The goodness of the Lord

IN A BROKEN DOWN BAMBOO HUT, A MISSIONARY WITNESSES A LOVING GOD WHO HEALS, FORGIVES, NOURISHES AND RENEWS.

By Fr. Charles Gervais, S.F.M.
March 2002

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It was August on the island of Leyte in the Philippines, the time when a sultry east wind blows steadily. I was having my little siesta after lunch when Edwardo, our parish secretary, woke me. There was a dying woman who wanted the sacraments.

Now serving in Riobamba, Ecuador, Fr. Charlie Gervais has joined Scarboro’s mission team working among the indigenous communities living on the slopes of Mount Chimborazo.

I begrudgingly got up, put the holy oils and the Blessed Sacrament into my sick call kit and took off in the parish jeep with the man who came to ask for me. We could only go about 20 minutes by jeep, then we had to walk. The midday tropical sun and the warm wind made it very uncomfortable. My clothes were wringing wet with perspiration.

I had not been in the Philippines very long at the time and this type of experience was new to me. I was feeling sorry for myself and thinking: “What a missionary I am, what a martyr. God, I hope you are keeping track of all the sacrifices that I am making for your people.”

We walked for a while through a coconut grove and got to a broken down bamboo hut. Inside, there was a woman dying of tuberculosis. She was just skin and bone. Lying on a wooden bed for months with only a straw mat resulted in her back being covered with painful sores.

After hearing her confession I asked her husband and her four young children to join me in prayer as I anointed her and gave her Holy Communion. Then I decided to utter a few consoling words to her. I held my missionary cross in front of her and said: “Don’t be afraid. God loves you. Jesus suffered for you and has prepared a place for you.”

She interrupted by taking my cross in her hand and saying, “I know that God loves me. I know that God will look after my husband and my children.” Then she looked at the image of Jesus on my crucifix and said, “I thank God that he has found me worthy of suffering with our saviour.”

She then took my hand, kissed it and said, “Thank you for taking the time to bring me the sacraments.”

I looked into the face of this dying woman and said, “Please say a prayer for me.”

I left humbled, vowing to God that I would try never to complain again.

This is only one of the many experiences I have had as a missionary priest where I witnessed a loving God who heals, forgives, nourishes and renews. Yes, I have ‘tasted the goodness of the Lord,’ and I have been changed and challenged.

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