Please read this... this is my Life story in the hand of Terrorist. This is a copy from INTER NOS of UST issue Feb.2006.
P L E D G E O F F A I T H
with the Are you a Christian? YES I AM! Then the scream of terror echoed in the entire building shout of the gunshots and deadly darkness brought dangers to many lives in the hotel.
This was the only question asked by an unidentified terrorist to Marvin Mereno, a Filipino, working as a waiter at Al-Khobar, that brought him to his tragic near death experience last May 29,2004 and eventually tested his faith and belief as a baptized Christian.
THE START OF HIS JOURNEY
Marvin C. Mereno was raised in a traditional Filipino family. He is a second child among four siblings and educated in a Catholic institution from elementary to high school. In those years he was taught by his mother to develop a devotion to the saints, which made him active in religious organizations and appreciated religious instructions forming him to be a good person with great zeal to serve his family. That is why after college, he thought of helping them by trying his luck in Pasay City. He worked as a Linen custodian and Cook reliever in a small company, but his earning was not enough to meet the needs of his siblings. Because of this, he dreamt of working in the Middle East as an overseas Filipino worker for a better income. He then flew to Saudi Arabia on January 25,2004 with bundles of enthusiasm and dreams of fortune for his loved ones.
LIVING IN THE ARAD WORLD
His work for a few months in the Muslim world was not really hard initially. His employers were very kind and considerate. He was able to know other religions coming from the various parts of Asia, like Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism through his co-workers and that made him develop a good working relationship with them.
On the other hand, he found it more difficult to relate with his fellow Filipino workers because of crab mentality and the kanya-kanya attitude among them. But this challenge wasn't enough for him to surrender in pursuing his dreams for his family. At that time, he knew that he was already fulfilling his promises because of his stable job and good income.
But the feeling of fulfillment was overpowered by fear and anxiaty when an unexpected horror cloake4d over the hotel bringing the phantom of death.
THE STRUGGLE FOR HIS FAITH
His faith was put to test on May 29,2004 at 8:30 in the morning, when he was in the hotel preparing for the expected booked visitors. Suddenly, a bus arrived loaded with men in uniform. At first, he thought they were soldiers who would be taking breakfast. But his impression changed when these men began to shout and destroy the displays at the information area causing the customers to panic and look for possible exits.
In a moment, one of them approached him and asked if he were a Christian. At that instance, he felt to so frightened and terrified by the possible consequence of his reply. But his conscience worked immediately to appease his fear reminding him of his Christian education- to depend his faith even until death. That is why, after a series of moments he answered, "YES, I AM", and the assassin shot him on his face ensuring his instant death.
After few seconds, he was himself bleeding and his blood flowed to the white tiled floor. He decided to lie down and wait for his fate, he closed his eyes and had a self-confession remembering all the sins he had committed. Then a flash of light appeared bringing him back to his happy days with his family, friends and other people who were left behind.
Seeing their faces full of hope and aspirations made him realize that indeed life was too short, he was not ready to die because the love he has shared with them was not enough to express his gratitude and care. Because of this, he gathered enough strength and decided to struggle and fight for his life no matter what.
At this point, he remembered the religious instructions of his teachters to seek help of the saints. He called St.Clare, St.Dominic, St.Vincent and repeatedly chanted Come Holy Spirit secretly. Knowing the possibility of dying, he continuously heard the gunshots, screams of the hostages and the threats of the rebels that made him pray unceasingly. He pretended to be dead to avoid additional shots, then he offered his fate to the one who will come to his rescue.
After the long period of waiting, he felt a white cloth covered his face. The rescue team laid him down with the other victims with the thought that nobody was alive because of the long hours of gunfire, but this vanished when he moved his hand to give a sign of his survival. For a week he was confined at the Intensive Care Unit and almost considered comatose due to the buttet found at his right cheek that affected his nose, his throat, his tongue and his right eye.
On that critical period, he had been hearing the inspiring words of his mother from the Philippines using a cell phone that kept him highly spirited in fighting for his life. His struggle lasted for several months, but it paid off when he was declared free from danger of death.
SCARS OF HIS WITNESSING
When he was released from the hospital, his co-workers confided to him the result of that fateful day, 22 died in the shoot-out, one was beheaded and only two of them survived. After hearing this, he felt the miraculous protection that saved him during that tragic situation. He did not know how to react to that terrifying news, but there is one thing he was sure of He was never abandoned by our Lord in those dreadful hours and accompanied him as he journeyed to different faces of death and terror.
Now, he is in Tigaon, Camarines Sur living with his family and bringing the testimony of faith in times of death experiences, and the lesson of trust that eventually saved him. As he looked back to this horrible event, there is only one virtue that kept his life in the midst of extreme danger, intense terror and hopeless situation: FAITH IN GOD.
I hope that this life story inspires people specially to those who are in the Arab country. I posted this not to gave any bad comments to the Islam religion but to remind people that we should not afraid of DEATH instead we have to prepare for our Death coz it will may come in an instant..... please do message me about what you feel after reading this.... this is my number 09393535056 and 09327858367
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