Good morning. I am Celito A. Tamban.
Before I came to know Jesus Christ, I did not have peace. Since early childhood, I would see my parents fight every day, and most of the time, it was due to my father’s fault. My father was jobless. He was also a drunkard and a gambler.
At that time, I thought he was the most irresponsible father in the world and I was the most unfortunate son. Whenever I committed mistakes, he would hit me, punch me, kick me and ask me to get naked and leave the house.
My father knew that all my life, I have always dreamt of becoming a doctor, but he told me that I would never be one. It was only my mother who encouraged me. By then, I had made up my mind that I would never be like my father.
To forget our family problems, I focused on studying. I was a consistent honor student from grade school to high school. On the external, I felt happy with my achievements; but deep inside, I was hurting, especially when I think about the kind of family that I have.
By God’s grace I was given a scholarship for my four-year pre-medical course. Because of this, I had to leave my family and go to Manila. During that time, my mother resigned from her job so she could take care of my other siblings.
It turned out, however, that my father sold our family properties one by one and spent the money on his vices, drunkard friends, and a suspected second family. After some time, my mother was no longer able to send me money to support my studies. I decided to go home and what I discovered broke my heart.
We had no electricity at home. My mother and siblings would only eat once, maybe twice a day and no stores would allow them to borrow goods. Worse, all of them were sick. I cried so hard, blamed GOD and asked Him why He allowed this to happen to us. I went back to Manila, sad and frustrated, and my dreams of becoming a doctor faded.
Year 1999, a dorm mate shared with me about Jesus. He quoted Matthew 11:28- “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” That night, we prayed and I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. I started reading the Bible and sharing the love of God with my classmates and friends. Even though the condition of my family remained the same, I felt a certain kind of peace that I have never felt before.
When I was going to invite my parents to my college graduation, I was very excited. By GOD’s grace, I graduated Magna Cum Laude. The same foundation that supported me during my four-year pre-medical course committed to also finance my degree to become a doctor of medicine.
But all the excitement soon died out when my mother told me that she cannot stand my father any longer and that they had to separate. My father admitted to me that he wasted all our money and that he really was having an affair.
I was hurt. I began questioning GOD and started to backslide. I wanted to quit medicine so that I can work and help my mother who was deeply troubled because she did not know how to provide for us by working as a fish ball vendor.
But GOD is good and HE really works in ways we cannot see. Year 2004, when I was about to quit, a classmate from CCF counseled me and prayed for me. She invited me to attend worship service in CCF.
At that time, GOD spoke to me clearly. During the message, the pastor said, “If HE gave HIS only son for us, will HE not give everything to us?” That night, I cried, prayed and apologized to GOD. It was then that God reminded me about the story of the prodigal son.
At that point, I recommitted myself to become HIS servant. HE changed and healed my heart from the hurts and failures of the past. I had the inner peace that I had lost. I started attending worship services and discipleship group consistently.
After years of constant praying, the LORD answered my prayer. Last December 2004, my mother and two other siblings accepted CHRIST in their lives. I’m really thankful to GOD because He gave me the wisdom and strength to share the gospel with them. That same year, my father visited us and instead of becoming bitter, I decided to forgive him in spite of everything.
April 2006, just when I was to give up my dream of becoming a doctor, I finished my degree and became one of the top students of our batch. August 2007, I passed the physician licensure examination and last February 2011, by GOD’s grace, I became one of the top passers of our specialty board exam in internal medicine.
I believe that I owe everything to GOD and because of this, I make sure that I am able to maximize my profession so that I can be an extension of HIS healing grace to other people.
However, working in a government hospital really shook my faith. I have seen numerous patients dying just because they don’t have enough money to go through the laboratory exams or buy the necessary medications.
There were times when the patient’s relatives would even cry before me because they don’t have money to buy food or to bring the patient to the hospital. These caused me to develop bitterness towards GOD. I almost lost faith in Him, if not through the persistent prayers of my D12.
GOD spoke to me through Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
By GOD’s grace, He enabled me to help these patients by helping me find social organizations that could finance their laboratories and medications. There were times when GOD would allow me to use my personal income to help them. I also took every opportunity to share the gospel to my patients, telling them how much GOD loves them. With the help of my Christian friends, we also started a bible study group in the hospital. By HIS grace, I’m also handling a Dgroup at CCF.
At present, I’m still praying that God would cause transformation in my father’s life. Even if he already asked forgiveness from us, he still lives with his family. Truly, in any circumstances, we could be bitter or better.
Because of the love I received from GOD I decided to be a better person. I am still a work in progress but I know that GOD is faithful to complete the work HE started in me. To HIM be all the glory, honor and praise!
Live
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