“We wait for peace to no avail and terror comes instead”.
Being born and growing up in the
regions of Isabela and Bicol where the culture and life situations are very
different from that of Zamboanga Peninsula, made us shiver to see the gruesome
realities on TV on how innocent civilians were used as human shields and pawns
in the war in Zamboanga City. It was an unbelievable site to watch.
Despite efforts to prepare the girls for the worst possible scenario and to get
in touch with our Sr. Henedina Mananzan and having asking her if Cagayan de Oro
could be our future evacuation place, the aspiration to go out of our comfort
zones and be with the wounded and traumatized burst into flames within our
hearts. Friends both in the non- government organizations (NGO) and government
agencies were faithful in giving updates and asking for prayers. Hence, praying
for peace took on a new understanding and meaning.
On October 27 at 2:00 am, together
with our 2 lay mission partners from the DWSD and Maebeth, we travelled to the
bus station to catch the first trip that will bring us to Zamboanga City. The JFE
Sports Complex became the biggest evacuation and internal refugee center for
the majority of our Moslem brothers and sisters. These people were from the most
affected communities, zones of conflict of Rheo Londo, Mariki, Sta. Catalina,
and, Sta. Barbara. The RVM convent was our base for the next 3 days.
In the morning, the Badjaos and their tents along the sea side of Port Pilar were
the scenes that greeted us on our way to the grandstand as volunteers help
victims in the stress debriefing trauma management center. Usually we would be
back in the convent by 8:00 pm. Two social workers also stayed late to do their
duties.
The Good Shepherd Spirituality
Most of those who came for
debriefing were women, with their children in tow. They shared their ordeals
and triumphs on how they saved their lives and those of their loved ones. Since
majority of them were Muslims, we had to adjust our ears to be familiar with the
sound of their names and spelling when we wrote them in the debriefing sheets. Solidarity
and faith enabled us to listen to their stories and withstand the danger of the
possibility of an attack from within the refugee camp as articulated by the
women themselves. Sometimes, we would hear the roar of helicopters, the sound
of a bomb, a siren from an ambulance or see smokes going up in the sky. The
Spirit of the Good Shepherd strengthened us to face the rigors of language barriers,
culture, prejudices, and, danger knowing that some of those whom we came face
to face during the debriefings were relatives of MNLFs. On our 2nd day in the refugee camp, the presence of policemen/women were visibly felt,
their number increased the following day including that of the military.
Light Dispels Darkness
We are one with the innocent
civilians, especially the women and children and the elderly, in our prayers,
aspirations, and, struggle for a society that is just and violence free. A violence that has become cyclical and
demonic. The violence brought by war.
We
hold on to God’s promises of lasting peace. “They will beat their swords into 
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not raise sword
against nation; they will train for war no more.” (Isaiah 2: 4-5) We remember
with deep gratitude and admiration the unsung heroes who silently toiled and
sheltered the infirm, the elderly, and, the children evacuees in the confines
of their convents amidst stray bullets; the working students who chose to stay
on to serve instead of going back to the safety of their places of origin; the
teachers, who risked going to critical evacuation centers to bring food and
other supplies, to those who prayed to the God they believed in that all will
be well. Most of all, to the many valiant women who in the most trying
situations did their best to save the lives of their loved ones and face the
future with hope.
Srs. Tess Cordova and Virgo
Espineda
Pagadian Community