I’m originally from the Philippines. Then we immigrated in 1996 to the United States. 

This is my first time in Medjugorje.

When I was still in the Philippines, my mommy went I think five times, and three times she was bringing the ashes of my dad back and forth, just carrying it with her. The last time I think she came up was when she was 75 years old. She’s a strong woman.

My dad’s ashes are here. He went here once. Then he would have liked to come back, but he already had cancer of the lungs. He had one lung and just a part of the other lung. It metastasized. It went to his bones.

He died May 24th. We were still in the Philippines. He was waiting for me because I was the last one to get out, to migrate here. He was buried May 28th, on my birthday.

Medjugorje is really an experience. It’s not something that you find every day. Filipinos are religious because of Spanish people, they taught us our faith. I grew up with the nuns and things like that, but at times, you question things.

Medjugorje is really something different. Different than Lourdes and Fatima for me.

The presence is…I don’t know. I’m very emotional. I cried. 

This is a dream. I hope I can come back again when I’m feeling better. Hopefully, but of course, as you grow older, your body is weak. 

People should do it when they’re young because, it’s a good guide for them to be a much better person. 

I wish my kids could come because they started not going to church. I think religion should not be pushed because that’s what I did to my kids. They were sacristans, altar boys and everything. We took care of one capilla in one subdivision where we lived. We fund raised and things like that. 

My second to the youngest said, “Mommy, I’ve gone to churches more than what my peers have done. Early in the morning, you wake us up, dress us up because we have to be a sacristan. Those things are more than enough.” The processions in our country during Lenten season are really every day. It’s really very tiring. I did not notice that with the kids. 

Parents should give an example to their kids. I gave them an example, but they did not receive it. Probably it was taught a different way. You force them to believe, you know, say this Rosary, do this, go to communion. I think it should really come from your heart.

They went to private school with the nuns and everything, but something has to happen for them to experience so it will be lasting.

I wish they could have come here and experience.

That is really a cycle of life. You will return to your faith. That’s what I believe. 

I expected I would like to see a miracle and things like that. But I said to myself, “Don’t be greedy. Other people would like that too. If it happens, it happens.” 

And it did yesterday. It started when Nancy was talking. Then when we came out, Maria said, “Connie, the sun is spinning. Look, look!”

Things that you don’t expect will happen. At times when you ask for something, it will not be given to you. 

My plan was to go up the hill. It was not given to me so probably I have to come back again to finish my mission. My husband said, “We will go together.”