Buhawi in Cabuyao
by Oliver Carlos
In 2017, we bought a brand new Suzuki Ertiga. I also bought a nice portable garage for the car. It was a foldable tent that is 3 x 6 meters in dimension. That car was our family’s delight and we wanted to take good care of it.
One afternoon, when my wife and I were at work, there was a very strong downpour of rain. Our office was around 1 kilometer away from home. There were hearsays of a twister or ipu-ipo in the vicinity. Several sightings of mini twisters were noted in the past several days in the Laguna area. I don’t know how and why they happen, but they do occur.
On that day, we didn’t use the Ertiga, but instead we used our old Suzuki Alto to beat the terrible traffic in Cabuyao. On our way home that night, we saw lots of large fallen acacia branches along the way. We were wondering, how could these branches get ripped off from the trees if it’s just a downpour that happened? When we arrived home, we got shocked at what we saw in our yard. My portable tent got crumpled like paper and the debris were all over the Ertiga! The rumor of the twister was true, and it actually ran smack into our yard.
Memories of Typhoon Gloria crushing my old red Suzuki van years ago came back. But this time around was different. I praise the Lord that no damage happened to my van. It was miraculously spared by God. Only the tent was destroyed by the buhawi. I used to put old towels on the roof and hood of my car to protect it from cats’ scratches. Those towels cushioned the metal bars that fell on the Ertiga. And of course, there was divine intervention why no single metal bar caused a scratch or dent on the car.
This experience reminded me of what happened to Job. One day, his children were partying, then a very strong wind destroyed the house where the children were feasting and drinking. All of Job’s children died in that incident. But what was more stunning was Job’s response to tragedy:
“At this, Job got up and tore his robe…..he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” (Job 1:20–22, NIV)
There are 3 things I learned from this story. These can be our dos and don’ts when something similar happens to us.
№1, we must never curse God. No matter how bitter the tragedy was, Job still had the reverence for his God. We can read in the earlier verses of that chapter that Satan’s objective was to make us curse God. If we give in, that would be victory for the enemy.
№2, instead of being bitter towards God, we must worship God. Even though the situation was tragic, Job still found reasons to rejoice. He did not thank God for the situation, but he rejoiced in the situation. Job trusted God that he has purposes for everything, and one day he would see them clearly. In the meantime, he would just continue trusting God in everything that is happening in his life.
Worshipping God also means that we must put our possessions in the right perspective. Job in his worship, exclaimed that he came to earth with nothing, and when he would die, he couldn’t bring a single earthly possession with him. Things are temporary, even relationships. If we over dwell on them to the point that God takes second seat, that’s not pleasing to God, that’s not worship. Worship is placing God at his rightful place in our lives- the top spot in our hearts.
№3, we must be ready when God calls us home. Job’s children died at a very unexpected time, they were in a birthday party. The buhawi in Cabuyao happened when we were busy at work. You’ll never know when tragedy will strike. You’ll never know when your time is up. The important thing is that you are ready.
Life is mysterious and unpredictable. In this light, we must trust God in every situation, acknowledge that his purposes are sovereign, and he knows what is best for us.
