The story of Medy Mortell as told to Evelyn Damian
Medy Mortell is presently undergoing a new challenge as she anticipates chemotherapy. But, Medy faces each day with confident faith, because she has seen God do so many things in her life. Here is the story of how she came to know the Lord, and how God lets His light shine into her heart during her darkest moments.
After graduating from college, Medy was hired as a bookkeeper at SCR Marketing and Advertising Corporation. She was fun, honest, and hard-working. Eventually, Medy was promoted to her current position as a manager.
When Medy was new at the company, her boss hosted a weekly Bible study during work hours. Medy attended. She was curious and asked a lot of questions. She was amazed that the Pastor always used the Bible to answer her questions. Deep inside her heart, she believed what the Bible said, but Medy was also passionate about her own religion, “In my mind, they were introducing another religion and salvation (from the fires of hell) seemed too easy. Ang kailangan ko lang gawin is to pray the sinner’s prayer and then I’ll go to heaven na, parang unbelievable!”
Even though she had doubts about the new things she was learning, Medy continued to attend the Bible study, “Dumating ‘yung time na tinanong ko ‘yung pastor, ‘Is it okay, Pastor, if I will accept your formula of salvation but I’ll still go to my church?’ Sabi niya, ‘Okay.’ So basta kilala ko na si Jesus pero ‘yung relationship, wala. I accepted Christ for practical reasons, not out of conviction.”
“It took 7 years before I fully committed my life to Christ. By that time, I was married and had a daughter, Marean Shella. Gilbert, my husband, was always on provincial assignments. Hindi pa siya Christian noon. Kapag umuuwi siya, doon kami nagpupunta sa old traditional church.”
“When the Pastor who was teaching the Bible studies went abroad, bumalik ako sa dati kong religion pero hindi na ako comfortable. Sabi ko, bakit ganito, iba-iba ang sinasabi kaysa sa Bible. So I prayed, ‘Lord, I don’t want to go back to that old faith. Sana may church na walking distance sa amin kasi maliit pa si Marean Shella, mahirap kapag malayo.’ Tapos pagdaan ko dun sa street na malapit sa amin, nakita ko may naglalagay ng signage ng church, “Bible Study, Sunday Services and Midweek.” Nag-inquire ako about their church at nag-start na ako doon mag-attend ng services. That was the first time I experienced that the Lord really answers prayers. The pastor there really helped me practice my faith.
“Kung minsan, niyayaya ko si Gilbert sa church pero ayaw niya. Whenever he was home, our pastor would visit him pero tinatakasan niya so continuous pa rin ako sa prayer for him to join me at church. Tapos, na-overdose siya ng steroid dahil nagkasakit siya ng psoriasis. ‘Yung mother-in-law ko, dinala siya kung saan-saang faith healer. Ayaw naman ni Gilbert na hindi ako kasama so wala akong magawa. May faith healer na nag-opera daw sa kanya pero wala namang nangyari; merong kahit ginaw na ginaw na si Gilbert, ipinalubog pa siya sa sapa so lalo siyang lumala at na-infection. Iba-ibang faith healers hanggang one time, kailangan daw siyang i-confine. So noong 2 days na si Gilbert dun sa faith healer, sabi ko sa kanya, “Ako, uuwi na at hindi na kita dadalawin kasi mag-aaway lang kami ni Mommy. Ngayon, kung nandiyan ang pananampalataya mo, iiwan kita. Basta ako, uuwi na ako. Kung kailan mo gusto umuwi, umuwi ka.” Sabi ni Gilbert, “Sasama na ako sa ‘yo.” ‘Yung mommy nya ang daming biniling langis, kung anu-anong mga dahon, may mga twigs na panglaga, etc. Pagdating sa bahay, itinapon ko lahat ‘yun. May nagsumbong sa Mommy ni Gilbert and a misunderstanding arose between me and my in-laws. Walang dumalaw sa kanila kay Gilbert after that. Sobrang na-infect ang psoriasis ni Gilbert dahil sa mga ipinahid at ginawa sa kanya ng mga faith healer.
A doctor friend we consulted treated Gilbert’s skin condition. Kinailangang three times a day siya pinapaliguan. ‘Yung mga men sa church ang tumulong mag-alaga kay Gilbert. Pumupunta sila sa bahay at sila ang nagpapaligo sa kanya. Umaga’t hapon naman na pinupuntahan siya ng aming pastor at ipinapag-pray.
One time na kinumusta si Gilbert ng driver ng boss namin, sinabihan niya ako, “Ibalik mo na sa Lord ‘yan!” Nawalan ako ng peace of mind, kapag kasi ganun ang sinabi, ibig sabihin, wala nang pag-asa. Pag-uwi, nagmuni-muni ako tapos nag-pray. Sabi ko, “Lord, hindi ko po alam ang ibig sabihin nung driver…pero ako, bilang anak mo, Ikaw ang Creator. I offer Gilbert’s whole body to you. Kung pagagalingin mo siya, do it now, Lord. Kung hindi naman, kunin Mo na po siya. Hirap na hirap po akong makita siya araw-gabi na ganoon. After ng prayer na ‘yun, nagkaroon na ako ng peace of mind. Nawala na ‘yung worries ko. Dati sa office, ayokong naririnig ang phone kasi isa dun ang kasambahay ko at naririndi ako sa sinasabi niya. Thankfully, naka-recover si Gilbert.
‘Nung maka-recover na si Gilbert, sumama siya sa church at nag-respond sa altar call. Sabi niya, iba daw pala talaga ang nakay-Lord ka. Before pa na-overdose si Gilbert ng steroids, we had been praying for another child. When Gilbert got well, I got pregnant. I was worried kasi baka may side effect sa baby ’yung mga naging medication ni Gilbert, but I gave birth to a healthy baby naman, si Sarah Lei.
Recently, nagka-problema ako sa kidney at tinanggal na ‘yung left kidney ko. Actually, in 2015, may nakita ng bukol sa left kidney ko sa ultrasound, pero noong nagpa-CT scan ako, no evidence daw ng bukol kaya tumigil na ako sa pagpapa-check-up. Two years later, nagkaroon ako ng chronic UTI and then sa CT Scan, lumabas ulit ‘yung bukol sa left kidney ko and nodules sa lungs. Kasalanan ko rin na hindi ako nag-seek ng second opinion noon kaya ngayon ang dami kong pinagdadaanan. Merong ultrasound, CT-Scan, PEP-Scan. Ang hirap pero I still see God in my situation. Siya talaga ang nakakaalam ng lahat. Ang doctors kasi limitado lang ang kaya nilang gawin. Six months na akong ganito, nagda-dialysis twice a week. Soon mag-i-start na rin ang chemo treatment ko. Nakakapagod din. One time, bumigay ako, umiyak. I remember na after that, nabasa ko ‘yung Philippians 1:29, “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.”
Sa situation ko ngayon, marami kaming natututunan ni Gilbert, pati sa pagpra-pray, tinuturuan kami ni Lord. Nadi-discover namin how the Lord talks to us, how He wants us to pray. Kapag nagbabasa ka ng Bible, maraming inire-reveal sa’yo si Lord through His Word. Ako talaga, I hate waiting. Nakikita ko idine-develop ni Lord sa akin ang patience at perseverance. Alam mo na, kapag manager ka ng company, gusto mo kung may ipinapagawa ka, agad-agad gagawin, kapag hindi, ako na ang gagawa. I’m learning to be patient.
“Tinuturuan din ako ni Lord maging thankful. Sa situation ko ngayon, it is so hard to thank God. Wala akong gana kumain, wala akong panglasa, pero itinuro ng Lord kung paano ko Siya pasasalamatan. I was reminded that God gave me 5 senses- ‘yung sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. How did God bless me with my eyes, my ears, my tongue, my nose, my hands before I got sick? Sabi ko, ‘Lord, thank You for the eyes You have given me, kasi You brought me to so many places to see some of Your creations, for being able to observe other cultures, their habits, their way of living, etc. Lord, thank You for the sense of touch. I can feel the hugs of my loved ones. Thank You, Lord, sa mga kamay ko, nakakamayan ko at nahahawakan ‘yung mga kumakamay at humahawak din sa akin, nararamdaman ko ‘yung touch ng asawa at mga anak ko, mga clients ko. Lord, wala po akong sense of taste ngayon, walang appetite but I will look back on how You gave me the kind of appetite for everything that I enjoyed eating in the past. Bago nawala ‘yung appetite ko, na-enjoy ko na ‘yung mga ‘yun. Tapos, sense of hearing, narinig ko ang Salita Mo kaya nabuo ang pananampalataya ko sa Iyo. Kung wala ‘yun, mahirap ang sign language. ‘Yung sense of smell, naalala ko, gustong-gusto ko noong bata pa ako ‘yung simoy ng hangin sa probinsiya.
“Sa mga dark moments tulad noong nagkasakit si Gilbert at sa pagkakasakit ko, ang Word of God ang nagsisilbing ilaw ko. Nararamdaman ko na sa lahat ng mga trials ko sa life, hindi ako nag-iisa. Kasama ko si Lord.”
