Chapter 42 (Retrospect 1) -Hesther Alvarez Bernal, My Partner in Life & Ministry

Hesther is my partner in life and ministry. She assisted me in my different works - in my ministry and development works, marketing, publishing, farming and guiding our children in their studies, while she was fighting her hardest battle, fighting cancer.

Six months after our marriage in April 19, 1978, Hesther decided to resign from her work at Maao Sugar Planters Association. She had worked there since she was a college student. She had a permanent job with a good salaray. She resigned to join me in Iloilo City. It was a hard decision she made, leaving a permanent job and be part of my life and ministry which carried an uncertain future.

In the ministry, there were always feelings of uncertainty. During our time, Pastors were often called by the churches only for a one year term. When the term was nearing its end, pastors wait for a possible recall. The waiting was often painful and hard. For the pastor may be recalled by the church or not.

We rented the house of Rev. Apolonio Francia, near the railway in Jaro. We stayed there for nearly two years. I was assigned by Rev. Edwin Lopez, CPBC General Secretary at the national office. I was appointed Deputy Projects Coordinator. I would assist him in project conceptions, development and implementations in the Convention churches.

In order that she will not feel bored, Hesther made handkerchiefs with croquettes on the edges. She could make several dozen a week. That gave her some income. She would not feel bored. Hesther had lots of friends in Bacolod City. She had many friends working abroad. She was still developing friends in Iloilo City. She keeps communications with her friends.

She involved herself strongly in ecumenical women’s works. She joined people’s rallies in Iloilo City together with Baptist groups. She also joined Deli Baclagon, Inday Rowena Asis, and other women who were training in Manila which were scheduled when there were coming national people’s marches. She joined the People’s March in Manila with participants from the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) and other ecumenical organizations. They were in Manila for nearly two weeks.

That was a great event in Manila with thousands upon thousands of people marching from Southern Luzon and Northern Luzon joining their forces in Manila. These were in 1984.

It was during her medical check-up at NCCP after the People’s Long march that Hesther learned she was pregnant. That’s why we nicknamed our first son, Rally Boy. He was conceived when her mother was busy joining people’s rallies.

From my salary, we bought on installment a parcel of a subdivision lot. It was 185 sq meters. We have to pay for it in 5 years. We thought it will be good if we have our own small house. We can plant some vegetables and care for some chickens or quail. These will be helpful for our daily needs. We cared 1,000 quails and sold some eggs to nearby homes. We cared quails for many years until Typhoon f’rank came and destroyed all our quails that were laying eggs.

We kept a part of my salary to buy materials for our house. We bought little by little every payday, galvanized sheets for roofing. We bought nails that will be needed. We slowly bought some Lawanit for our walls. It was about 3 years when we thought we can start building our small house.

My father and my uncle came to Leganes to help us build our house. It was a small house. It was built with coco lumber, bamboo, lawanit walls and galvanized iron for roofing. Some of the materials, including the posts and other key materials were from our house in Carles. We brought them to Leganes.

We made a small fishpond, about 2 meters long and 1 meter wide. Here we raised tilapia. This will help provide us some of our basic needs while in the ministry. It was be hard buying our needs from a small salary I received from CPBC. Though I am Director of the New Frontier Ministries, I received a salary just a few hundred pesos above the minimum wage.

When we transferred to our home, Rally Boy was nearly 1½ years old. His younger brother, Rod Chester was five (5) months in her mother’s womb. Five (5) months after we transferred to our house, I went to Libacao, Aklan for a training of farmers from the mountain villages. I stayed there for 4 days. When I left, I bought 5 kilos of rice, 6 small cans of milk, a dozen eggs, some canned goods, sugar, a kilo of meat, a kilo of dried fish, bath soaps and laundry soaps.

The night after I left, thieves which I thought were two people entered our house. They took some of the rice, canned goods, sugar, eggs, meat, dried fish and powdered milk. They left Hesther about one-third of its item. They got two -thirds of our supplies. Otherwise, Hesther and our boy would have nothing to eat for four days. They took away my Nikon Camera. They took the Enlarger we used in photography from our Dark Room. Hesther and Rally Boy were fast asleep.

When I arrived and learned about the incident, I was deeply worried. Thieves entered our house easily. We sat down on the bed. We prayed together. I thanked the Lord that the thieves did not take all the food. They left something for my wife and child. And God made sure my wife and child were not hurt. They were safe. I thanked God for the protections. I believed it was God who protected my family. The thieves entered our room, took the camera that was hang at the corner of Hesther’s bed, above her head.

That afternoon, I went to the side of the house where we have planted bananas. The bananas were now growing. Outside the fence, I saw our Photo Enlarger. It was left by the thieves. It was a bit bulky. I saw also a dagger, 4 inches long. The dagger was also left by the thieves. I took the dagger. I carried it often just around our house. I asked, some who was the owner. But nobody said, it was his.

Hesther was my partner in all the works I do, in the ministry and in a small business we tried to undertake. As a pastors, I thought I would learn an enterprise while in the ministry, if I worked in a church and community where most were members are mostly poor and struggling.

She was my partner when we started our first small business, making Salted Peanuts and Banana cakes. The little business helped us, in the hardest time of our life, after I resigned from my work as Director of the New Frontier Ministries. The situations, I was put, before I resigned were very hard for my mind and heart to take.

Hesther was my partner when as director of the New Frontier Ministries, I and our staff were arrested twice. While pregnant, she went and looked for our lawyer, who will work for our release and helped defend our case in court.

She was my partner when we started “Hour of Discovery” radio ministry. She was there when we made our maiden broadcast, with fund enough for 5 months air time costs. But the Lord helped and guided our ministry until we decided to stop after 20 years. Hesther helped correct my written messages and edited messages and articles I wrote.

We worked together when we started Bernal Designs Enterprise, with Jaz Cola distributorship. She was the cashier & accountant. We started business, all from loans and financing from Jaz Cola Company of Boboy Zejuco, who later was elected Congressman of the 2nd District of Iloilo. Our debt was P3.7 million after we bought 6 delivery trucks, several thousands pesos of Jas empty bottles and shells. And we buy on instalment at least 3,500 cases of Jas Cola daily, on credit, payable on 7 days. We hoped when we paid all our debts and loans, life will a much easier for us. . But Jaz Cola was sold and we went down fast. San Miguel Corporation bought Jaz Cola to slowly let it die. Then, after few years, there will be no more strong competitor against Cokes.

Hesther joined me when we organized Alternative Resource Development Center, Inc., started our ministry of printing and publishing books and periodicals. . She served as editor and proofreader of the books we published. We were starting to develop the book business and ministry, when Typhoon Frank came, destroying all our equipment for printing, publishing and broadcasting.

After Typhoon Frank flood, we were back to almost zero. But God gave us the strength, courage and ideas to go on. To work, never give and never surrender.

With Typhoon Frank, we found we lost almost everything. We have nothing to start life again. We prayed. We asked God to help us find a small farm we can lease or rent. God helped us. He allowed us to rent a farm, nearly 3 hectares. We went farming. And God taught me and Hesther to do natural farming. She joined me in caring for our four children, all boys, Dolfus Ritche (Rally Boy) Rods Chester (Noynoy) RH Moses (Toses) and Excelsis (Dodo), caring for them until they grow older and finished their education.

We journey together in life, with faith, hopes and dreams. Hesther helped also in the ministry of Lifegate Church (former Leganes Baptist Church). She’s member of the Board of Deacons. She attended services every Sunday with our sons. I am always out in the churches and communities. I am at home only on Mondays. I was working in churches, farmers and fishermen’s associations in Aklan and Northern Iloilo.

One day, Hesther was hospitalized. She was operated and her left breast was taken. It was positive for cancer cell. She took a chemotheraphy. We prayed for her recovery. We worked for ways that will strengthen her body, mind and spirit.

She recovered. But five years later, her other breast was also operated. She took radiation for 28 days daily Few years after radiations, she was adviced to take chemoteraphy again.

We realized what cancer was. When you are hit with cancer, your time was soon coming to end. That time our children were still small. The youngest, Dodo was only 7 years old. And the eldest is only 14 years old. We prayed. Our prayer was simple and strong. We asked God for a little more time of Hesther’s life. We asked it as a Special Gift from the Lord. Some more years of her life to be with us. It would be very hard if she was taken when our youngest son was just 7 years old.

God answered our prayers. He took Hesther in May 4, 2010, 17 years after her first cancer operations that were malignant. During the 17 years of her sickness, she took two chemotherapy treatments. She took that radiation treatments for 28 days, daily. She took it with faith in God and patience.

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