Revisiting Bohol

Ash Wednesday took me back to Bohol, my birthplace that we visited some two weeks back for our disaster-related field research. After seeing most of the big churches completely or partially destroyed by the strong October 2013 earthquake, in my mind, I saw many Bol'anons proceeding as always to meet the Lord in makeshift worship areas they built near their former grand churches. The church is where God and His people meet together. The external structures do not make up the church. Where God is in the hearts of the people and the people in the presence of God, there the church lives and proceeds.

Our people in Bohol and elsewhere affected by the huge earthquake and strong typhoon last year, for sure, grieved over the collapse of their centuries-old churches, entirely or partially. Other churches, although standing and looking firm, have been closed due to serious cracks that have been judged to be risky and dangerous for people. An example is our Loay Church, with portion of its front façade destroyed by the 2013 earthquake. Cracks, however, run through several portions of the church and for now, the church is temporarily closed until renovations will be completely and all of us can return to see and worship the Blessed Trinity again. The small chapel at St. Jude Village in Hinawanan, Villalimpia, Loay, also suffered several crucial cracks awaiting major repairs. Parishioners will have to wait some more time before the doors of their familiar churches and chapels welcome them again. With fiesta time in May all throughout Bohol, many are praying the renovations and repairs will allow them to enter their churches during their town's fiesta.

Seeing the churches in Loon and Maribojoc in complete ruins pierce the hearts painfully. Rubble and ashes are all that are left of these 2 churches but stories of miracles abound with standing statues of Mama Mary, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and St. Vincent left unscathed by the killer quake.

God and His abounding grace and the continuing strong faith of the people will see the rise and restoration of these beautiful structures of worship soon in the future. The disasters brought so much grief and sorrow and destruction. Yet, the same disasters have also reunited many in stronger faith and trust in God and have secured God more firmly in the hearts of many. May this faith and trust continue to shine through among our people, especially those affected by the disasters and may they stand up firmly sooner and move on beyond the storms and trials in their lives.

Mingaw to see what the earthquake did to our hills, the famous Chocolate Hills included and most especially to our churches and to our residents. However, it is amazing how our people, including Bol'anos, rallie immediately to help Leyte and Samar even as they themselves were still in the process of picking up the pieces after the quake. As Claire Jabines, a UP Cebu educator and herself a Bol'anon shared: " wala gyud sila reklamo o bagulbol regarding sa pagbalhin sa concentration sa aid to Tacloban. Lipay ko kay nibarug sila." In reply, I wrote that " Kita bitaw ang sariling sikap sa atong mga Bol-anons and the smiles are back, the community spirit so much alive, the mood generally upbeat, optimistic, bright and hopeful." Ormoc has her sense of humor back and everyone is doing their own share and extending their hands to those in Leyte ( especially Palo, Tacloban and Tanauan) and Samar and elsewhere so they can stand up firmly and move on sooner and more securely.

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