THIS COLUMN will give way to the Tribute of Dr. Jocelyn Pizarras-Tuñacao for her father, the late Atty. Eufronio M. Pizarras, former Provincial Treasurer, Province of Bohol, and the shared memories of RJ Pizarras Garcia, grandson.
In her FB post, my cousin Jocelyn shares:
“Papa, Atty. Eufronio “Ponyong” Pizarras has joined his Lord and Savior in the morning of July 10, 2020. His death was peaceful. He did not suffer. God has provided comfort even during the last moments of his earthly life.
Much has been written about COVID-19. The stigma it attaches to the patient, the family, and the loved ones. It is both a sad and painful reality. In our fear of being infected, we resort to labelling, name-calling, shaming, even bashing. I wonder what has happened to our humanity.
But then again, Papa’s death would show us that man’s goodness is still alive. So many people have communicated with us to meet our need for convalescent plasma therapy even coming from Barangays Luz and Mambaling in Cebu City, the Barangays that were bashed in social media. The response was overwhelming. A lot of you offered prayers. It showed us that humanity is still alive and Papa was well-loved and respected.
Papa was careful not to get infected. We were careful as well, being frontliners ourselves in the fight against COVID-19. And yet, he still caught the disease. It only emphasized that no one is immune to this virus.
Papa has missed Mama over the years and kept on saying he was ready to go. I would always say: God is not finished with you yet; you are our prayer warrior; and you still have a purpose to fulfill. Little did I know that his purpose was to raise awareness on convalescent plasma therapy and that the curse of COVID-19 can turn into a blessing to the next person.
Now, he has finally joined our Lord Jesus Christ. I can only imagine the warm embrace from our Savior. He is now in a much better place with Mama singing praises to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is now surrounded by God’s glory.
I am grieved by Papa’s passing but I am comforted that God has seen fit that he would complete his life journey at a time when a pandemic has challenged the world, when the faith of believers is tested, and when God’s power reigns supreme.
I miss you so much, Pa. Farewell for now, sending our utmost love and respect.”
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RJ Pizarras Garcia, a grandson based in Florida, USA, has this to say about his grandfather:
“My dad wasn’t there for me when I came into this world, but Lolo was. Lolo was a real father figure to me, and an amazing one.
I remember while he was living with me and my mom, I would hear him sing hymns or quote Scriptures while lying down on the couch in the living room. I always see him read his Bible and the books of John MacArthur and David Jeremiah out loud.
He always supported me in my activities, including school and sports, like soccer, karate, archery, and even came to my piano recitals. His character was just like Christ’s, and Christ was seen in his life – in everything that he did and wherever he goes, as far as I could remember.
I loved going to church with him and holding his hand while inside. I remember celebrating his birthdays characterized by liveliness and joy. I loved spending time with him during birthdays, Thanksgivings, Christmases, New Years, and Easters. I also loved celebrating Father’s Day and Grandparent’s Day with him. Those were great times with Lolo, and I would never trade them for anything else. I only regret not being by his side in the final moments of his life.
Although I am grieving that my grandpa who has a special place in my heart has departed, I also rejoice that he is now in the presence of my Abba Father. I can trust that Lolo was a real Christian, and because of that, I know someday I’ll see him once again in heaven.”
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For comments, you may reach the writer at belca.87@gmail.com. Author is on Twitter @ShilohRuthie./PN
