“But you know what, it’s okay not to be okay,” says Sis. Sylvia Noble, widow of Dcn. Mario Noble who passed away in October 2019 of pancreatic cancer, leaving her with six children to care for. She honestly admits that the loss has been so painful and it has left her with many questions, but it has also taught her to become even more prayerful.
“The pandemic made [my children and I] realize that God is good, and all the time God is good.”
Speaking of Dcn. Mario, “I lost my beloved, my best friend, but I will never forget him because he is my mentor in believing that Jesus is my salvation and the reason why I am who I am now. I may not be perfect, but I am being transformed from glory to glory.”
Theirs was a simple love story of two people brought together by friendship and a shared love for God.
“I met Dcn. Mario in 1992 when we were working in a shipping company.
“In 1993, he invited me to attend a Friday service in Christian Life Fellowship, Magallanes. I was impressed with the service and I couldn’t explain my feelings then. Come Sunday, my Nanay told me that there was a guy in orange barong looking for me. Na-surprised ako when I saw it was Mario. If I was impressed with the Friday service at CLF, and all the more with the Sunday service. So I attended the Christian Growth Seminar and later became part of the ministry. In 1995, we got married.”
For the next twenty-four years, they lived with a shared love for God and the ministry before he passed. Sis. Sylvia’s work at a Makati condotel keeps her busy, but it is her children who are now her consolation. “Kristine, my eldest, is helping me a lot; Mark is our driver; Thomas is our artist; Warren is our chef; Katrina is our singer; Aibhlin is our dancer. Everyone is doing their part and helping.”
Though the challenges are there to overcome, Sis. Sylvia thanks her brothers and sisters, friends, and fellow Christians for their presence in her life.
“God gave me this word in 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV), ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’ Truly, Dcn. Mario made it. Nauna lang siya. I am sure he is happy where he is now.”
writeup: MARILIE THURMANimage: COTK Media Creatives
