This nurse frontliner is not only passionate in helping people recover from sickness but Rose is equally committed in serving the Lord and the Catholic church. You can see the joy in her eyes when she is on a mission adventure with the youth.
Serving as a frontliner this pandemic is not an easy task, but with God on her side, Rose continues to hang on and trust in His immense love.
Tell us about yourself and your journey of knowing Christ
It started when I was young when my Lola would force me to accompany her going to the church and spend an hour in the blessed sacrament. She would even bribe me with Jollibee just to accompany her. But when I started to become busy with my studies, I somehow drifted away. Attending every Sunday mass has been reduced to whenever Iām available na lang, but Jesus was so persistent in pursuing me.
I found myself being back at Mass every Sunday (and even on weekdays before going to school when I was in college) and that hunger to deepen my relationship with him became stronger, but I told God I canāt serve Him at that time. I ask Him to allow me to pass my board exam first then heāll be my no.1 priority and I will serve him in any way and every way.
God waited for me again. I remember after the last day of my exam as I step out in the testing area, I uttered these words in prayer: āIām all yours now, like Mary I am saying my Yes to youā. I joined youth groups, attended seminars and conferences that have helped me to understand my faith even more and deepening my relationship with God. I Became a part of the ministry of Lecom in Manila Cathedral. I attended the World Youth Day 2016 in Poland and was able to volunteer in the World Youth Day in Panama.
What or who made you decide to be a missionary?
Can you share to us your journey of becoming a missionary?
What makes you feel like a child?
What are your simple joys?
In your missionary adventure, what were your joys, struggles, challenges and even difficulties?
Itās not that easy for someone like me who is shy and introverted to open up and volunteer myself to serve and do missions but the power of the spirit is so much stronger than my timidity.
Encountering people from different parts of the world and seeing how they love God inspires me also to step outside my comfort zone. Another area of myself that I also struggle with is my schedule as a nurse and doing missions. But then God sustained me.
When you put Him first everything will fall into places. I remember a co-worker of mine once asked me, ādi ka ba napapagod? Yung pahinga mo na sana nagseserve ka pa din?ā I replied, āserving God, being in the church, and doing missions is my pahingaā. It gives me strength and peace. Also, every pagod is worth it. Knowing that Joy and suffering can exist together. And for me, this is the meaning of what Pope Francis said, the Joy of the Gospel.
How do you define joy?
Ā In who and what you are now, what are your other dreams or do you still have anything you want to achieve?
What is your message to young people who are now feeling lost, who are still finding their purpose, who doesn’t know what to do with their lives?
What is your message to young people who wanted to serve but do not know how?
If you have a favorite Bible verse, Ā what is it and why.
In Luke 1:46- 49, Mary said,
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; My spirit rejoices in God my savior. For He has looked upon his handmaidās lowliness; Behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
