"The Gift"

The Gift







Somewhere in Milaor, Camarines
Sur, there lived a fourth grader boy who
would follow this route
to school everyday: He has to cross the rugged
plains and cross the
dangerous highway where vehicles are recklessly
driving to and from.



Once past this highway,
the boy would take a short cut, passing by the
Church every morning just
to say Hi to God, and faithfully say his,
"Magandang umaga po" in
Bicol dialect. He was faithfully being watched by
a Priest who was happy to
find innocence so uplifting in the morning,


"Kamusta, Andoy? Papasok ka
na?"


"Opo padre ... "he would flash
his innocent grin, the priest would be
touched. He was so concerned
that one day he talked to Andoy.


"From school...", he advised
"Do not cross the highway, you can pass
through the Church and I can
accompany you to the other side of the
road...that way I can see that
you are home safe...."


"Thank you father ... "







"Why don't you go home .... why do
you stay in this church right after
school?"



"I just want to say ' Hi' to my
friend, God," and the priest would leave
the boy to spend time beside the
altar, talking to himself, but the priest
was hiding behind the altar to
listen to what this boy has to say to his
heavenly FATHER.



"You know my math exam was pretty
bad today, but I did not cheat although
my seatmate is bullying me for
notes... I ate one cracker and drank my
water, Itay had a bad season and
all I can eat is this cracker.


Thank you for this! I saw a poor
kitten who was hungry and I know how he
feels so I gave my last cracker to
him ... funny but I am not that hungry.
Look, this is my last pair of
slippers ...I may have to walk barefoot next
week, you see this is about to
be broken... but it is okay....at least I
am still going to school....
Some say we will have a hard season this
month, some of my classmates
have already stopped going to school ....
please help them get to school
again, please God?


..Oh, you know, Inay hit me
again, it is painful, but I know this pain
will pass away, at least I
still have a mother.... God, you want to see my
bruises? I know you can heal
them.... Here... here and .... oh .... blood
... I guess you knew about
this one huh? Please don't be mad at Inay, she
is just tired and she
worries for the food in our table and my schooling
that is why she hits
us....Oh, I think I am in love ... there's this
pretty girl in my
class, her name is Anita ... do you think she will like
me? Anyway, at
least I know you will always like me, I don't have to be
anybody just to
please you, you are my very best friend! Hey your birthday
is two days from
now!!! Aren't you excited? I am! Wait till you see, I
have a gift for
you . but it is a surprise! I hope you will like it!
Oooops, I have to
go ..." then he stood up and calls out, "Padre, padre, I
am finished talking
to my friend .... you can accompany me to the other
side of the road
now"


This routine
happens everyday. Andoy never fails. Father Agaton shares
this every
Sunday to the people in his church because he has not seen a
very pure
faith and trust in God, a very positive look at negative

situations.



One Christmas day, Father Agaton was sick so he could not make it in
the
Church, he was sent to the hospital. The Church was left to 4 manangs
who
would chant the rosary in 1000 miles per hour, would not smile and
would
always find fault in what you do, they were also very well versed
in
cursing if you irritate them! They were kneeling, saying their
kilometric
rosary when Andoy, coming from his Christmas party,playfully dashed in.


"Hello
God! I ."


"P----!!
(a curse) bata ka!! Alam mo nang may nagdadasal!! Alis!!"


Poor Andoy
was so terrified, "Where's Father Agaton? He is supposed to
help me
cross the street ... and to be able to cross the street I will
have to
pass by the back door of this church .not only that, I have to
greet
Jesus. It is His birthday, I have a gift right here.... " Just as he
was
about to get the gift out of his shirt, the manang pulled his shirt
and
threw him out of the church. "Susmaryosep! !! (does the sign of the
cross fervently) Alis kang bata ka,
kung hindi matatamaan ka!!!


So the boy had no choice but to cross
the dangerous side of the road in
front of the church. He crossed. A fast
moving bus came in.


There was a blind curve. The boy was
protecting his gift inside his shirt,
so he was not looking. There was so
little time. Andoy died on the spot. A
lot of people crowded the poor boy,
the body of a lifeless young boy ....


Suddenly, out of nowhere a tall man in
a pure white shirt and pants, a
face so mild and gentle, but with eyes
full of tears... He came and
carried the boy in His arms. He was
crying. Curious bystanders nudged the
man in white, and asked...



"Excuse me sir, are you related to this
child?


Do you know this child?"



The man in white, His face mourning and in
agony, looked up and
answered...



"He was my best friend . " was all he said. He
took the badly wrapped gift
in the bloody chest of the lifeless boy, and
placed it near His heart.


He stood up and carried the boy away and they
both disappeared in sight.


The crowd was curious.



On Christmas Eve, Father Agaton learned of the
shocking news. He visited
the house, and wanted to verify about the man in
white. He consulted the
parents of Andoy.



"How did you know that your son died?"



"A man in white brought him here." sobbed the mother.
"What did he say?"




The father answered, "He did not say anything. He was
mourning. We do not
know him and yet he was very lonely about our son's
death, as if he knew
our son very well. But there was something peaceful
and unexplainable
about him. He gave me my son, and then he smiled
peacefully. He brushed my
son's hair away from his face and kissed him on
his forehead, then he
whispered something... "



"What did he say?"



"He said to my boy..." the father began, "Thank you
for the gift... I will
see you soon ... you will be with me..." and the
father of the boy
continued, "and you know for a while, it felt so
wonderful .. I cried, but
I do not know why....all I know is I cried tears
of joy .... I could not
explain it, Father, but when that man left,
something peaceful came over
me, I felt a deep sense of love inside ... I
could not explain the joy in
my heart, I knew my boy is in heaven now
but...tell me, Father, who is
this man that my son talks to everyday in
your church, you should know
because you are always there ... except at
the time of his death ......
"Father Agaton suddenly felt the tears
welling in his eyes, with trembling
knees, he murmurred, " ... He was
talking to no one ......but... .


GOD....