Gospel in Action: Making Christlike Love Works

In my daily routine of browsing my Facebook, I came across with a heart-breaking situation of Tatay Tonio in the post of Kuy-kuy Joquiño Andrada, one of my friends in FB. I found it worth sharing especially on the simple good deeds of the Leaders of the Church had done for the sad plight of Tatay Tonio.

Welfare program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints is to help members become self-reliant, to care for the poor and the needy and to give service. In the case of Tatay Tonio, those leaders of the Church had been tested on how they could apply it to a non-member of their Church. Their simple deeds they've done is the greatest ever given to that needy person.

Gospel in Action

You will be reading the following full text of that post of Julius, which is considered as the Gospel in Action:

I saw my Bishop talking to an old man right in front of the Church's lobby entrance. He was with his two Counselors taking turns, asking information from him. Tatay Tonio, not his real name. At first, I thought he was somewhere in his 60s, but he's still actually in his mid 50s. His hands and feet were full of blisters and wounds—and was too thin. He was wearing a sandal too small for his feet. Tatay Tonio said he got it from an old man who worked with him in the pond. I sat beside him and listened. His eyes were dry and irritated. I asked him if he had eaten. He gave us a mere silence. By the looks of it, it's obvious that he hadn't.

"I need to go back to Antique, my home town. My family doesn't know I'm in Bacolod. All they knew was that I am somewhere in San Carlos City, contracted to work in a Fish Pond." The poor guy told us. Tatay Tonio's job was to pile up heavy bricks of muds. Burning himself under the heat of the Sun. Sinking himself in a knee level mud and filthy waters. Doing these for several weeks, but then the contractors just ran away with his money. He and nine others, were left unpaid.

I took up an ample of what I could offer. Probably enough for him to eat for a day. My Bishop, the Counselors and others gave him enough for him to get to Antique. Tatay Tonio suddenly went silent. The old guy's dry, red irritated eyes started to jerk. Like he doesn't know how to express his gratitude, but you can see it in his eyes.

My Bishop told him; "Uwi kana, hinihintay kana ng pamilya mo." (Go home now, your family is waiting for you. supplied translation) The Bishop's Counselor said; "Before you get to the barge, visit the 7/11 crews who allowed you to sleep and eat outside their store for several days. Go, thank them before going back to Antique."

I too bid my farewell and said. "Eat a lot."

Tears welled down his face. Tatay Tonio wept. He speedily turned his back and went ahead. I could see him wiping up his eyes, literally like a little child as he hurriedly departed from us. Tatay Tonio might now be with his family. Happy and safe at this moment.

Life is how we make it, they say. Where we are or what is happening to us is the result of our own doing. The hardest part is when our predicaments and afflictions are done by people who takes advantage of one another. It's hard to believe that those who are more capable, more able, and more advantaged are the ones who are cunning; Causing misery to others, with the likes of Tatay Tonio. As a Christian nation, shouldn't we be more Christlike? Shouldn't we be the ones who would lift up the sick and the weary? The blood, sweat and tears that Tatay Tonio and the nine others shed for is now being enjoyed by someone who can bear to fill his stomach with indignity.

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The Author

Julius Kuy-Kuy Joquiño Andrada is a returned full-time missionary of The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints. He is currently the Ward Young men President. He is the Enrollment Committee Chairman at Institute Student Council, Bacolod Philippines Institute of Religion.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/andrada.jj/posts/1226448384128300