catholic church was whole again and the Protestant church was even more beautiful. People in the province where I grew up are religious. It was nice to go back to then.
When I landed in Davao, I got married in the Church of Christ but my wife was excommunicated because she was no longer active since their mother passed away.
My son was baptized in Aglipay because Catholics didn't want to accept us. But when we became members of the Chapel, we became Catholics and went to church there. We became Charismatic members.
Unfortunately, seven years into my marriage, there were trials that brought me here to Saudi Arabia. It was not my dream and I never thought of leaving my family, especially my only child, but destiny brought me here since 1998 and until now I am still here.
I miss her so badly,my paternal grandmother.
Since then, I have not experienced going to church on the big day but I worship God every day while I am in my own room. I accepted Islam because I understood that everything is the same when I read the Quran, my hair stood on end because it has the same origin in the old testament. The old testament and Quran are the same and the story of the prophets and Jesus, Mama Mary and Joseph, Adam and Eve and everything I saw in the Bible is the same in the Quran. The difference is the story about Jesus and Prophet Muhammad in the last stage of history which is no longer included in the story in our Bible. I don't know what and why it's important, I believe that only God and not Religion can save us but ourselves according to what we do in this world before life takes us away.
While we are still alive, we are not perfect but doing good and accepting mistakes is something that can save our soul.
There are many things I miss about life in the Philippines, but until now I am bound in a foreign land because of the hardships of life and trials. I know that God still loves me, He loves us all. He knows my heart and our hearts.
That's only for now and more next time.
Thank you for your support and help
