‘Ang Totoong Nagmamahal, Umiiyak’ #PapalVisitPH stories Part 1 of 4

Ok lang umiyak. Sabi ni Pope Francis, ang totoong Kristiyano, umiiyak.
Anticipated na. Iiyak ako pagnakita ko ang Santo Papa.
Pero ‘di ko pa alam, kung bakit kaya.

We were forty in our team who left Davao, January 14 (Wednesday).
The trip to Carigara, Leyte was long yet, memorable.
Balik-Carigara, our foster-parish.
We were there last year, January 2014.
The Archdiocese of Davao extended a medical mission with 80 volunteers.

Better ang mga kalsada mula Agusan, Surigao, at San Ricardo kumpara nu’ng isang taon.
Bumabangon na nga ang Leyte. Naisulat ko na din ang aking Diaries Parts 1-3. Kaya, part 4 na ito.

The Archdiocese of Davao volunteers stayed here at Holy Cross Parish in 2014. Other volunteers also came from Digos, Tagum, and Mati dioceses. File Photo

Some of the beneficiaries of the Oplan Tacloban Medical Mission in 2014, Leyte.

Forward tayo sa 2015.
Same month, different year and purpose.
Isang araw ng pahinga sa Carigara, tumulak ang delegation sa Tacloban.
Parang ang haba ng isang araw. Huwebes pa lang, gusto na naming mag Sabado.
Kahit kulang ng tulog, di makapag nap sa excitement.
Yellow shirts and laminated IDs on. Packed our food provisions and went.

January 16, 2015, Friday.
We were transported to EVSU, our waiting area before our Tacloban departure.
Apatnaoras. Hintayuli.
Alas sais ng gabi, nakilinyana kami.
Strict ang security measures.
No liquid. No mouthwash. No lotion. No foundation!
Ang hirap kayang i-give up ng “kikay kit.”
Ngunit sa madaling sabi, surrendered everything.
Nakapasok kami sa Tacloban airport alas 9 na ng gabi.

Animations. Misa. Rosary. Taize Prayer hanggang mag-umaga.
Everything was peaceful and serene.
It was resting with the Lord with other 200,000 pilgrims from all over the Philippines.
Kapag naiihi, antay sa portalets.
Kapag di maganda ang feeling, antay sa field hospital’s assistance.
Ang highlight ng paghihintay – nang magsimulang umulan, alas 4 ng umaga, January 17.

Yellow Ka-POPE-Te / Rain-POPE

Kung ako naman ang organizer ng event na ito, hindi ko rin alam kung paano ko ipapaliwanag sa mga tao na maghintay. Salamat sa motto for the win: “Keep calm. Don’t push. Don’t run.” Para ma-excite lalo ang crowd, alas 7 ng umaga, “buhay” na uli ang big screens. Everybody wore “yellow ka-POPE-te.” Nakalimutan na ang color coding. Tatlong oras na kaming nakatayo, nag-aantay. Good thing, the arrival of Pope took place an hour earlier.

Ngunit bakit nga ba kami napaiyak? Dahil ba sa tagal ng pagaantay?
Abangan next week ang Part 2 ng kwentong ito.