I found a wonderful book entitled Letters to Sam (NY: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2006) during my last visit to Manila. It captures a remarkable collection of thirty two intimate and compassionate letters that Dan (“Pop”) Gottleib wrote to Sam, his grandson. Frank, honest and devoid of self-pity, they address our questions on love, loss, and the gifts of life. What makes the whole work unique is its context. Dan Gottleib has been paralyzed from the neck down since a nearly fatal automobile accident twenty-five years ago, and his grandson Sam was diagnosed at fourteen months with pervasive developmental disability, a form of autism. The letters are written with the hope that Sam would one day be able to read them, and through them, get to know his grandfather.
In Part III of the book, Dan writes to Sam about how important it is to give kindness a chance: “In the animal kingdom, vulnerability can bring out aggression in other animals. This sometimes happens with humans also. But I have found out, instead, that my vulnerability brings out the kindness in people… Sometimes situations call for us to act strong and brave even when we don’t feel that way. But those are few and far between. More often, the payoff is better if you don’t pretend you feel strong when you feel weak or pretend you are brave when you’re scared. I really believe the world might be a better place if everyone who felt vulnerable would say, ‘I have a problem and I’m doing the best I can.’
No doubt, the one event that brought our people’s vulnerability to the fore during the past three months was typhoon Frank. The killer typhoon brought untold misery and unquantifiable damage to Panay Island during the last days of June. The storm brought flash floods which destroyed property, bruised the psyche, and caused much misery to our already long-suffering people. We felt so helpless to respond to many initial requests from parishioners for immediate help and emergency assistance as floodwaters rose to dangerous levels in some areas, and reached waist-deep inside the Monastery in record time. The library books, computers, appliances and supplies on the ground floor had to be moved immediately. For a week electricity was cut. Water supply was cut and potable water rationed. We relied on canned food and preserved rations. Roads were impassable due to mud and silt. Hospitals were bursting at the seams with the sick and injured. Hardest hit in our Parish was Barangay Sambag with several dead. We had hit the wall!
Almost immediately we texted friends near and far for help. They did not disappoint us! It was touching to see how our friends in Iloilo, although victims themselves, rose to the occasion. Our dear Tita Elena Malaga sent us cooked food, potable water, shovels and wheelbarrows. She also helped in facilitating the restoration and reconnection of our deep well. A kind friend, Irene, owner of a quaint Japanese restaurant in Pavia, lent us her heavy equipment gratis. Even more local friends, too many to mention, came to our aid in many wonderful ways! Our parishioners at Mt Carmel Shrine, facilitated by Fr. Alex Collera, were not to be outdone. A “Bulig Iloilo” Drive was spearheaded on one Sunday in the Shrine Parish with our own Carmelite Student-Friars manning the donation booths. It was no surprise that generous donations in cash and in kind for the flood victims poured in. Philippine Airlines airlifted at least a hundred sacks of clothes from Manila to Iloilo free of charge! Friends from all over the country sent us their love offerings bank-to-bank. Several chapters of our OCDS from Luzon and the Visayas sent financial help. Mother May Catherine of Bacolod Carmel sent us cooked food for a week! Our dear friend, BongBong Garcia, big boss of Romac Services-Iloilo, sent us his workers to help put order to the Monastery. Finally, Edgar Tubola, a former postulant, facilitated a clean up operation of our property by 170 Russian, Indian, Vietnamese, and Filipino cadets from a merchant marine academy based in Singapore!
I have watched this process with people over and over again. When tragedy hits us in the face and traumatizes our hearts, we rage and cry. But I always remember that we literally run into so much kindness when we hit the wall!
July and August have been quieter and serener months, thank God. It was a rainy feast of Our Lady on the 16th of July. Celebrations were kept at a low key. With the usual introductory classes on theology and spirituality, the postulants finished their Psycho-Spiritual Integration Sessions with Cynthia Baga at the Dominican Retreat House in Molo, and their inputs on Human Sexuality at St. Clement’s Retreat House in La Paz. Through it all, Fr. Oscarito Boongaling has been an affirming and guiding presence for our five postulants, who all passed the first deliberation with flying colors. Our newly minted parish priest, Fr. Dan Lim had his “baptism of fire” with typhoon Frank! Together with Bro. Arnel Panique, he has tirelessly facilitated the distribution of relief goods, and made personal visitations to affected areas. Aside from his duties as procurator, Bro. Arnel supervises the endless repairs that need to be done after the events of last June. During the visit of Fr. Mike Fitzgerald to our community, Bro. Arnel demonstrated his prowess in the kitchen. He prepared dinner with salad and Japanese maki, much to our delight. Last but not least, the community’s venerable patriach and resident prayer warrior, Bro. Herman Gaylan, never fails to astound us. He continues to edify and inspire us by his simple presence and simple demeanor.
At present, we are initiating some improvements in our mortuaries and renovating our parish comfort rooms to give better service to our steadily expanding clientele. The community has purchased a brand new white and silver Isuzu Crosswind XUV at excellent installment terms to service our needs as well. Finally, we hope to continue to keep up the maintenance of our facilities to the best of our abilities in the face of an increasing number of regular Mass-goers and a very encouraging jump in the Mass collections and donations.
The events of the past months are an enduring testatment to the connection between people regardless of our abilities and limitations, no matter how difficult the obstacles and situations may seem. With the Apostle Paul, we too can say: Indeed, everything is Grace!
From Jaro, madamo guid nga salamat sa tanan!
