Aina Santon Ilagan

We don't accomplish anything in this life alone .... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something. "  

Sandra Day O'Connor.

Psalm 139: 13

"You created every part of me, knitting me in my mother's womb."

2 Cor. 3: 18b

And the Lord who is the Spirit - makes us more and more like Him as we are changed (being transformed) into His glorious image.

The one who formed us in our mother's womb has continued to transform us as various events and experiences have shaped us into the people we are today. And in each of  those events and experiences were a cast of characters of course  (some villains and other  heroes) .

I am eternally grateful that during my young and impressionable years, Kuya Philip and his then  future wife, Ate Myrna provided meaningful and transcendent experiences even as they modeled for us purpose driven lives  (to know Christ and make him known) in which I should add  retirement was not an option?  Indeed they were truly effective and highly influential trailblazers both. Who as a married couple have continued to inspire us to this day.  As do the children they raised.

I feel very blessed to have those growing years in my walk with the Lord when Kuya Philip and Ate Myrna gently,faithfully and wisely ministered to me whose tremendous influence  is  of course  woven into the tapestry of my life. Considering what might have been. Thanks to the option of joining the  Jesus Movement in the campus of which Kuya Philip and Ate Myrna were two of the prominent leaders, my Navigator  contemporaries and I did not feel compelled like many others to take part in the Radical Movement (Communist, Marxist, NPA, etc) which was a dominant force in UP Diliman when I was there (era of the "Diliman Commune").

At a time when all  these "isms" were the  prevalent topics or political climate of the day  (nihilism, cynism, pessimism, fatalism, communism, Marxism) as well as talks about  End times and Armageddon; Vietnam war with American troops retreating as the communists were winning; demonstrations and protest rallies in the Philippines and all over the world..... we were so priveleged to have this haven of rest and refuge to run to (daily prayer meetings at the library, Sunday round-ups, Bible studies where we were being led and/or leading others) and the oasis to retreat and encamp for several days  for respite; communal praise,  worship, and prayer; and mutual encouragement.  I fondly recall those carefully orchestrated wholesome, uplifting and  edifying activities and events where led by Kuya Philip we would all joyfully sing "Everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before..." "Trust and Obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey", etc., etc. Or listened to the gifted and talented musicians among us sing "Give them all.... give them all  to Jesus. HE WILL TURN YOUR SORROW INTO JOY!"

After we all separated ways, Kuya Philip and Ate Myrna continued/ have continued to Walk the Walk as a married couple.  They have stayed in touch still ministering to us their spritual children to this day. We have rejoiced with them as one by one a new addition joined the family> Grace then Joy then Jabez, then the sons in law and of course the precious  grandchildren.

I honor you both for having faithfully and passionately obeyed  and lived the Great Commission while at the same time not neglecting your children but raising them to become the godly women and man that they are.

In closing, I want to share the image in my mind's eye of rows and rows of tapestries both completed and still in progress where the experience with Kuya Philip is one of the threads woven into them. Representing the countless of lives he has touched both directly and indirectly. So far. Not just in the different islands of the Philipines but in many areas of the world in all continents as well. For he is  not ashamed of the gospel who has witnessed in his Jerusalem, his Judea, his Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

Happy Birthday, Kuya Philip. More of the Holy Spirit Power to you.

In Him we live and move and have our being! 

Cheers,

Aina Santos Ilagan