Aling’s body
was laid to rest last Thursday after four days spent celebrating her life. Ronnie
thanks everyone for their prayers which have been sustaining him and his family
as they go through their new way of every-day life, carrying the aching pain
with them of a loved one who can no longer be heard or touched or seen. They know
she is with our Lord Jesus but the pain of separation will affect the rest of
their lives until they meet again.
The support
base that helped Ronnie and his family through this time has been huge. His
four brothers came and were constantly by his side. Fellow
church-leaders and brothers and sisters from many of the churches came to show
their support and to share in the grief of Ronnie and his family: from San
Aquino, from Anlagan, from Tinaytayan, even 30 fellow-believers including
church leaders from the far-away churches of Cauyunan and Tumpagon.
In Lapoc, the coffin is
kept in the family home until the burial, and every night many neighbours,
family and friends come and spend long into the early morning hours with the
bereaved family. Even more so with the believers in Jesus – they gathered
together for four nights in a row, preaching the Gospel to the unsaved who were
there amongst them, singing songs of praise and remembering Aling’s life. Ronnie held his grandson Adrian, and joined
his brothers and sisters in the Lord as they sang and he shared a beautiful
testimony about his wife. He said that all through her sickness, he never once
heard her complain and neither did her children. She didn’t ask ‘why me’ or fight
against all the sickness and pain, but patiently accepted all that God had
allowed in her life. She loved getting visitors and even in the midst of her
worst pain she would greet them with a smile and ask them how their lives were
doing. She talked to Ronnie about there being lots of people that still don’t
know the Lord that he needs to take the Gospel to. In all the suffering, she
kept her joy in the Lord.
Last
Thursday there were 500 people at her funeral. Rodil (our co-worker) preached
and many unbelievers heard a strong and beautiful Gospel message that day as
they prepared to take Aling (only her earthly body) on her final journey to the
grave. Rhonnie Jhon, Aling’s eldest son who is newly married, gave a testimony which
included this triumphant statement: “This
isn’t a day of tragedy but it is a day of victory for my Mum.” The Gospel
was the center of hope during the service that was held before they laid
Aling’s body in the grave. The frequent
comment among the Lord’s people in Lapoc after the funeral was, “Maybe someone
trusted Jesus today.”
Sorrows and
trials come to all men but, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he
has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to
those who love him.” James 1:12
