Last Saturday, February 3, 2007, Lucas and I together with my sister-in-law Conchita Tan and family friend Conchita Co; we went to see Father Yves Caroff, OMI at Buguak, North Cotabato. It took us 3 and a half hour ride to reach the remote farm land. It had been more than 2 years since Lucas last saw him in Cotabato City and he was by then already walking with a lot of difficulty. This time, we heard that he was gravely ill so Lucas and I made plans to visit him.
Father Caroff is sick. His body could not expel the toxin from his blood. He is in wheel chair as he can not walk nor his hands can move freely, yet his mind is lucid, keen and alert. Infact, it was pleasant to see him still with a good sense of humour despite his illness and disability. He was excited to play the host, to show us around the model farm he built with people he brought from Timanan, Upi. The farm has a well built water system that uses gravity pump to distribute water to various cisterns in the area - a ten hectare farm land that is self sufficient. He didn't seem too worried about his condition, brushing off the idea of us bringing him to Cotabato City to see a doctor. He proudly told us that he will be visited by a group of French friends next week. I hope and pray that they will bring him to a proper medical facility for care and treatment, although I would say that he is loved and well taken care of by the people around him in Baguak. Father Caroff is 81 years old but how I wish he can live longer to be a hundred years old. Miracle can still happen sometime, I hope and pray.
No comments:
Post a Comment