A Path to a Renewed Life

By: Cor Marcojos





The Author's parents with Marcojos & Agoo families - all from CDE!
From L-R: Melmarx, Cor, River, Rain & Rock Marcojos;
Noli (+) & Josie Barredo; Onet & Cathy Agoo 

 It has been almost three years since my father passed away.  We felt the loss but it was my mother, Josie, who suffered the most.  We know that losing dad made her lose part of herself, or perhaps, completely.  Most of our loved ones and friends would know that my dad and mom practically did everything together.  During my dad’s wake, my mom tearfully shared how much she will miss doing things with him - going through all family traditions together, attending Marriage Encounter together, writing and giving talks together, eating and watching T.V. together and even doing household chores together.  Yes, the redundancy of the word will tell how much they have spent time TOGETHER.  As mom tried to pick up the pieces, we were aware that we can no longer put them back the way they were (Or, as mom held on to her good memories, we were aware that she can no longer relive them.)  Having been converted to the Lord for years, we, her children, know that there is more to her life than days without purpose and nights without sleep.  With our deep trust and love for God, we knew He still has so much more in store for her.

Lo and behold, there was Pathways. 

Part of me was saying, I am called to bring someone to Pathways but a greater part of me was saying I need to bring my mom to Pathways.  I found it an awkward task to invite her as I was not too sure if she was ready to open herself to practically anything new.  I also didn’t know how I will receive rejection (especially) from her who I knew needed the touch of God the most.  But, her bouts of depression and series of memory lapses made me decide that it was time.  Her grief was so deep that she cried to us all the time and she couldn’t even remember recent significant experiences with us, like a family vacation we had a few months back.  With grace and confidence in the Lord, I invited her to join the very first Pathways meeting of the Central Sector.  Initially, she was hesitant and almost said no.  But, with a little of my prodding and explaining, she finally agreed to attend.  I’m sure she didn’t realize what her saying “yes” meant but, I knew that she did it out of compliance and obedience.

Week after week, my mom faithfully joined the Pathways meetings.  She first attended and finished the ECLS, then, she continued on with the regular meetings.  As expected, she grew in her love for the Lord and even in her love for the brothers and sisters who have been constantly caring for her and her co-members.  From the groping meetings in Lay Force to the more established site in Poveda, my mom never missed a meeting (except for one where she had to attend an important family affair.)  She additionally attends our sector gatherings too.  More than the attendance, I saw how she more and more accepted her circumstance and how much she rediscovered her love for the Lord, solely and purely, but this time WITHOUT dad.  I could see that my mom has become more joyful, her days grace-filled and her life more purposeful.  It’s also funny to note that more and more brothers and sisters come-up to her first to greet her while I wait in line.

Recently, I received several feedbacks about my mom’s inspiring sharing during the last prayer meeting of Pathways for the year.  I was told that she talked about her life after dad passed away, how she came to know Ligaya, and the blessings she received after joining Pathways.  I am so grateful to the Lord!  After attending for more than a year, she is again opening herself and freely sharing her blessings with other people.

The Author's mom, Josie,
in a Pathways meeting. 

I do not claim for myself the work the Lord has done in my mom.  Since she stays in her own home, I and my siblings had to set-up special sleeping and transportation arrangements for her so that she would be able to attend each meeting.  Without the practical help and moral support of my sisters and their husbands, Christine and Patrick, and most of all, Cathy and Onet and my brother Olin, who bring her painstakingly to and from the site every Friday, mom would have not experienced her new life in Christ.  My great gratitude also goes to all Pathways servants who have always been there from the beginning, not only for my mom, but for all the participants.  They may not be aware of it but, they impact the lives of many by the practical and personal service they bring to those they meet. I also honour them for pressing on, especially when Pathways was experiencing its growing pains.

We, who have been in community for years and who may sometimes look at community inwardly, probably see Pathways as a mere venue for recruitment, or, at most, a means of bringing faceless people to the Lord.  With mom’s transformation, God once again reminds us that evangelization is not simply bringing them to Him.  It is actually offering wandering, thirsty and even suffering people a new life – a fullness of life in Christ.  We may never know the magnitude that their conversion brings but, God definitely has a lot in store for them, much more than we can ever imagine!

About the Author:

Cor was renewed through Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon in 1994.  She joined Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon in 1997 and became a covenanted member in 2001. She is  married to Melmarx for 13 years and their children are Rock and Rain (JYA) and River (FOJ).  Cor is currently working part time for the Asian Regional Office of the Sword of the Spirit.  She is now serving as a Senior Woman Leader.  Her siblings, Tin (CDB), Cathy (CDE), Olin (CDD), and her brother-in-laws, Patrick (CDB) and Onet (CDE), are also members of the Community.