The early days of the pandemic were a period of paralyzing fear, nowhere more intensely felt than in densely populated areas. Quezon City, located at the very heart of the Philippines, became a major epicenter where the virus and the accompanying economic lockdowns hit hardest. For the Couples for Christ West C Sector in Metro Manila, the crisis escalated beyond health concerns. It became a crisis of survival.
As Brother Alfred Alejo introduced the collective experience, the sheer volume of need was staggering: the sector quickly saw over one thousand families facing potential starvation. The logistical challenge was immense: how to distribute essential goods when movement was restricted, and fear was rampant?
This deep societal and spiritual distress required a radical act of surrender, and God found His instrument in the home of West C Cluster Heads Randy and Sol de Torres.
The Trial of the Open Door
As the sector’s leadership searched desperately for a hub to manage the relief operations, they ran into constant roadblocks. The government’s pervasive “no visitors allowed” policy made securing a conventional distribution site nearly impossible.
It was during this time of intense logistical difficulty that Sol suggested using their own private residence. Randy, a dedicated servant but also a loving husband and father, was understandably hesitant. Opening their home to streams of volunteers and relief goods presented a great risk to his family’s safety and health. The moment represented a powerful, universal dilemma: where does one draw the line between Christian service and protecting one’s own sanctuary?
In that moment of doubt, Sister Sol de Torres turned to intense, heartfelt prayer, seeking clarity from a loving Father. She lifted the burden of the decision to God, and in response, she opened an old notebook to find a message that felt divinely timed and personally delivered: “Do not fear.”
This spiritual assurance transcended human logic and anxiety. Sensing God’s clear will and guidance, Randy and Sol surrendered their hesitation, offering their entire home to the Lord’s work. This act of radical faith became the first step in unlocking a torrent of grace for the entire West C community.
Miracles and Shared Suffering
Once the De Torres home became the sector’s central depot, God responded not just with sufficiency, but with spectacular abundance. Almost instantly, cash donations poured in, followed by literal “manna” from unexpected sources. The community received truckloads of rice, trays of eggs, sacks of onions, and even two tons of frozen fish and Brazilian beef, enough for the members to eat their fill. Randy and Sol were filled with peace and Joy, knowing that their dwelling had been transformed into a house of miraculous provision.
The ripple effect of this communal love was witnessed in every corner of the sector, bringing forth stories of profound healing and spiritual endurance.
The first story of healing in their sector was the miracle of restoration, where the community witnessed life return from the brink for many. Bro. Bong was struck critically ill, lying unconscious for eight days in the ICU. The entire community, including his wife and family, prayed without ceasing. Similarly, his sibling, Bro. Marvin faced the terror of being unable to absorb enough oxygen while struggling in the corner of a hospital room. Bro. Marvin “drew strength from the prayers of his family and the community, and he survived.” Both men were restored, and Bro. Bong was eventually discharged with the astonishing news of no permanent damage to any of his organs, living today as a loud testament that Christ heals.
The second story of healing was the Timao family’s ultimate sacrifice, where the West C sector also faced the harsh reality of loss. While Bro. Jun, his wife Sis. Cora, their son and his wife struggled to survive their own illnesses, Bro. Jun and Sis. Cora continued to serve, even as Sis. Cora tragically succumbed to the virus. Their story embodies the comforting love found in the support of family and community, even in our darkest hours.
The third story of healing was about a CFC member nicknamed “Angel of Compassion”, where Bro. Bal, a medical professional, embodied sacrificial love by becoming a “walking clinic” for the community. He managed 71 COVID patients, through calling them multiple times daily to offer medical advice and comfort. When prescribed medicines were impossible to find, Bro. Bal would personally go out and deliver them to their door, sacrificing his own time and safety. Though the sheer volume of work sometimes drove him to tears in the middle of the night, Bro. Bal persevered, driven by a commitment to a “higher calling” and pure Christian love. Others, like Sis. Cecil, volunteered despite feeling unwell, relying on “an angel who took good care of her” to sustain her service.
Rise and Go Forth in Hope
The collective testimony of the CFC West C sector, introduced by Bro. Alfred Alejo and anchored by the radical surrender of Bro. Randy and Sis. Sol de Torres, speaks to the timeless truth that Christ is found most powerfully not in isolated worship, but in acts of communal love and shared suffering. When Bro. Randy and Sis. Sol gave up their personal safety and comfort, they allowed their home to become Where Christ Is: a place of physical sustenance, spiritual refuge, and miraculous healing.
Each member’s story—from the leaders and frontliners like Bal, to the recovered brothers Bong and Marvin, to the faithful who lost a loved one—reminds the global Christian community that our trials are simply the “mats” we are called to Pick Up and Go from. We are invited to let go of fear, trust in the overwhelming provision of God, and allow our own simple acts of surrender to unlock the healing power of Christ for others, transforming our personal spaces into public sanctuaries of Hope.
Credits:
Written by David Quiambao | Edited by Angeli Arellano | Graphics by Kelsy Labutte | Layout by Jay Lucena