Don Bosco Philippines South Province

Great experiences are passed down to us all through life. These events may sometimes become more than simply a memory; they can also become lessons. We learn a tremendous deal of insight by going through these situations. Fortunately, I was blessed enough to have had the opportunity to observe and select the correct path. This is what brought God into my life.

I was not the “Abby” that everyone knew five years ago. I kept telling myself that I didn’t have time to attend to church since I was out with my friends. In comparison to five years ago, my faith was not as strong as it is now. Because of the hardships and obstacles I faced along the way, I grew up doubting God’s love for me. Failures and downfalls, as well as my own poor decisions, leads me to question why God would chose to love me if He just wanted to punish me.

I was a gregarious individual who enjoyed attending parties, conversing with strangers, and making new acquaintances. Because I liked to hang out with my pals, I frequently came home late. I’ve even gone into relationships that have crushed my heart. I don’t even listen to my parents; instead, I disagree with them, which leads to fights, despite the fact that the reasons were minor. I even attempted self-harm twice because all I could think about was that I didn’t have any purpose here on earth, so why not end it all? I was a very different person, maybe best described as a delinquent youngster. But that life-changing experience transformed me into someone I never imagined I would be.

I was diagnosed with a severe dengue. I had to stay at the hospital for almost a month, but those days were my darkest. Whenever I eat something, my stomach hurts and I kept on vomiting. My doctor found out that because of dengue, my liver got infected. My platelets were too low that my family were asked to find a blood donor for me. I was even told by my doctor that, “We cannot do anything about this because there is no cure for dengue”. I was then transferred to ICU and stayed there for another week.

I was so afraid that I don’t know what to do, I still have a lot of dreams to achieve, I want my parents to be proud of me, and I want a future for myself. Every night I end up crying, begging and looking at the crucifix in front of my bed saying, “I am not ready, I still have plans for myself and for my family”.

Then God heard me. Thankfully, my doctor is a Salesian benefactor at Don Bosco Formation Center – Lawaan (Cebu, Philippines), she’s Dr. Redoble by the way. She contacted my previous school, St. Scholastica’s Academy and the former rector of DBFC Lawaan, Rev. Fr. Mel Racelis, SDB to pray for my recovery.

After a week at the ICU, I finally was transferred at the private room and those wire thingy’s on my body were now removed. After 3 days, I was finally eligible to go home but before we went home, I was told by my doctor to drop by at DBFC Lawaan to personally thanked the Salesians for praying for me but my body says no, I still need to recover.

A few weeks later, I finally have all the strength to go out and personally thanked them. That was the start of how my life turned 180 degrees, where I met amazing young people that helped me continue to live life. These beautiful souls were just not my friends but also my family, who helped me strengthen my faith in Him.

God cleanses us by removing our sins from our lives and transforming us into new creatures in Christ, but He continues to work on us every day to transform us into the people He needs us to be in this life. Although I still have a long way to go, the good news is that God never ceases to love and change me in his gentle manner. God is in the process of transforming and turning people’s lives around by providing them with a new beginning, not just a second chance. It is feasible to claim that everyone has pain and troubles at some point in their lives. As Christians, we are encouraged to trust that God is on our side and that he will see us through life’s difficulties. God has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31: 5) and that he will fight our battles (2 Chronicles 20:15).

Disclaimer: This section of the website is a personal creative writing of the author and does not necessarily reflect the official views, opinion, or policies of the Salesians of Don Bosco – Philippines South Province. For concerns on the content, style, and grammar of this piece, please contact us.