A close encounter with Fatima Soriano

MANILA, Philippines - As I watched 16-year-old, born-blind Fatima Soriano at the Shrine of the Divine Word inside the Christ the King Mission Seminary in Quezon City recently, singing Panginoon Patawad Po, I felt nostalgic when I heard her on radio some years ago for the first time.

She was known to have a gift of healing when she prayed over a man and all of a sudden he got healed.

Her inspiring life story on ABS-CBN’s Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK), portrayed by child star Maureen Guese, with Albert Martinez and Snooky Serna as her parents, was well-remembered.

Thanks to Jun Banaag, a.k.a. Dr. Love of DZMM, who introduced me to Fatima, who had then a jam-packed concert titled My Offering Songs of Love at Meralco Theater, with Jose Mari Chan, Christopher de Leon, Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD, Fr. Erick Santos, Jun and Kerygma 5 (composed of Alvin, Aron, Jon, Obet and Adrian) as her guests. It was indeed a success.

…with Christopher de Leon…

I vividly remember when I first met her at a Philippine Pediatric Society-Southern Tagalog Chapter sponsored post-Easter recollection, she was with Fr. Jerry.

Days before Fatima, together with her mom Fely, her dad Dr. Danilo Soriano who hails from San Juan City and her sister Mary Margaret, migrated to the US, I had the opportunity to visit her in Kawit, Cavite, where her family lived for many years.

According to Fely, a nurse who used to work in London, she noticed that her eldest daughter Fatima was blind at five months old.

Fatima entered a learning center in Kawit, says Fely. But at nine years old, she underwent dialysis for kidney failure.

At 10, Fatima met Fr. Jerry during his 50th birthday on July 7, 2002. Fatima’s life story was featured in MMK on Oct. 20, 2003.

…and Boots Anson-Roa

“In God’s time, naniniwala po ako na makakakita ako (I believe that I will be able to see),” firmly says Fatima, whose favorite singers are Regine Velasquez and Sarah Geronimo.

I was truly amazed how she conversed with me. She talked like an adult.

Something she said still lingers in my mind: “Wala ka bang trust kay Lord o kay Mama Mary. Don’t worry too much. There’s Someone who is much powerful than you... What’s wrong is that we create God out of ourselves. Just believe and trust that nothing is impossible with God.”

I found myself nodding in assent — and certainly it is a truism.