I wrote this blog entry a year ago. And since I wasn't able to finish it, I said Im going to post it some other day. But the 'some other day' seemed to be one year after this stuff happened. Since I had a hard time making up with my blog, I told myself I am going to post it after one year. And like you all know, time flies. So here it is:
***
I was looking forward for this week. I have accomplished stuffs and I was eager to put myself back on track. It was the start of the BER months. GG’s month. The CEM month. It seemed to be the start of… well, something new.
We were having lessons in 336L then. I was talking with my classmate when suddenly my classmate Jepoy ask me if the text message he received was true, which goes something exactly like:
Namahinga na po ang Ka Erdy. Tentative viewing po sa templo.
It sent shiver down my spine and gave me goose bumps the moment I read it. So I was like “Grabe naman ung nag joke nian. Imposible yan. Tanung mo sa dad mo.” But I feel there was something wrong. Coz no one says like that to our very Executive Minister. So there was a chance it was true. But I was hoping for the opposite, of course.
Until his dad replied “Uo totoo yon.” And it slowly sinks in. KA ERDY IS GONE. Unaware, I remembered my phone vibrated. It was the same message. So I hurriedly show it to my prof. She suddenly stopped and stared to us with horrible eyes. She got up and went out. When she went back, she said it was confirmed.
I was teary eyed that moment and suddenly, the school’s aura changed. Around 8am, I was receiving messages. And I couldn’t believe it. I was sending out the same messages too. Until I just found myself going to Central Temple lining up for his wake. And at a blink, media came rushing.
Barricades posted at once. Ministers, evangelical workers & BEM guys were called urgent. SCAN from different locales arrived. Central Temple was closed. We were there by 11:30 and got inside the Temple by 10:30pm. Oh yes. It was a deadly experience. But since I know I was lining up for someone whom I know served as an inspiration, a leader and a father to me and to my fellow brethren for 46 years, what is 11 hours for just standing in a queue?
I felt so lonely that when my sister was fetched at Central, I went home too, with nothing but just my notes on my bag. The next day was the 1st worship service without Ka Erdy but I wasn’t able to attend since I was at home reminiscing stuffs. Went back to dorm by night and had worship service by 5:45 am. I was at the Temple by 3am. Experience.
I had a class that time but I skipped it because I was not in the mood. I mean, why bother attending, if you bear something so unexplainable within? So by 10am, I dropped by to Templo again. I just wanted to be there. Sitting and looking over his coffin was saddening but something inside urges me to just stay there. I stayed for like 45mins and went out. That night, I wanted to go back to Templo so I txted some friends and we agreed to meet by 10pm. There were no dorm curfews that time. About 9pm, a friend informed me he would be guiding brethrens near our street so we decided to meet up.
When I saw him, he was already guiding brethrens to go inside Era. There was a rush of people. As in super dami. There was a continuous flow of brethrens lining up for the wake. Since my friends could not accompany me to get inside the temple, I just watched the flow of numerous people till 11pm. And as an addition, this was one of the lovely nights.
Then the next day, Friday, our family decided to visit the wake. By this time, more and more brethrens came rushing. Hopeful brethrens from VisMin and those from other countries decided to visit for a glimpse of Ka Erdy. By 12n, brethrens from different provinces lined up along Central ave to New Era University. Imagine the longest lines! And what makes it more 'nakakapagpabagabag' was that, they were not disturbed by the on/off rain. Until our classes were suspended and as org officers, we were asked to accompany the brethrens who will stay until the burial, since the school was used as a rest place.
Then by evening, my family came complete with my mom's siblings,with their families, which includes my Tito who was an evangelical worker in N.Ecija. We got the chance to at least sneak inside but of course, I felt bad to other brethrens because it was raining hard. And there, my third time to see Ka Erdy, resting peacefully in his coffin, motionless. :'(
My mom allowed me to stay in New Era University to help other brethrens. We worked from 10pm-10am. Standing there under the rain, and when the sun shone again the next day. Donated foods by fellow brethren were limited so di na kami nakiagaw. HAHA. Kaya wala din halos food that time. We stayed with candy, 1/4 cup of nescafe, a cupcake and a tetra pack juice. We were guiding brethrens in the line, the line that had been trailing from Templo, to sanctuario, to Central Ave, then curves to St. Joseph, then to New Era entrance gate, leading to New Era college then to highschool. All were mere hopefuls to get to see our beloved Executive Minister so we still cheered for them though esp to those old fellows...
I had no sleep that time. So by Sunday, it was hard seeing a black ribbon in Ka Erdy's place in the tribune. SEPTEMBER 7, 2009, Pres GMA declared this as Nat'l Day of Mourning. This was the day our beloved Ka Erdy was sent to his resting place. And of course, we were all there. And I felt so so so sad that time... :'(
***
Today is August 31, 2010. 1 year after this event in the INC. I decided to visit again Ka Erdy's remains which was still in Tabernacle alone. As expecte d, there were a lot of flowers upon entering the place and this reminded me of what had happened a year ago. When I entered, the videos collected from his wake were compiled and keeps on repeating int he projector alongside where he lies. I decided to stay for a while to watch, and when I was about to sit, and saw the brethrens from the video, and those happenings exactly one year ago, it made me cry. :'( I still get emotional whenever I remembered it. Maybe I missed Ka Erdy. Or maybe, I was just sad for I feel like it just happened today, or maybe, I still can't get over how I felt with my fellow brethrens. Everything reminds me of what I did to be a part of a leader by simply servicing the INC in the simplest way that I could.
I cried so hard on my seat in Tabernacle reminiscing everything.
Thanks to God for letting the INC be handled by a good and inspiring Church Administration. :')
:')
0 comments:
Post a Comment