The Birth of Faith

By: Xzyl Dawn R. Singson BSED Val. Ed 1

“Run! save yourself”, said my grandma as she tells me the story.

I look at my grandmother face while she relays the story. She remembered how her mother tells her
the unforgettable story of her past, it was a story of a great miracle.

My grandmothers name is Nancy Singson, she is 62 years old and claims that she was not yet born at
the time when we are captivated by different nations, but her grandparents foretells a story on how
they survived during the Spaniards’ war. Her grandparents name are Polikarpo Fernandez and Aurilia
Maghinay Fernandez, they had a child name Rosita my grandmother’s mother. They live together at
Pagadian, Zambuanga del Sur and witness the war.

“The day where emotions ramble inside themselves. Where death is approaching and fear is killing
their hope”, my grandma mumbled as I listen, “They remember bombs flying freely like the birds in
the sky. People were screaming to run for their lives. They saw people running around, trying to find
a safe place for them to cover. Some died, got hurt, worried, scared, it was dreadful which made
them think that it is the end of the world.”, she continued, “The three constantly ran to any shelter
they could see for protection, from one house to another and another and another. They don’t mind
whoever’s house it is, as long they stick together and all of them are safe it is enough.

“My grandparents new that a war is about to came here at Mindanao, they heard it already from the
radio. They tried to hide in the mountains buts still got involved with the war. But the Lord has a
reason why He allowed a such experience to happen.” My grandmother explained. “How come? It
was a traumatic experienced, it was life and death!” I confusedly asked my grandmother, and she
replied, “You will understand as the story goes on” I looked at her in confused and she continued,
“Days goes by and the war remained the same. Every time they heard a canon release, they ran
deeper in the mountains.” She sighed and continued, “Until one day, my Lolo cannot ran anymore.
He had kidney stone which stopped him from getting up. My mom and Lola were both hopeless.
They cried as they hugged each other hoping for a miracle.” she paused as she tried to hide her sad
face. “Is this the part where the mothers tell the daughter to run and save herself like the movies?” I
told myself with a serious expression of my face waiting for my Lola to continue her story. “Lola are
you okay?”, I asked as I interrupted her deep thinking. “Yes, I’m fine. I was just thinking, what if I was
in my mom’s shoes at that time.”, she replied and continued, “The Lord is great, He puts everything
in order.” I nodded and she continued, “As they were embracing each other, a group of people came
to the house where they hid and a woman asked my grandma what happened to my Lolo. She
explained that my Lolo was ill. Then the lady asked if she believed Jesus. My Lola does not know nor
have heard the name Jesus, yet she said yes. The woman prayed for my Lolo and a minute later, a
miracle happened!” my Lola raised her voice. “The stone in his kidney was released as he peed, and
Lolo started to feel better.” I was stunned and couldn’t believe it. With my shocked expression I
asked, “Is that story legit? Like he was healed instantly?” my grandma replied, “Yes, the Lord is
powerful. He can do anything.”

My grandmother smiled at me and explained, “Our God can make the impossible possible. That day
was the beginning of our family’s faith.” I nodded and asked, “What happened next to the woman
and her group?” “They planned to meet again in peace place and left. As soon as the war ended my
Lola looked for them, but they never met again.”, she replied. I asked again, “If your mom is from
Zambuanga how come you met Lolo here and we ended up living here at Nabunturan?” she smiled
and answered, “Well, after the war my grandparents move at Davao because of land opportunity.
They were giving free lands. Not long my Lolo worked as a carpenter and Lola became a food vendor
selling out pilipit.” I inserted, “Hmmm… That sounds delicious!” “but the story didn’t end there.”, my
Lola exclaimed and continued, “One day when she was walking around, selling the pilipit a heavy
rain poured. She ran towards a house with a balcony. While waiting for the rain to stop, she was
listening to the song played by the radio and heard the name Jesus. To make the story short, she
met the group of people again and since then we became Christians.”

Sitting down while imagining my Lola’s story, I couldn’t help but realize that every person’s life has a
purpose and only God can tell the ending. Disaster came knocking, causing my ancestors life in
danger that holds my family’s existence. Darkness may come yet it doesn’t stay, like the night,
replaced by day.

A green small caterpillar can be a beautiful-colorful butterfly, a tiny little seed can be a tall, strong
tree, the ugliest can be the prettiest, the approaching of death may give life, like how the birth of
faith in our family came.