Here are other Sto. Niño devotees who share with us how the Sto. Niño has touched their lives.
Ulay Tantoco, board of trustees, Sto. Niño de Malolos Foundation Inc.: The Sto. Niño has been my personal devotion ever since. Every time I have problems, I always pray to Him and everything starts falling into place at the right time. There are a lot of things the Sto. Niño has done for me that I cannot explain. At times he even uses others to help me solve my problems or send a message to me.
Senator Robert Barbers: The Sto. Niño first came into my life when I was still a law enforcer. Since then, I have become an avid devotee of His. I was able to convince all of the policemen under me to become His followers. From that moment on, I can attest to many wonderful developments in our lives. We and members of our families hardly got sick and not one of my men got killed in the many operations we conducted against hardened criminals and organized crime syndicates. Only a few got wounded. I can testify that because of our devotion to the Sto. Niño, our lives were transformed.
The biggest test of my faith to Sto. Niño was also the time when He touched my life the most. That was when I was diagnosed with a growth in my throat at the back of my tonsils which was already in a stage of malignancy more than two years ago and was given only 30 to 40 percent chance to survive.
My wife, Virgie, and members of my family had only one piece of advice for me even before we left for the United States for my treatment. They said, "Leave everything to the Lord." Indeed it was a wake-up call for me. I then just offered everything to the Sto. Niño and God. I prayed hard that my operation and other medical treatments would be successful and that whatever plans He had for me, I would fully accept.
After my surgical procedure, I completely lost my voice and my doctors in the US told me it would take at least a year before I could recover it back while undergoing therapy. But in less than six months after my operation, I recovered my voice and was given a clean bill of health. My family, other relatives and friends and everyone who knew about my condition, especially my doctors, were so amazed at my miraculous and speedy recovery.
I know what happened was a miracle brought about by Sto. Niño and our Almighty Father, both have been really good to me and my family. I know how blessed I am. God has given me a second lease on life and from that moment on, I offered everything to Him. Henceforth, whatever mission God wants me to do in life, "His will be done!"
Ben Farrales, founder, Congregacion del Santisimo Nombre del Niño Jesus: Well, for one He made me a better person. My life has been blessed. My spiritual and apostolic activities have made my work in my shop complement each other. The devotees have been conscientious of our outreach activities. In our congregation, we don’t encourage making Him "dance" but rather, we believe in keeping our faith in Sto. Niño.
Des Bautista, documentary director, book author, historian: First He sustains my faith in the Divine, no matter the raging politics, no matter the tempestuous economy. He is a constant that keeps manifesting Himself in tales of miracles, tales of being able to cure. At the same time, to us artists who don’t have children, it is the Sto. Niño whom we lavish our attention on. The Sto. Niño has reinvented Himself. He came as a prince during the days of the empire. After Vatican 2, the people then embraced the Sto. Niño. And now we see the Sto. Niño in different ways. May Sto. Niño na golfer, Sto. Niño na panadero, Sto. Niño na cantero, Sto. Niño na teacher. It’s the people who made the Sto. Niño relevant to our times. Pag may crisis, mas madaming taong nag-a-attend ng procession. It’s also because the Sto. Niño, being a child, you are not scared to talk to him.
Therese Coronel Santos, businesswoman, civic-minded lady: Just like Christmas, Sto. Niño reminds us of the children in us – as children of God, we are dependent on Him. The happy innocence of Sto. Niño touches us to have faith and hope in the goodness and love of our Father in heaven.
Albert Martinez, actor: I often told my children when they were younger to look upon the Sto. Niño as a brother in heaven, one who is always looking out for them and our whole family. The knowledge has been nurtured in their hearts until now and I believe this has helped mold them into what they are now – good and loving children of God.
Fe Habijas, secretary and treasurer, Sto. Niño de Malolos Foundation Inc.: The Sto. Niño has inspired me to help the foundation. And through this volunteer work, I have learned to practice humility, fortitude and prudence in dealing with people. I have been inspired even by the members of the congregation like Ulay Tantoco who can afford yet he practices simplicity in decorating their carosas saying that anything simple is an offering to God. A lot of prayers have also been answered by the Sto. Niño like my pilgrimage trip to Europe last March 2000. I didn’t have any visa, papers and the money to afford the trip but through my prayers to the Sto. Niño, I was blessed to have been able to make the trip. There are so many miracles the Sto. Niño has blessed me with – waking up every day with a lease on life is a miracle in itself.
Mely Ablaza, civic-minded lady: He has tremendously touched me and my family’s lives since we became devotees to the Sto. Niño seven years ago. Before, hindi gaano ang aking devotion but since I was asked to be an hermana in the Congregacion founded by Ben Farrales in Manila, I became a devotee. It’s easy to relate to the Sto. Niño because He’s just like us and we love Him because He’s like a child. Because of our devotion He has saved us from major crises that would have happened. Now, when I look at my life, there are more pluses than minuses. Though at times there are some setbacks, they’re very minor and I attribute this to the Sto. Niño. That’s why now in my prayers I don’t ask for anything but I just thank Him for all the blessings He has continually given me and my family. Despite my age, for the past seven years, I have managed to walk from the Philtrade to Luneta without really getting tired. For this, I’m thankful.
Steve De Leon, visual artist/fashion designer: There are a lot of blessings that have happened to me. My devotion to the Sto. Niño has helped me be more patient like now. I don’t really worry about the money needed to buy flowers to decorate the carosa, I just trust the Sto. Niño that He will help me and I know He will provide. The Sto. Niño has also brought my family together. Before, although we were living in one house, there was no communication among us. Since I’m gay they really didn’t like my activities most especially my father who is very macho. Ever since I was small, it would be the yaya who would pin my medal in school. Kanya kanya kaming lakad. But since I joined the Sto. Niño procession, my father has come to accept who I am. My father even drives me to Malolos. The Sto. Niño has brought my family together. Now, we all go to the yearly processions. You cannot imagine the joy in my heart right now that we do things as a family. Last year when I was the hermano, I was so happy that my whole family was with me, even my brother who stays in the States came home.
Manny Castro, interior designer: He has done so many things up to this moment. When I was hermano mayor last year, I really didn’t like soliciting but I did it for the Sto. Niño. It was relatively easy for me to ask for contributions for the Sto. Niño. Another blessing came through my sister Chona who had a hard time having a baby. So she and her husband Jun religiously joined the procession every year and in the fifth year she got pregnant. She gave birth to twins on Jan. 27, which is around the week of the fiesta for the Sto. Niño. The Niños will always be there to help. This is my 26th year and I’ve never doubted or had second thoughts about joining the procession in Malolos every year.