It was several days after Ymun (Morillo) visited us at the Biliran Provincial Jail to tell us about the upcoming Christian Life Program (CLP) when I experienced an extraordinary event in my life - the unlocking of the big padlock of the chain that held my legs together.
I am Mil Dedil, called Mamay by my peers, 27 years old, married with 4 little children. I come from Caibiran, Biliran, (in the Philippines), but I am now in jail with my brother Jose, charged with the murder of our neighbor (who killed my father). My uncle, who actually killed our neighbor, forced my brother and myself to admit to the crime. Our lawyer also advised us to plead guilty so we could be sentenced right away and serve our term quickly and be free in a shorter period. Now we are stuck in here.
However, no evidence could be produced against us. So the judge temporarily declared us "trustees". I was given the privilege of working outside the jail premises with minimum supervision. I was enjoying the privilege until the time I heard about my wife going with another man. I escaped, rushed to Manila, only to find that my wife was actually faithful to our marriage vows and living with her mother in Alabang. Satisfied with my finding, I reported to the Quezon City mayor and asked hime to help me return to the Biliran Provincial Jail.
I am now almost 3 years in jail, waiting for the final decision of the court - and my hopes of being acquitted are now high because now, I have heard of the justice and mercy of God.
You see, when I returned from the escapade, I was enchained. My legs were fastened together with a chain. I could barely walk due to its heavy weight and tightness.
One afternoon, while I was singing the praise songs which Nes (Caliao) and Ymun taught us in the CLP, I felt the urge to go to the toilet. Forgetting that I was in chains and without much thought, I went right away. I later discovered that I was freely walking with full steps! The padlock of my chain was unlocked! I right away reported to the guard, but he would not believe me and suspected me of keeping a duplicate key or of messing around with the lock. I was bound again.
Several weeks after the opening of the CLP, I was singing praise songs (as is now my habit) before I washed up in the morning. When I went to the bathroom, I again noticed that I was walking freely - again, the padlock was unlocked!
The jail administrator had to buy a new and much stronger padlock to make sure it would stay in place. But for the third time, I saw my legs freed again. The new and supposedly stronger padlock unlocked by itself. I don't know how it happened. I only know that it must be the work of God.
The jail administrator gave up chaining my legs together. Now the chain is kept wound and padlocked around my right leg only!
I cherish the peace that our Saviour Jesus Christ has given me through the CLP. I only ask that this same grace be shared by my brothers in bondage, by my wife Edita Dekla, and by my children.
As the Youth Camps in Eastern Samar (Philippines) were coming to a close, CFC Manila leaders Dino Badilla and Maita Ladrido worried about who would take the role of YFC Coordinator for the the new YFC when there were no CFC couples there yet. (For the first time in CfC history, YFC came ahead of CfC in a province.) As the young adults were singing CfC songs during a session, a man walking by outside heard and recognized the songs and said to himself, "Hey, those are the same songs we sing!" So he hurried home, donned his CfC T-shirt and returned to the place. He was a CfC member elsewhere who transfered to Eastern Samar three months earlier. "You are Godsent!", Maita exclaimed when he introduced himself. Here was the YFC coordinator they were asking the Lord for in their prayers. "No, you are Godsent!" the CfC brother replied. Here was the CfC family he was looking for.
Dodoy and Rita Fernandez were coming home from Sagod, a municipality 1.5 hours north of Cebu City. It was the end of the Christian Life Program (CLP) where they served as group facilitators. They had brought along 2 of 3 children, Marijoy and Moses, to the dedication rites and Lord's day celebration. Only Malou, the eldest, could not come as she was also serving at a YFC Youth Camp in Cebu City.
At about 10 p.m. when the celebration came to an end, the parish priest Fr. Eric Ycong advised the whole team to stay over for the night as it was raining heavily. There were those who decided to stay but some insisted on going home, the Fernandezes included.
Of the three groups who decided to go home, they were first to go. They were on board a van driven by Rose, a cousin and a member of the CFC Handmaids of the Lord (HOLD), who had her daughter Goldie with her.
The road was rough and wet and the night was dark. The children were already dozing off to sleep. Only 30 more minutes and they would have been home. But they had a flat tire! So they pulled over to the side of the road. Both Rose and Dodoy knew what to do. Dodoy got out to check the left-rear tire, while Rose went to get the tools up front.
Barely a minute passed when from behind them came a 6-wheeler Canter truck speeding straight towards them. Something was wrong! The truck was on the wrong side of the road. Dodoy quickly sensed the coming danger. But it was too late. The truck smashed into their van. He was thrown out in to the middle of the road. Rose, in front of the van and unaware of the danger, fell down and was dragged below their vehivle. She fell unconscious. Rita, still inside the van, hit her head on the roof and she too fell unconscious. So did Moses.
For Dodoy, all he ever felt was great pain then total darkness. Except for Marijoy and Goldie, everyone was unconscious. Helpless, the two kids could do nothing but cry out for their family.
After a few minutes, policemen from a nearby station responded to the emergency. Out of panic, the truck driver who had fallen asleep while driving, left the scene and tried to run away but was soon caught by policemen.
A taxi bound for Cebu City passed by and brought them to the Cortes General Hospital in nearby Mandaue City.
Among all the casualties, Dodoy was the least expected to survive. He suffered the greatest injury. Blood was oozing out from hi head and neck injuries. His breathing was slowly weakening.
Meanwhile the two other groups of CFC couples immediately rushed to the hospital upon seeing the damaged vehicle. Fervently, they prayed over the injured members of the Fernandez family.
While the rest were already conscious, Dodoy was still unconscious by the next morning, a Sunday. Sometime later however, he woke up and started to recover quickly. The man, whom rescuers thought would not make it, was already walking around by noontime, carrying his own dextrose bottle and visiting Rose who was still down on her bed.
How he managed to survive the accident is still anybosy's guess. But not for Dodoy; he knows. He says, "If not for Jesus, the Almighty Son, I would not have been here today. The accident gave me an even stronger faith and trust in the Lord because I am still alive. In fact, I will double my efforts in serving Him." Dodoy joyfuly stated.