Hi everyone! How are things going? I've been super busy lately, and I guess you've noticed that. It's true, I really miss being here and sharing with you all the events in my life lately. I have so much to tell you, but first, let me share this one with you.

It was just last month when I went out with my special friend. I can vividly remember that I was feeling overwhelmed with everything I'd been thinking about, and this special friend of mine, he really knows me well.

One time, he asked me if we could go visit a church or shrine, anywhere I wanted. So here's the story I'll share.

We went to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Medellin, Cebu, located in the northern part of Cebu City.

To the Shrine We Go

Medellin, Cebu, is a 30.5-kilometer distance that takes about 45 minutes to travel. So specifically, we headed to the Shrine of Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Caputatan Norte, Medellin, Cebu.

Upon arrival, there is a sign on the side with an arrow indicating the direction to the waiting shed. The signage is very nice with large fonts, making it easily visible.

Even if the sign were missing, the image could still be seen at the entrance, albeit smaller.

I was feeling excited at that time because it would be our first visit there, marking a new check on my bucket list. Hmmm, I have realized that now that I'm in my twenties, I have a growing desire to travel, especially to visit churches and shrines. So this time, all thanks to my special friend.😅 Perhaps in the future, some of my blog content may revolve around similar experiences, hopefully.

Reaching the View

And then, at the shrine, there are two options for pathways. One is a set of stairs for walking, while the other is accessible for vehicles. We opted for the vehicle-accessible path to reach our destination quickly and easily. Walking seemed a bit slow for us, especially since we easily get out of breath, especially myself, as I'm not used to hiking.

This is the photo of the motorcycle route we took, which is the way for motorcycles.

The other one is the stairs, but that picture only shows a few steps because I can't walk up them. Haha.

So, fast forward, we reached the top where the statue of Mary is situated. Visiting shrines is not a new experience for me, as I have been to maybe two or three other shrines. I can share those experiences with you sometime when I visit more shrines, but let's focus on this story for now.

Lolo's Tales & Smiles

As we arrived, we were greeted by two kids and an old man. The children were joyfully playing around, while the elderly man, who they called "lolo," was busy cleaning the surroundings with a bolo and a broom.

The first thing we did was to pray, and after that, we roamed around to enjoy the view from the top. My companion offered to take a picture of me because the view was beautiful, and the breeze was so refreshing. Initially, I declined because I felt like my face looked very tired at that time. However, he told me that we would never know when we would return there, and it would be nice to have some photos, so we ended up taking pictures. So, below are the photos we took here.

I asked a kid to pose for me to take a picture because she was so cute. 😍

Later on, we sat down and started a conversation with the old man. We asked him if he was from the area and so on. Little did we know that this place used to have a zipline and other activities back in the day. We were curious why it turned into a shrine, and it's because a family donated the land, which was then turned into a shrine.

We had a lot of conversations with the old man until an old lady, his wife, joined us. We were amazed by the stories they shared, and we chatted until it was time to leave.

His Heart's Desire

As we were about to head back, my companion suddenly stopped, and I was even more amazed by his actions. At that moment, I didn't expect what he was about to do. He first asked me if I had any extra money, but I told him that I didn't have any since I was saving up for my school allowance. Then, he suggested that we turn back because he had something to do there. When we returned, he handed some money to the old couple. My heart melted at his gesture. I could hear the old couple expressing their gratitude with teary eyes, and I could feel their genuine smiles and happiness.💙

In my thoughts, I couldn't help but admire him for his kindness and soft-heartedness, willing to help others even when he may not have much himself.😩😍

It's truly heartwarming to see someone so generous and caring, always ready to share what they have with those in need. His actions make me feel so loved by God, surrounded by people like my companion here.

So after that, we headed back since it was already late in the afternoon, and that concludes my story sharing, hehe. Thank you for dropping by and listening. Stay safe, hydrated, and kind everyone. Take care!🤗