Keeping the faith

“Viva Pit senyor Sto. Niño!” were the shouts heard at Santo Nino Shrine, Matina as the image of the Child Jesus were carried around in a procession. Every year on January 15, devotees flock to pay homage at the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus.

A devotee for three years now, Mercy Revilla, a 44-year old housewife living in Dolo Bansalan, said she never fails to visit the Shrine to celebrate the feast of Santo Niño together with her family.

She recalled, it was 3 years ago when she found out that she was suffering from kidney infection. She suffered severe pain and was unable to walk because of the pain. The doctor advised that she needed an operation in order to avoid the spreading of infection to her kidney. They did not have enough money for an operation considering their meagre earnings.

The next day, a good friend gave her a statue of the Santo Niño and advised her to pray for healing.

A week after when she visited the doctor again to have her check-up the doctor was amazed and said that she doesn’t need to undergo an operation because her kidney is doing fine and its getting back to normal. The doctor can’t explain why it happened. When she heard about the good news she was stunned and fell into tears. Since then she became a devotee of the Santo Niño.

The second time that her faith was being tested again, was when her daughter suffered from serious bleeding because of an ovarian cyst. The doctor advised again for an operation.

They again sought the help of the Santo Nino and prayed for healing. Her daughter received the same grace of healing from her sickness and the doctor just gave her some medicines instead of undergoing an operation.

Both incidents in their lives strengthened more their faith as a Family not just to Santo Niño but most especially a strong faith with God who is the source of all good things in this world. (Renzy Julls Quirog | Irven John Valenzuela)