Walk With Me

Ena

It was her unspoken tears that made a bugging noise into my heart.

Her name is Ena. She is pretty, fragrant, and optimistic. The way she smiles, the way she moves and the way she speaks would make my heart beat fast. I do not know why, but certainly, I have been captivated.

One time, I and Ena were companions on a trip together with other people. It was a momentous thing for me to be seated right next to her. During the course of the trip, she felt asleep but since the back of the bus seat was so short so she cannot lean her head well. That was why her head was swaying round and round while her eyes were solemnly closed. Upon seeing this, I tapped her shoulder and said, " Ena kuhaa akong lingkoranan, ako nalang sa imoha (Ena, take my seat. In turn, I'll take yours.)" Being sleepy, she immediately did what I suggested to her. Minutes later, she already woke up. Then we started chatting as the vehicle went its way to the destination. But before arriving at the destination of our trip, we arrived first at her place, that is, her life story.

At a young age, Ena experienced a lot of difficulty in her life. Perhaps, the first among these things is the loss of her father. Second would be their big family population. And third and the most challenging perhaps is that her two siblings are victims of down syndrome. With all these things, she carried it with all her strength. Even if she wanted to cry with the situation that is pressing down, she did not cry to become a source of strength to her distressed mother. But what is more painful for me to hear was that the two of her siblings (the special children) were abused and the justice that the family deserves were just placed in a vacuum. Despite these things, Ena (the eldest among the siblings) continued to persevere on her way up with the help of some kind people. Even if she had millions of reason to give up and not to trust again, but she opted to go on and give her heart on the one which makes all things possible: Jesus.

As a matter of fact, I was struck with the vibrant manner she narrated her story in her deeply sobbing eyes, thus she said, "Sa kani nga mga panghitabo, napamalandungan nako nga naa pa'y mayo nga mga tao. Ug si Jesus dili jud ta pasagdan. (Despite these things that had happened, I realized that there are still good people. And Jesus does not forsake us.)" Further, the great news was that she is now a successful professional, contented, and ever awed by the manifestation of Jesus in her life.

As I reflected on the story of Ena, I realized that there is one thing in common: we have been hurt in one way or another, and that all of us wants to heal. In this phenomenon, all the more I see that Jesus is real. Jesus never abandons anyone. He never gives up on us. He gives people who will help us in our journey. Furthermore, He is the only one who can turn the wounds of our life into a battle scar which was fought and won. Only Jesus. Simply Jesus can quench forever the thirst in our hearts. Amen.