Weekend miracles
The Filipino community of the Saitama Diocese has continued to schedule a festival for Mama Mary every October for the last four years. This year's 5th Marian Festival was scheduled for October 12, with preparations done almost a year ahead by representatives from various Catholic churches belonging to the Saitama Diocese within the 4 prefectures of Ibaraki, Saitama, Gumma, and Tochigi like those in Tsukuba, Joso, Tsuchiura, Naka, Toride, Mito, Gumma, Oyama, Koga, Kashima, and Tochigi.
A week before the big fiesta for Mama Mary, it was a happy go for the October 12 event!
Then, the news about the world's biggest storm ever for 2014 took everyone by surprise. The earlier weather forecast reported that Vongfang would hit Ibaraki where the Marian Festival was scheduled to be celebrated exactly on Sunday, October 12.
The Marian Festival committee immediately went on complete faith mode, asking everyone to pray, pray, pray for God to spare Japan from superstorm Vongfang. As I wrote in my October 11 column: "A festival for Mama Mary has been scheduled and prepared for by hundreds of Filipinos on Sunday, the 12th of October at Mito Church in Ibaraki Prefecture. Everyone here is joining hands together in prayer that God, according to His will and grace, will bless all and spare Japan from this storm and allow for good, safe weather for this special fiesta for Mama Mary."
Prayer requests were posted on FB and disseminated orally. The prayer rally went viral and global and praise the Lord, the superstorm was reduced to storm 3 from storm 5 strength and the storm moved more slowly than forecasted and inflicted less harm than expected!
The Marian Festival proceeded as scheduled, with just the dark clouds to remind all about the lingering storm still in Japan. All those who prayed knew in their hearts that the Lord God has sent His first miracle that day for us. He stayed the storm so that we could celebrate and honor Him and Mama Mary on that special October 12th Sunday!
The Marian Festival participants enjoyed the miracle of good weather and the happy presentations prepared by Filipino and Japanese groups, the delicious food, and the happy reunions and new friendships forged that day. The Marian Festival also moved the participants, through the mass, rosary and procession, to pray to the Lord to save anyone else in Japan from being adversely affected by the very heavey and strong rains and winds brought by Vongfang.
The strong typhoon strengthened everyone's faith during the Marian Festival as they witnessed the loving hand of God through His gift and miracle of good weather in the venue and His added gift of protection for bringing everyone home safely after the happy celebration! But one.
A very pregnant Gerrylyn Onde Saito, a Marian Festival committee member, gamely joined the event by laughing through the happy numbers and exercising during the Japanese-led presentation. She stayed to help clean after the program was finished but not long after that, her water bag broke! She was rushed to the nearest hospital BUT because of the long weekend in Japan ( October 13,Monday was a holiday), there was heavy traffic on the road. An ambulance had to be called to rush Gerrylyn to the hospital. Before the ambulance came, Gerrylyn had started to chill and have fever. At the hospital, the doctors also found her yet to be delivered baby with fever. Operation was recommended and Gerrylyn was already asked to sign waivers related to the proposed operation.
Amor Fujita, another Marian Festival Committee member, accompanied Gerrylyn from Mito to the Tsuchiura hospital. At the time they were caught in traffic, Amor sent out a prayer request for Gerrylyn and her baby through FB. The prayer request was reposted and shared and for about an hour, again, everyone went on faith and prayer mode.
Just when the husband of Gerrylyn arrived and just when the doctors got ready for operation procedures, Amor posted the happy message:" thanks po lahat sa prayers ninyo....BUJI NI UMAREMASHITA ....nagulat ako....praise the lord talaga....!" Baby boy Marion was delivered safely and naturally, without operation!
Everyone rejoiced and, again, realized the power of prayer and God's power and love in granting the prayer request to keep Gerrylyn and her baby safe. It was very clear to all that God sent a miracle of good weather in Mito through Mama Mary's intercession and God's love for all those who fervently prayed to him. For the second time that day, everyone realized and saw once more, God's miracle and care for the safe and natural delivery of Baby Marion ( named after Mama Mary)!
This year's 5th Marian Festival was certainly very special because of the miracles God shared with His people during the weekend! God is truly awesome, truly good, and the best Father ever! He allowed us, through the Marian Festival, to offer our prayers and gratitude to Mama Mary for her obedience and valuable role for our redemption by saying yes to be the mother of God's son, Jesus Christ! He allowed us to witness His power and love through the miracles He sent our way that memorable October 12th Marian Festival Sunday!
The next day, October 13th was the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima. With our continuing prayer and faith mode on, our scheduled thanksgiving celebration for October birthday celebrants was again graced with the sun, with the storm rains finally starting only after everyone else had gone home after the happy event! Our 3rd miracle that long weekend and counting!!! Thank you, Lord! Thank you, our dear Mama Mary!
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