Experiencing the Presence of God in the Hands of 3 Hold Uppers in a Cab

July 13, 2012, Friday – I rode a cab along Makati Ave. corner Sto. Tomas Street at exactly 10:35pm to go home. I decided to take one because I was too tired to commute and I wanted to go home fast.  As soon as I sat inside the vehicle, I texted the taxi’s name and plate number to Daniel which was Paland Taxi PNT 858. I decided not to turn the volume of my phone up. Just exactly when I placed my phone on my side, things went so fast.

It started when we were still along Makati Ave. before reaching Paseo De Roxas Street. There was suddenly a man hiding on the front seat. He just went over the seat and attacked me while holding a long pointed object. God impressed on my instinct to just bow and hug myself for a little protection. I was literally shaking and I literally couldn’t breathe. It was the first time I experienced REAL and FIRST HAND fear. Fear of the highest extent. The man grabbed my bag and I voluntarily gave it while handing him my other (inexpensive) phone. He told me to remove the sim card immediately. Then the driver told me to transfer to the other side (behind the driver’s seat where the door was child-locked) by passing in front of the man beside me. Before going up the flyover at Buendia, the cab stopped to pick up another man who was waiting. He was short and stout and I guess was in his 50’s. I was crying and pleading that they wouldn’t hurt me. The man beside me just kept telling me not to worry because they wouldn’t hurt me as long as I stay calm and not fight back. I prayed aloud with them hearing it. I prayed, “Lord Jesus, hawakan Niyo po ang mga puso nitong mga mama na ito na hindi po nila ako saktan at ibaba na po nila ako agad.” Then I handed them the last 3 Tagalog Gospel Tracts that I had in my bag. It was very traffic in EDSA which made the suffering longer. But I kept praying. I never stopped praying.

I praise and thank God for giving me peace and presence of mind the whole time. I tried getting as many information from the man who was beside me. He told me his name is Ben and that he was 41 years old. He confessed that he really didn’t want to do it, but he had to because his 7-year old son has leukemia and that his wife keeps nagging him whenever he doesn’t bring home money. He was complaining about the government, about rich people not helping poor and unemployed people. He told me they thought I was rich and that it was payday so they decided to victimize me. He was very apologetic that they had to do it to me. He kept telling me to apologize to my family for him for doing this. He just needed the money. He promised me that he wouldn’t hurt me as long as I cooperate with them and not cause a scandal. He promised me that he would read the Gospel Tract I gave him when he gets home and that He would one day thank me for giving him that. He asked me to pray for him and his family. I assured him of God’s love and providence as long as we trust and obey Him. I told him that it’s not yet too late to change and that he can still find a job despite his age which he never stopped complaining about. I kept talking to them about God. The driver just kept quiet while the other man in front told me to shut up and kept asking me about the pin codes of my ATM cards. I don’t know if a single word of what Mang Ben said was true.

As the whole thing was transpiring, I was doing my best to keep my other phone. They didn’t see it and I praise God they didn’t hear it when it was ringing. I compressed it under my left thigh so that they wouldn’t see it. The radio in the taxi was pretty loud so they didn’t hear it that much when it rang. But when I heard the ringing, I kept talking and babbling random things just so they wouldn’t hear it ringing. I feared that they would get my hard-earned cellphone and that they would hurt me for hiding it from them (which may even lead to worse things). I pretended that I have this disease that my skin gets very itchy all over whenever I get nervous. So when I was pretending to scratch my entire body, I was discreetly turning off my cellphone and hiding it inside my pants. I tried hiding it on my behind but I thought that they would easily see it when I get down. So despite how disgusting and unhygienic it was, I hid it inside my underwear as though it was a sanitary napkin. When I finally placed it there, my feeling lightened a little.

We stopped at a BDO ATM somewhere in Cubao. They tried to check my BDO account. Good thing that it was the BDO card that I got from my previous work which is now closed. Then they got my BPI. We stopped at BPI along Quezon Ave. They tried it. It was my payroll account. I just praise and thank God that my salary wasn’t transferred to our accounts yet. PRAISE GOD. The short and stout man was very dismayed when he saw my BPI card empty. I didn’t tell him it was my payroll account.  As the man got down the cab to go to a BPI ATM, I sang loudly, “God is so good. God is so good. God is so good, is so good to me.” As I finished singing, Mang Ben told the driver, “Wag na natin siya ilayo. Ibaba na natin siya sa sakayan. Mabait toh.” Then he turned to me and told me, “Wag ka mag-alala iha ah, ibaba ka namin sa sakayan at hindi ka na namin ilalayo. Mag relax ka nalang jan at baka isugod ka pa namin sa ospital pag may nangyari sayo.  Ang bait bait mo. Parang kang anghel. Buti hindi ka na lumaban at baka nasaktan ka pa namin.”

It took about 1 ½ hours before they dropped me off in the middle of Quezon Ave. near Sgt. Esguerra. I crossed the highway.  As I was walking, I came across a woman whose name is Aling Joan. She helped and accompanied me looking for a police. We arrived at Mercury Drugstore at Quezon Ave. corner Sct. Borromeo Street. No matter how good and innocent she was, I found it hard to trust people already that time. So I told her that I will just wait inside Mercury Drugstore. I went inside and asked the security guard for a telephone I could use while I was crying incessantly. They allowed me to go inside their office. The Assistant Manager of that branch, Mr. Mhel, accompanied me while I was waiting for Kuya Renjay, Tito Val and Debra to fetch me. Sir Mhel advised me to call BPI immediately so they could block my account at once. And surely I did. I talked to a certain Paul from BPI Express Banking 89-100 and he patiently helped me block my account and took the initiative to have my card replaced immediately. Sir Mhel and the security guard on duty that time took care of me and even gave me a bottle of water. They allowed me to sit and wait inside the office. They coordinated with my brother about the exact address of the branch. At around 12:30am, Kuya Renjay, Tito Val and Debra arrived.

What a relief I felt when I saw my brother, my uncle and my cousin. They hugged me instantly when they saw me. Debra cried with me as she hugged me and comforted me by telling me she knows exactly how I feel because she just underwent a similar situation just this week as well. When we got home, Mommy, Lolo, Lola, Mama Aida and Daniel were all there expectantly waiting for me all red and teary-eyed. I felt the relief that came upon them when they saw me enter our door safe, sound and complete. I hugged each of them while all of us were crying. I believe those tears were a little of fear, but most of it were tears of thankfulness to God that I’m back home.

The whole experience taught and reminded me a lot of things. I learned that before riding a taxi, check all the parts of the car. NEVER EVER RIDE AN OLD AND BULOK TAXI!!! I learned to have someone (preferably a security guard) to accompany me when getting a cab.

I was reminded of the OVERWHELMING LOVE and CARE that my loved ones have for me. The time and effort that they sacrificed just to fetch me and assure that I’m already safe no matter how late it was already and no matter how far away they live. The anxiety it caused them and the efforts they made in reporting to radio stations. I am just truly blessed for having truly loving and caring people around me. I just couldn’t stop thanking God for them. They are truly the BEST BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE.

To all those who cried, worried, feared, prayed and thanked God with me, MARAMING MARAMING SALAMAT PO FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

I was also reminded that despite these rampant crimes being done to innocent people by strangers, there are still a few good people who are willing to help without asking for anything in return. And that is what I learned through Aling Joan, Sir Mhel and the Security Guard. Even if they don’t know me, even if they could have had the chance to think that I could have been victimizing them, they still trusted me and helped me find my way.

But the most important lesson I learned is this—GOD ALWAYS WATCHES OVER HIS CHILDREN AND HE IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING. God just orchestrated everything and His timing is always perfect. The time that I bought those Gospel Tracts, the time that mom got home a bit late, the time that my brother woke up to attend our Family Bible Study at home, the time that our Family Bible Study started and ended a little late, the time that Daniel fell asleep early, but was awaken just in time, the time that Daniel called Mama Aida to ask if I was home, the time I called the house to tell them of my situation…EVERYTHING was just perfect timing.

I felt that, despite being in the midst of those perpetrators, God was with me the whole time. He was the One who gave me peace and presence of mind in the midst of that tragic event. He was the One who impressed in my mind and heart what to do and what to say. God gave me strength and courage. He allowed me to be in the hands of unprofessional hold uppers and didn’t allow them to touch and hurt me. I am just so overwhelmed with God’s UNFATHOMABLE LOVE and plans He has for His children.

I am reminded of the passage that we’ve been tackling in church these past few weeks which is Psalm 23 and it says,

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

 I want to believe that one of the reasons why God has allowed this to happen, aside from those I’ve mentioned earlier, is for those 3 men to know and hear about Him. They may not have the opportunity to listen and hear about God’s love for them despite their sinfulness. I want to believe that God used me for them to know about Him through what I said and through the Gospel Tracts that I gave them. As Romans 8:28 says, 

²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

I also want to believe that God is teaching me about FORGIVENESS which I am still working on. He is teaching me to forgive these men in my heart no matter how much trauma and fear they’ve caused me. God reminded me of His great love and forgiveness towards all of us no matter how bad or how great our sins are. Therefore, we do not have the right not to forgive those who have sinned against us.

This has been a very memorable experience for me. Bottom line is, I am just so thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ, my Shepherd, Who comforted and protected me and Who just orchestrated everything to happen in His perfect timing.