Pester Power Drove to Faith Power

Anamaria Teresa C. Aquino, 36, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, major in Computer Science. 
She lives in Marikina City.
Anamaria’s  job has to do with an online casino which she describes as a “sinful place.”
Her little son brought her to a happier place.

Her Story

I was not a regular churchgoer. I heard Mass whenever I just felt like going. I did not join any religious community. And neither was I a Bible reader.

Finding The Feast

I heard about The Feast from my six-year-old son. He heard about Feast Bluewave Marikina from his cousins whose parents brought them to the prayer gathering. The children became members of The Feast version for children called Awesome Kids,  and whenever they played with my son, the cousins gushed about,  yes, the awesome activities.

So day in and day out, my son bugged me to bring him to Feast Bluewave Marikina. Yes, God would do all He can to bring us unto His fold. For me, he used a kid’s Pester Power to drive me to Faith Power.

The first time I attended The Feast, people warmly welcomed me, even hugged me, as if we’ve known each other for a long time.

Aside from the life-changing talks, this is what I like most about The Feast: There, you are accepted whatever your status in life is. There, I don’t feel like I am an outcast. I feel from my brothers and sisters God’s unconditional love for me.

Within three weeks that I’d been attending The Feast,  I faced a trial I never thought would happen to me—  especially at the time when I had started to get close to God. I thought He was being unfair to me, and so I cried out to Him, “Why?!”

I felt so bad, I did not feel like attending The Feast anymore.

But friends in Feast Bluewave comforted me. They did not allow me to stray away from the Lord. They embraced me and gently guided me closer to God. They let me feel how much God loves me— even as I’d questioned Him a lot. And so I realized there are trials that  have to happen to you so you will hold on to God.

Instead of walking away, I decided to serve God in Feast Bluewave. I am now a member of the Food Ministry.

 Back to The Church

Through The Feast, I learned so much regarding the Catholic Faith.

Like, before, I thought the Holy Mass was simply an obligation Catholics must fulfil. At The Feast, I learned that the Holy Mass is the “highest form of worship.” I learned that the host we take during Holy Communion is not just a symbol of the Body and Blood of Christ. It is Jesus we take and accept as we remember that God loves us so much, He sent His only begotten Son so that we may be redeemed from sin.