With a bit of luck, some geomancy, and lots of prayers

THERE was a time in Marites Allen’s life when she didn’t feel on top of the world like she does now.

“I got married early, and had three small children back in Cebu, then my marriage fell apart. I also lost my mother in a tragic accident. I didn’t understand why all these things happened.” At that time, she was working for AusAid, the Australian government’s overseas assistance program, and some of Marites’s bosses were into feng shui, or the science of geomancy. It was explained to her that she was married to the wrong guy and that her house had “bad feng shui”. Eventually, she moved to Manila to start her life anew. (Click Something Like Life for the rest.)

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(For more information on the Feng Shui Spectacular 2010: Riding the Golden Tiger Updates, please call any WOFS boutique at The Podium – 5716898; Serendra – 9097088; Glorietta IV – 8188858; Mall of Asia 5560615; The Block North Edsa – 4420113; and Metro Cebu – 231 4088. Other hotline nos. include 4126888 / 4672195 / 0920-9509390 OR ARIVA hotlines at 895 8058 / 8958527 / 890961, or you may register through www.maritesallen.com.)

From someone who's not a Cory fan

Let me confess right now that I was not a fan of Tita Cory. I didn’t even join the People Power Revolution in 1986, out of respect to my father who was in government then. (I did sneak out the next day to Malacañang after the Marcoses had abandoned it.) Previous to that, I didn’t vote in the snap elections that had thrust whom everyone dubbed as “just a plain housewife” into the political limelight. (Click Something Like Life for the rest.)

The power of prayers

Like many of her media colleagues, friends and relatives, I, too, subscribed to an e-mail group that had been set up so Chet could give us almost daily updates on Margie’s condition. At times, many of us felt weepy and helpless reading Chet’s updates, especially when it seemed that Margie’s condition had taken a turn for the worst. And then, she would get better, and we would all breath a sigh of relief, thankful that the good Lord had heard our prayers. (For the rest, click Something Like Life, July 31, 2009.)

(UPDATE 1:05 pm, Aug. 1, 2009) Thank you Lord for lending us Tita Cory. She has served You well.

Read this obit by veteran journalist Seth Mydans in NYT.

Isn't she lovely?

JUST got this email from Chet Espino, husband of friend and media colleague Margie Quimpo Espino via our yahoogroups. If you remember, I told you about how Margie had suffered an aneurysm last December while traveling in India. She literally was on the brink of death two-three times, but she was brought back and healed by the Lord.

Margie is living proof of how powerful prayers are. We should never lose hope. We should keep praying. He will answer.

Here's Chet:

Mother's Day was extra special yesterday as we also marked our 18th wedding anniversary with both sides of the family coming over for another big celebration.

Words are no longer enough to describe Margie now, but I hope the attached photo helps.



She still needs your prayers for the recovery of both her legs and her left arm. Therapy is becoming more and more difficult as her sensorium is almost fully restored and the experience of pain is much more felt.

Please join us in our daily thanksgiving not just for Margie's amazing recovery, but for God's gift of family for all of us.

P.S. -- For those who missed the television show, here it is on youtube:



Many thanks to Ms. Karen Davila and her crew for a wonderful handling of the story.

Woohoo! Congratulations to Margie and Chet for 18 wonderful years, and counting! Love you both. You are inspiration to us all.

Here's Margie now

THIS photo truly brought me joy.


Our colleague and friend Margie Quimpo-Espino has been recovering well (right, in wheelchair), thanks to everyone's prayers. She still has problems in her physical rehab, which is why Chet, her husband, is again asking for our prayers to help Margie along. Here's his email:

Happy Easter to all of you! Please see the attached photo -- this is Margie now. The picture was taken last Easter Sunday, after Holy Mass attended by members of both our families. We celebrated over lunch at home afterwards.

Margie gained another pound-and-a- half the week and has been eating well. She complains a lot but always finishes her food (e.g., "it's so hard to get this thin and you ask me to eat so much.")

Dr. Macalintal was visibly elated by her recovery when we came for a follow-up check today. But Dr. Gozum, Margie's rehab doctor, wasn't as happy. She's ordering more workouts as Margie's legs and left arm are way below expectations.

And this is why I write again, to ask for more of your prayers; more of the same prayers that got her this far.

Also, we have agreed to Ms. Karen Davila to feature our family in her show Wonder Mom which will air this Saturday at 9:45 a.m. Ms. Davila had wanted to do an inspirational story and we agreed that if that is the intention, then our story is not just ours to keep.

SO on their family's behalf, may I again seek your help in praying for Margie? God bless.

Margie's home!

OUR friend and colleague Margie Quimpo-Espino, who had suffered a stroke almost three months ago while on a press tour in New Delhi, has just arrived with her husband, Chet. She is now at the Asian Hospital in Alabang where she will undergo more therapy and medical care under our really great Pinoy doctors.

I couldn't help but shed tears as I saw the latest photos sent out by Chet of their homecoming, albeit it was at the hospital. The hugs his children gave him and the look on the faces of Margie's family as they welcomed her back were just all too precious. Although I wanted to share w/ you those photos, forgive me for not doing so, out of respect for the family.

There are many who have written me who don't know Margie personally but said they have prayed just the same, like all of her friends, for her recovery and safe return home. To them we say, thank you. From your lips to God's ears.

Pls. keep praying and saying those novenas for Margie and her family, that they may face her long road to recovery and rehabilitation with strength and grace. No request is too large or small for the Lord. He hears us and will answer us.

"And all things, whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive." (Matthew 21:22)

Something more to Christmas

THIS morning I received some good news about a friend's husband who had been suffering from cancer. She says that due to a radical new medical treatment, his health has improved tremendously in just a span of two weeks -- his lumps have decreased, and some have totally disappeared.

Of course, I know in my heart that some higher power is at work here, too. A number of his friends and family have been storming the heavens with prayers, asking for his healing. It's one of those situations when we realize who really is in control of our lives.

This development comes at a time so close to Christmas making us all remember it's real meaning. Pangs sent me this video, his Christmas gift, which I also would like to share with all of you. This is in part to give thanks to our friend's healing, and to remind us all that there is something more to Christmas than just the presents and the food at Noche Buena.



A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you!

Keep the faith.