More than saying grace

Why me? Why do bad things happen to good people? I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life enjoying the fruits of my labor. Can you relate to these questions?

- CITO BELTRAN

Last Friday, I was invited to be an "observer" in a town hall meeting of homeowners, lawyers and officials of the CJHDevCo to determine future plans and litigation against the BCDA that evicted them from their homes.

The agenda was rolled out, the speakers and lawyers took turns explaining the series of unfortunate events that resulted in strained relationships between CJHDevCo and BCDA, and finally the necessary steps towards filing multiple cases against numerous officials of BCDA and other individuals party to the eviction of residents.

Towards the end of these, I was asked if I could please lead the prayers or say grace for the lunch that was about to be served. Like Nehemiah, I found myself asking God for a "word" or a verse "faster than a speeding bullet."

Before the prayers, I asked everyone to indulge me with five minutes of their time and speculated that most, if not all, of them have probably become more prayerful in the last two months than they have been in a while.

As they laughed at the joke and the irony, I pointed out that it is only human for everyone to pray the hardest in the face of overwhelming challenge, loss or tragedy. Being robbed or evicted of your home certainly qualifies as "Urgent."

Being buyers in good faith and legitimate investors in the first public-private partnership program of the Philippines or PPP, it was certainly hard for everyone to fathom how BCDA could brazenly evict retirees and investors without fear.