OUR PLANE taxied through the runway of
Fukuoka airport, ready for its departure back to Tokyo. It was a blessed event
indeed, having to attend the worship service, witness the entire celebration,
and above all, see and shake hands with the Iglesia ni Cristo’s (our) beloved
Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo during their pastoral visitation
in the southern part of Japan. My mind recounted all the wonderful things that
took place before, during and after the event as I rubbed my 4-months-old baby’s
back as he slept soundly on my chest.
One of the most unforgettable
experience I had throughout our travel and the entire event was my meeting with
a 10-year-old boy. He sat beside me at the nursery area during the worship
service since babies and children were not allowed inside. Unfortunately, since
there were no speakers and projectors set up for those seated outside, we could
barely hear our beloved Executive Minister’s bible teachings. This led me to
start a conversation with the boy beside me.
(Conversation translated in
English)
Boy: Isn't there TV? (He's referring to a
huge screen where we can see the bible teachings from the inside)
Me: I don't think there is
one.
 |
| Taken during the Fukuoka Pastoral Visitation 2016. From the left, Sis. Kim Gonzales, the writer, Bro. Dennis Lu & Bro. Joel Cabacungan. |
Boy: Then how can we see Bro.
EVM?
Me: We can just hear his
voice, or maybe after the worship service, we can shake his hands if we are
lucky.
Boy: Oh I don't think so coz
the last time he was here, the guards already blocked the way and he left so
soon that I didn't get even a glance.
He was a bit disappointed because he was really expecting and looking forward to seeing and even shaking hands with the Executive Minister.
Boy: Too bad, I even skipped
school today just to see him, and the long travel also gave me a hard time, because
my father said we can shake his hands...
Me: How many hours did you
travel by bus?
Boy: Maybe about 12 hours all
in all including two stops for toilet break.
Too bad I missed to ask for his name. But
later on, I learned that he was a choir member in the Children’s Worship
Service in the Locale of Hamamatsu in the Ecclesiastical District of Japan.
After about two hours, our plane finally landed at Narita
airport. We have already left Fukuoka but still, the conversation I had with
that boy hasn't left my mind. It was just a short one, but it taught me a great
lesson about a child's faith. If at a very young age, he could already make
sacrifices like that just to see our Executive Minister, I just wonder why
others who are older than him couldn't.
