Strength to Strength - Day 1

Reflections by May Sj. Soriano

Positivity. Belief. Arranger. Maximizer. Connectedness.

Psalm 139: 10-12

“even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,”

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

Have you ever felt shaken to the point of not being able to feel your knees to be able to stand? Have you ever felt a time when the world stopped and every part of your body numbed in disbelief? Was there a time when not a single drop of tear may drop because there was no time to feel?

Yes, I had all those feelings…

In the late 1990s, my five year old daughter got kidnapped inside her school. I was facilitating a workshop when my husband tried connecting with me through pager messages. When I got the chance to take a break, my co- facilitators already got in touch with my husband and so, they were the ones who told me, “Coach May, take a deep breathe, your daughter is missing”…One cannot imagine the fear and anxiety I felt. My entire body was shaking as I travelled 2 hours back to our house. While in the car, I can only think of ONE thing to do…that was, to pray the Rosary. I prayed while crying and asking God to protect my baby…Slowly…slowly… the shaking stopped and my senses came back. I knew what to do, who to call for immediate help.

It took more than 24 hours to declare that there was indeed a kidnapping that took place… we got our first call from the kidnapper. I was trembling, my voice was cracking… they were asking us 5 Million pesos in exchange for the life of my child.

In the midst of all the worries and fear of the unimaginable, my family and I, together with so many friends and faceless people prayed… that in these times of darkness, the light of Jesus shall prevail… Full unconditional Trust in Him.

Psalm 139: 13-14

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

Moreover, our choice was to pray for forgiveness and love for the kidnappers. Our choice was not to contribute to the negative energy the universe was experiencing. It was an absolute humility to be doing this while we were not in the know, while my baby might be suffering already… Everybody is a child of God, we prayed that God will give positive senses to the kidnappers… we prayed that the guardian angels will protect my baby.

3 days after, the Pink Sisters of Baguio, called us and said…”Expect a miracle to happen on September 8, it will be Mama Mary’s birthday gift on her birthday to you”. And, we believed without a single doubt, we shall see my baby again on September 8!

True enough, a miracle happened on September 8. After 5 1/2 days of captivity, Angel, my daughter was rescued safe and unharmed. To top it all, when I was preparing her to take her witness stand, I asked her why she would tell her story to all. She said, “Mama, I don’t want other children to experience what I had experienced.” This has served me and my family a sense of how full trust in the Lord creates miracles. Through prayers, we get forgiveness, kindness, love and peace.

Yes, we have an Amazing God!