I love to watch movies. As a child in Manila in the early ‘80s, my dad always brought me to Avenida to watch movies. It has been a custom in our family to watch a movie every Sunday especially since Avenida was within walking distance of our house. My dad is not a very religious man — but he would religiously bring our family to the movies every Sunday.
In the early 1990s, our family moved from the Sta. Cruz area to San Miguel. Right around that time, SM Centerpoint opened in Sta. Mesa. The mall was just one jeepney ride from our house, and so going to the movies and “malling” have become a Sunday habit.
A few years later, I got married and moved to Tarlac City with Calvin, my husband. Along with bidding goodbye to my parents, I also bid goodbye to SM Centerpoint, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to visit as often as I would like.
Little did I know that even Tarlac would not keep us away from SM. Every time we get a chance to go to Manila, we go to an SM Mall. We bring our kids to SM Megamall, Southmall and lately, SM City Manila, which is near their grandparents’ house in San Miguel. Now, when I bring my kids to visit their grandparents, it is always accompanied by a trip to SM Manila.
When SM opened in Pampanga and later in Clark, we were even more thrilled because now we only had to travel halfway as far to get to an SM Mall. However, it was my experience at SM Mall of Asia that brought me to write this essay.
It was July 29, 2006. I was able to buy six tickets to Superman Returns at the IMAX Theater. Calvin and I left Tarlac after lunch, with four kids in tow, and headed straight to MOA. This was going to be a fun weekend for the whole family. We had dinner at Highland’s Steakhouse first, and then watched the 9 p.m. show.
Unlike my dad, Calvin would religiously go to church every Sunday here in Tarlac. We attend church at Tarlac Living Faith Christian Baptist Church. However, when we go to Manila on weekends, we miss church for that week — and this weekend would not be an exception.
After the show, we drove back to our condo in Sta. Cruz with all the kids. It was only when we arrived at the condo that I realized my shoulder bag was missing. I kept looking for it in the car, but it was not there. Calvin was angry at me for being so careless. My shoulder bag contained my wallet, credit card, all my IDs, a digital camera, the keys to our house in Tarlac and some cash. My cellphone was not inside since it was clipped to my waist.
Since it was already 11:45 p.m., we left the kids with the maid in the condo, then Calvin and I went back to MOA to find my bag. I could not remember where I had left it — whether it was on my seat inside the IMAX Theater or in the rest room where we went before we left. I was so worried. Calvin was so angry. He kept saying that he now would have to change all the locks of our house in Tarlac. He said that a thief with my IDs would know where we live and would use the keys to get into our house.
I kept silent the entire trip. Closed my eyes and prayed. I said: “Dear Lord, I know that it would really be close to impossible for me to ever find my bag again in a place like that, but only You can make a miracle. I believe that somehow there are still honest people in this world, no matter how few they are, and I know that if I have faith in You and believe, I will be able to find my bag again. Because only You can do such a thing. Is this your way of punishing me? I know that we won’t be going to church tomorrow, so is this your way of punishing me for neglecting You? I promise, Lord, that if I do find my bag, I will go to church tomorrow. I will find a church in Manila and I will attend the worship service, because going to Manila is not an excuse for not going to church.”
It was already around 12:30 a.m. when we arrived at SM MOA. I ran immediately to the rest room, while Calvin went to IMAX. The cleaning lady said she had not seen any bag left behind inside the stalls. Then I ran to the IMAX. Calvin was speaking to the guard. We were not allowed to go in the theater since there was another show going on. But the guard did say they found a shoulder bag on one of the seats. He asked us to describe it. I showed them my ticket with the seat number. The janitors who cleaned the theater after the movie had found the bag and given it to the one in charge.
They waited for me to claim the bag, but since it took me so long to return, they kept the bag in the Administration Office for safekeeping. The guard walked us to the office, and true to his word, my shoulder bag was right there on the manager’s table with everything else still intact. I was so thankful and happy, but regretfully, I forgot to ask the name of the person who found it so that I could thank him or her personally.
It was truly a miracle! Imagine leaving something so valuable in a public place. Anyone could have taken my shoulder bag and brought it home with them. But not that night. And not at SM IMAX Theater.
Was it part of God’s plan? Calvin had already calmed down by that time, and I told him about my prayer and promise to God. He said I should keep my word, lest I suffer the wrath of God. And I said that I had every intention of fulfilling my promise. Calvin said “okay,” but reminded me that since it was only I who had made the promise, I should go by myself.
God really works in mysterious ways. I am glad that there are still honest people in this world, and I am glad that they can be found in SM Mall of Asia. If there is anything I learned from all this is that we don’t go to church because of its location or because of our friends who go there, or because of the pastor or speaker. We go to church to worship God, and that is all that matters. God looks at our hearts and knows our motives. Now, our family makes it a point that whenever we spend weekends in Manila, we go to church first before we go to the mall.
I learned that lesson the hard way. God used an ordinary event (such as watching a movie), and turned it to something extraordinary. I am so glad I found my shoulder bag. I am also glad that somehow God used SM to be a part of this because I will never forget this experience for as long as I will live.