John Awatin Walks 1 Kilometer to Serve as Lay Minister
Posted on Tuesday, 22 December 2015
John
Awatin Walks 1 kilometer
to
Serve as Lay Minister
by Apolinario Villalobos
John Awatin lives one kilometer away from
the parish church of the Saint Martin de Porres located at Panapaan, Bacoor,
and he walks to and from the said church as a Lay Minister. He has been doing
the said sacrifice when he was taken in as such in June 6, 2014. But before
that, he has been jobless for one year. He did not pursue his seafaring career
that gave him ample monthly wage for eight years, due to seizures. Until today,
he suffers from ticking of left eye. Fortunately, his seizures are already
under control.
He was a hardworking guy since he was
young, helping their mother do household chores and even going to the market on
weekends. He learned how to cook and took charge of the laundry, too…all these
he did, being the eldest among the brood of four. Unfortunately, both their
parents left them while they were still young.
His parents were from Camiguin Island in
Mindanao. Both of them were hardworking, a trait which he and his siblings
inherited. At a young age, he settled down with Sheena who is now working with
the YMCA-Manila. They are happy today with their four “angels” – Sheen, Sean,
Nash, and Hans.
When John was rejected by manning agencies
for seafarers due to his ailment, he was, as expected, so downhearted that he
became reclusive. His seizures worsened so that there were times that he would
just fall during attacks, despite which he persisted in attending Sunday Mass
with his wife. The drugs he took did not help much as he was also emotionally
affected. It was at this instance that Jun Kamatoy, a Lay Minister serving at
the Saint Martin de Porres parish, thought of convincing him to become a Lay
Minister to keep his mind busy.
Neighbors were sort of curious how such a
guy who suffers from seizures and with a very minimal “exposure” to religious
activities could possibly assist the priest during Mass. Practically, Jun
Kamatoy risked his credibility when he assured the parish priest that John
would be a good Lay Minister. True enough, after passing his orientations with
flying colors, he proved his worth for such a religious obligation.
As he had no “decent” clothes to wear, Jun
Kamatoy also gave him several pairs of pants and undershirts, as well as, a
pair of shoes, while Emma Duragos, a crusader of the Holy Face, gave him white
long-sleeved shirts, courtesy of her son. A neighbor also gave him another pair
of shoes and two more pairs of pants.
Since the first day of his service as a Lay
Minister, nobody among his neighbors knew that he was walking his way to the
church, as well as, in going back home, except when the weather is so bad that
he had to take a jeepney. The distance he covers both ways are two kilometers.
I found this out myself when I saw him trekking one early morning to the
church, while I was on a jeepney on my way to Baclaran. One time, too, I saw
him walking under the sun still in his white long sleeved shirt on his way
home.
When I had the chance to talk to him, I
asked about his seizures and he told me that his condition has been fast
improving and he feels that he would finally overcome it, although, I have
observed that the ticking of his left eye is still very evident. He also keeps
himself busy by attending to the needs of their children, humbly accepting his
role as a “houseband”. He cooks for them and does the rest of the chores at
home. We never mention God or Jesus in our conversations, although, deep in my
mind and heart, I know that John is a manifestation of another miracle. At 43,
John is a picture of contentment and happiness….
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