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Both my daughters, Vanessa and Alexandra, are divers. They
volunteered to go to the site of the Princess of the Stars disaster
and do what they could to help.
I would like to share with you the message of
Vanessa which she delivered at the Archdiocese Shrine of the Divine
Mercy during a Mass for the victims of the sea tragedy: “When I
first heard the news that a passenger ferry had sunk off the shores
of Sibuyan Island, Romblon, my heart sank. I said a silent prayer
and instantly knew that someway, somehow, I would be involved.
Four years ago, I was one of the first civilian
divers to inspect the wreck of the then burning ship, the SuperFerry
14. It was an experience I would never forget as I saw personal
belongings of people scattered on the ocean floor.
So when the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG) called
for volunteers to assist them in the rescue operations of the MV
Princess of the Stars, I, along with my sister, went without
hesitation.
As we landed at the Romblon airport, the first
scene that I saw was three bodies being unloaded from an air force
chopper. It would the first few of the many bodies we’d be seeing
in the next few days.
During our helicopter ride to Sibuyan, I asked
God to keep us safe and give us the strength to be brave and face
the difficult mission ahead. But looking back now, it is something
that one truly cannot prepare for.
When our rubber boat approached the wreck, the
bloated body of a man lay face down in the water. Right away I
thought to myself that he could have been someone’s father or
husband. As we dove down below, a dark and eerie sight lay before
us. As we peeped inside the wreck, we found clothes, personal
belongings, and life vests scattered all around. As I flashed my
lights on the windows above the dining room, palm prints were
visible. Prints both big and small.
The first question that came to mind was, “Why
Lord did they have to die? Why this way?” I did not receive an
answer. All I could do was trust that everything has a purpose, and
in God’s time we will see the good that comes out of this. They
say that some blessings come wrapped in pain.
Pain is something many of us feel. For the
families, it’s the pain losing a loved one, of not knowing where
he or she is. For us divers, we experience the pain of seeing terror
in the faces of those who perished and the feeling of frustration of
not being able to do more for them.
But even if we took risks to help retrieve the
dead, it is something we had to do. When we were told about the
dreaded Endosulfan in the water and that we could possibly be
contaminated, I simply put my whole trust in the Lord. I knew that I
together with all the other divers would be safe since we were there
to do good. I truly felt that those who perished were watching over
us and that they would see us through.
No one knows why this had to happen. Only God
knows. And as of the moment He is silent. But all we can do now is
believe. Believe and trust in Him.
I end with a message scribbled on the wall of a
Nazi death camp: “I believe in the sun even if it does not shine.
I believe in love even if I don’t feel it. And I believe in God
even if He is silent.”
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If you have problems about drugs, alcohol and
behavior/attitude call my office at 8206107 or 8251771 or email me
at gvcbuenca@vasia.com or write me at P.O. Box 2099 MCPO, Makati
City.
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