Life is too short to be wasted as we hear others say. We only have one life to live, and what are done for Christ are the only ones that last. Those wasted moments will be forgotten by time . . . they’re like the heap of rice in the fields which are blown by the winds to nowhere.
During my younger days, just right after I graduated from college, I was serving full time in the ministry. I was assigned to several places. And one of the most memorable place where I was ministering was in Cawa, Maitum, Sarangani Province in the Philippines. Cawa was along the seashore. It was abundantly blessed with sea foods and just a distance from the shore are rice fields. There was also a rich production of shrimps and milkfish from a private owned fish pond whose owners were some influential people who were pioneers in the place.
I had a very memorable stay in Cawa because of the many experiences I had with the people there. I remember walking a mile or two just to reach some places where we are to minister the people and conduct some bible studies, teaching children and praying for them.
I had with me Edith, a friend who was a single mom. She had with her at that time a three year old son whom we considered as a young missionary who’s always with us wherever we go from place to place just to minister the Word of God to the people.
Edith was my intercessor during that time. We also had with us a singer/guitarist whose name was Lory Sasam. He had a real great passion in the music ministry. Both of them were used mightily by God in their respective ministry. They were with me during the time I opened up a home church in Kayupo – a place just a 20 minute drive from Maitum, Sarangani Province.
At the time I started teaching in a private school, I haven’t heard and seen Edith and Lory anymore. It was after 12 years that I met Edith again. She was the same Edith whom I was with in the ministry before. She hadn’t changed. It’s just that she was able to marry again and bore a baby boy. In 2005, we started communicating again and exchanged messages through texting.
It was in the second quarter of 2010 that the communication stopped. I had never heard of her anymore . . . no texts, yeah! Nothing! I was just passive since I was also busy with my graduate studies and at the same time with my teaching career. Life went on with me and my family, along with my busy career. I never knew anything about what Edith had under went in life. She never mentioned anything to me . . . I felt pain when I knew what happened!
I was informed though in the mid of December that Edith was on stage 4 of her colon cancer. It was a shock on my part. I thought of paying her a visit with some of our pals before. I was thinking about some weekend visit so I can stay longer time talking and of course praying for her . . . but sad to say, I never had been able to do such. My school activities and family responsibilities had wedged me and I became passive.
On January 1st, 2011 @ quarter before 3 pm, I received a text message from my sister-in-law informing me about Edith’s death . . . It seemed I was loaded with a heavy thing in my whole body. I felt something like being apathetic . . . and I whisper some few words, “Has Edith died?” “I can hardly believe!” I can’t question the Lord why and I don’t have the right to question God either way though . . . He knows our coming in and our going out! He is in control! Everything is in His hands!
After a few minutes of mesmerizing, I was able to thank the Lord for everything . . . for the life of Edith, for her family and even for me and my family. God reminded me at that very moment that life is precious! Redeeming it is in our hands. We need not be caught unaware.
Edith, even at the very last breathe she had, been praising the God who gave her everything she had while still living. She was with God now and had joined her Savior! A thousand accolade to you Edith! You’ll always be alive in our hearts and in our memory! God loves you and so do your family, friends and I!
Psalm 116:15
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
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