Somewhere in Milaon, 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 endlessly.
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. The priest asking…"Kamusta, Andoy? Papasok ka na?" (Speaking in their native dialect)
"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 po, father …"
"Bakit hindi ka pa umuwi?
Pumupunta ka ba lagi dito sa simbahan galing sa eskwela?"
"Gusto ko lang pong mag-hello sa kaibigan ko… si God."
And the priest would leave the boy to spend time beside the altar, talking to himself,but hiding behind the altar to listen to what this boy has to say to his heavenly FATHER.
"Alam po ninyo… medyo mahirap po ung test namin sa math kanina, pero hindi po ako nandaya ha, kahit na pinipilit po ako ng katabi ko na tumingin sa papel niya, para kumopya. Kumain po ako ng isang biskwit at uminom po ng tubig. Si itay po kasi ay medyo mahina ang kita niya sa trabaho niya, kaya ito lang pong biskwit
ang pagkain ko ngayon. Pero, ok lang po iyon… may nakita nga po ako kanina nakuting na sa tingin ko ay nagugutom na… alam kong nahihirapan na siya,
kaya binigay ko po sa kanya yung huling biskwit ko po. Pero, alam ninyo po,
parang magic… hindi po ako masyadong nagugutom ngayon!
Ay! Tignan po ninyo itong tsinelas ko… parang malapit nang masira, ito na
lang po ang tsinelas ko e. Baka nga po maglakad ako sa isang linggo ng naka-paa na siguro… pero ok lang po! Basta makapasok po ako sa eskwelahan. Yun kasi pong ibang kaklase ko po, dahil sa hirap ng kabuhayan dito sa probinsiya, ay huminto na ng pag-aaral. Sana po, tulungan mo din sila na makapasok uli sa eskwelahan.. . please lang po, God!
Ay! Alam mo po, pinalo po ako ulit ni nanay… ang sakit po! Pero alam kong yung sakit ay lilipas din…iniisip ko po kasi, buti nga at may nanay pa ako. God, gusto mo po bang makita ang mga pasa ng palo ko po? Alam kong magagamot mo po ang mga
ito e… ito… ito… ito, at… ay, may dugo?!!…Siguro, alam ninyo na din po ito noh! Hehehe… Sana po, huwag po kayong magalit kay inay.
Pagod lang po siya talaga, at laging nagiisip kung ano ang kakainin namin sa araw-araw… at siyempre, yun ding tungkol sa pag-aaral ko po. Kaya po niya ako minsan ay napapalo.
Ay, siyanga pala po… sa tingin ko po, in-love po ako! May maganda akong
kaklase… Anita po ang pangalan niya. Sa tingin po ninyo, magugustuhan po
niya din ako? Ay, ok lang po kung hindi… basta alam kong mahal ninyo ako
lagi, ayos na iyon! Hindi ko kailangang maging sikat para mapasaya ko po
kayo, best friend ko po kayo e.
Uy, birthday na nga pala ninyo sa makalawa! Excited na po ba kayo? Ako po,
excited na! Hintayin lang po ninyo, may regalo po ako sa inyo… pero
sorpresa po, siyempre. Sana po magustuhan ninyo. Ooops, alis na nga po pala ako…"
Then he stood up and calls out, "Padre, padre, tapos na po kaming mag-usap
ng bestfriend ko po… pwede na po ninyo akong samahang tumawid sa kabilang
kalye po"
This routine happens everyday. Andoy never fails. Father Agaton shares this
every Sunday in mass to the people in his church because he has never seen a
very pure faith and trust in God, a very positive look at negative
situations.
On Christmas day, Father Agaton was sick, and could not make it to church…
he was sent to the hospital. The church was left to 4 "manangs" who would
chant the rosary at 1000 miles per hour… would not smile and would always find fault in what you do, they were also very well versed in cursing and swearing if
irritated by other people. They were kneeling, saying their kilometric rosary when Andoy, coming from his Christmas party at school, playfully dashed in.
"Hello, God! Nandito na po ak…."
"Put..+*@*?!#!! (a curse) bata ka!! Alam mo nang may nagdadasal!! Alis!!",
one of the manangs angrily said.
Poor Andoy was so terrified, "Asan po si Father Agaton? Tutulungan po kasi
niya akong tumawid sa kalye e… at dito po sa pintuan sa likod ng simbahan
po kami dumadaan… at kung pwede ko pong i-greet si Jesus.. birthday po
kasi niya e, may regalo po ako sa kanya sana e…"
Just as he was 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 of the cross fervently) Alis kang bata ka,
kung hindi matatamaan ka sa akin!!!
So the boy had no choice but to cross the dangerous side of the road in front of the church. He crossed. Then, a fast moving bus rushed in… it was a blind curve. The boy was protecting his gift inside his shirt, so he was not looking…there was so little time. He was hit, and 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 po, kamag-anak po ba kayo ng bata? Kilala po ba ninyo itong
batang ito?"
The man in white, His face mourning and in agony, looked up and answered,
"Matalik ko siyang kaibigan…" 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…
That night, 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.
"Paano ninyo nalaman na namatay ang anak ninyo?"
"May isang lalaki na nagdala kay Andoy dito po sa amin."sobbed the mother.
"Ano ang sabi niya sa inyo?"
Andoy’s father answered, "Wala po! Umiiyak po siya. Hindi po namin siya kilala… pero sobra po ang lungkot niya sa pagkamatay ni Andoy namin,
parang kilalang-kilala niya ang anak namin!
Pero, may naramdamin kaming katahimikan sa aming mga sarili at hindi
maipaliwanag na damdamin tungkol sa kanya.
Ini-abot niya sa mga kamay ko si Andoy, at ngumiti siya sa akin na may
matinding kagaangan at katahimikan ng loob. Hinawi niya ang buhok ni Andoy,
at hinalikan siya sa kanyang noo… at bumulong siya kay Andoy…"
"Ano ang sinabi niya?"
"Ang sabi po niya kay Andoy…" the father began, "Salamat sa regalo mo…
magkikita uli tayo…magsasama na tayo."
And the father of the boy continued, "at alam po ninyo, Padre… ang sarap
po ng pakiramdam ko ng mga oras na iyon… umiyak po ako, pero hindi ko po
alam kung bakit… basta ang alam ko, ang mga luhang iyon ay luha ng
kagalakan… hindi ko po maipaliwanag ang aking nararamdaman, Padre.
At sa pag-alis ng lalaki sa aming tahanan, naramdaman ko ang katahimikang hindi ko po maipaliwanag, nadama ko ang pag-ibig sa aking puso… hindi ko po
maipaliwanag ang kaligayahang aking nadarama.
Dun ko po nalaman sa aking puso na ang aming anak ay nasa langit na.Ngunit
may tanong po ako sa inyo, Padre… sino po ang ka-kwentuhan ni Andoy sa
simbahan araw-araw? Sigurado po akong alam ninyo dahil nandoon po kayo
araw-araw, maliban noong na-ospital kayo…"
Father Agaton suddenly felt the tears welling in his eyes, with trembling
knees, he murmurred, " … He was talking to no one …. but.. GOD…."
