True Story: Jhun's DOODLE

 

Last weekend as I sat on a three-day seminar in our church, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about — the kind of experience that sneaks you up  unexpectedly. This was the moment my eyes nailed to one of the male delegates in our row.

  

He is Jhune. I learned it through the ID pinned in his shirt. He had nothing special though. He wore ordinary clothes, got dark color and had his obvious straggly hair but what really caught my attention to this person was his Doodle. An adult doodling inside the church?  It's aberrant.

While I was staring at him I noticed that his hand suddenly stopped from stroking. I was caught starring to a stranger.

"Hi" I smiled as my immediate excuse to my rudeness. 

"I heard na Ilokano ka, taga san ka pala?" I asked which I thought a great topic to start a conversation but he just nodded, bowed his head and resumed his doodle. Maybe he's not interested for a talk  I thought

"Taga Cagayan Valley ako" a voice sounded out besides me after a couple seconds. It was him.

"Talaga, taga Isabela ako" I smiled "kailan ka pa umalis doon?" I added but he offered no immediate response for the second time. I was displeased with the situation, loss of face. And to manage my guilt I simply diverted my attention to my notes and swore not to talk to him again but my plans repeled when he reponded.

"Lumayas ako when I was 17. The night pagkatapos akong buhusan ng kumukulong tubig ng tatay ko" that soft husky voice striked deep within my soul. I looked at him and felt sorry about what I heard.

"Oh sorry, pero un na un diba, wala ng iba." I said trying to convice myself

After saying those words, he looked at me and smiled maybe because of my silly reaction. I could hardly put in words in what I saw. He smiled yet there was a perceptable somber in his eyes.

"Pina ampon ako when I was 7, pero bumalik ako sa kanila para maramdaman ko kung saan ako nang galing pero worst binubog lang ako, sinaktan. During my birthday when I was Grade 6 tinulak ako sa ilog ng tatay ko.... But in God's grace buti nalang marunong na akong lumangoy that time" he grinned narrating his victory.

"Minsan nga" he added "sabi ng nanay ko sana namatay nalang daw ako noon. kaya tinanong ko sila kung ampon lang ba ako pero imposible kasi may kakambal ako, and I keep asking myself at times  "bakit ako ang pinag bubuntungan ng galit nila kahit kasalanan ng iba?... parang sumpa ung tingin nila sa akin" he seriously said.

My world suddenly froze by his words, tongue-tied. I was totally stunned especially when he told me  about the moment he was being wrapt inside the rice sack and disdainfully beaten by his father. I did not expect the story nor the trust he gave me in our 15-minute conversation. I asked if he already shared forgiveness to his parent and he just simply said "yes" and seconded that all he'd been through were just part of the history.


I felt undaunted and thrilled. After all the odds and ordeals he faced from his own parents, he never learnt vengeance and fought back to those people who made his life miserable. Indeed he hold no hatred towards our Creator and he is so eager to learn the good news of His words. He even told me about the elation he is getting from his friends, in attenting to church and how he is being adored by his boss through his job.


Joes, This might be a very ordinary conversation which  started in a doodle but I believe this is a story that must be shared for everyone and keep it as chance to have a better people around us.
 

For me, Jhune' soul is like a doodle- It is a simple drawing yet it has concrete representational meaning---FORGIVING.