Is your faith strong enough?

Is your faith strong enough?

I grew up with faith with all my heart and soul. My life depended with my beliefs, and I always believe everything happens for a reason. Although life for me stills a mystery but I always know that God is real and I live with that until now.

Yesterday was one of the worst I have ever experienced through my 38 years. I was never been terrified in my whole life. It is not usual for my daughter and me to go out just any day but I need to mail my Valentines card for my husband. We went to the post office and on the way home stop by at Elizabeth Mall of Cebu. I treat my daughter of her favorite French fries and ice cream. I also buy for me a slice of pizza and a drink, Lucy was eating her fries while I wait for my pizza I was thinking I will eat it at home. We were sitting there waiting, I was watching the people that come and go, suddenly I noticed the guards at the door looks like swaying, I thought it was just my eyes, but then, people are shouting behind me..”LINOG! LINOG! (Earthquake) and then I saw the building is shaking it looks like it will collapse any minute. With out any second thoughts, I picked up my daughter like she doesn’t weigh at all and the bag with me then ran as if a monster is running after us.

I ran across the street with my daughter in my arms. People are running out from the buildings, I look at the place I realized there is no shelter at all. Every place was crowded of people coming out from the buildings they were in. I stopped running, and hug my daughter who has no idea what was happening. I looked for a taxi; the taxis in the mall did not go with out passenger amidst the chaos, I have no choice but go back there and get a taxi. When I was running out from the mall, I was not afraid but I was wrong, the moment we were inside the taxi I burst into tears I can not explain how I felt, I was shaking terribly. My daughter was wondering what happened to me, I just embraced her and told her because of the earth quake. We went home, I thought it was all over but then after an hour my big sister texted me that there was alert of tsunami.

I was disgruntled I don’t know what to do; I asked the neighbor if they heard the news about tsunami alert. But they did not, so I joined the people who gathered around the Barangay hall, it is good for a shelter because it is a 5 storey building if ever there is a flood so the people went there, but it was just a false alarm, some guys made fun of the situation and spread the false information. But then, I was still in panic, so I stopped at the small chapel which is in front of the apartment. After I prayed I saw my landlord, he is a priest. We talked about the earth quake, and he said,” You prayed already it is in God hands now what will happen next do not worry anymore.”What he said was just a simple words but it was the first time I heard something like that. My faith is strong but yesterday it was put to test, and I admit it was also my weakest moments. And what I heard from the priest somehow enlightened more my belief in God.

The earthquake magnitude is 6.9, February 6 2012. From time to time we will meet this kind of threat and there is nothing we can do but pray and surrender to God. Only God knows all we have to do is have faith with all our heart and soul. If the world will ends no one ever knows, there is just one wish if it happens. I wish my family is together when it happens.

Thank you God for protecting us from the earth quake yesterday. May you will always be with us as we live day by day.