Joseph Tristan Marayag: I was blind but now I see! (John 9:25)

21 July 2020

Video: Joseph Tristan Marayag

https://youtu.be/Q09snAJjwSI

I'm sure most of us have noticed at PCF the couple with a young son, the couple with visual or eyesight disability.

They are with the cell group of Arnel Pena and during Sundays after the worship, their cell group would be on one side of the Cry Room and our cell group on the opposite side.

One would easily say you want to pray for the couple for the Lord to bless them in their situation.

What if instead you get blessed by the couple? How is that?

The couple is Joseph Tristan and Jennelyn Marayag and their son is TJ for Joshua Timothy.

I am blessed to get to know Joseph or Tristan during this quarantine, we happened to be discussion partners one-on-one in 70X7 session of PCF Men.

We shared life stories and came to know pareho kaming taga Batangas at parehong high school ang pinasukan, at nagkapalagayan ng loob sharing personal issues.

It was what he said when we went back to the big group in one particular session, that really hit me hard.

I asked him to retell what he said in the big group, and share his testimony if he will agree, to the whole PCF.

This is it. You will see why I would say I am the more blessed between the two of us through our session as discussion partners. And I'm sure you will be blessed after reading this.

What he said in the big group:

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Some people might consider being blind an unwelcome affliction, but for me I have considered it a blessing, you know why? Because when I became blind it eventually led to the moment that I saw the goodness of God. When I can still see the world I took God for granted. All I cared about was myself. God made me realize I’m nothing without Him. God opened my eyes that becoming a blind person is not the end, in fact it’s just the beginning.

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This is his life story, and more appropriately, the story of God's goodness:

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Have you ever wondered what would it feel like waking up one morning and finding out you're losing your vision? I experienced that feeling 24 years ago. I’m Joseph Tristan, and this is my story.

I can say that I lived a very normal life during my childhood. I grew up in the province of Batangas, went to school everyday, played with friends and went to church on Sundays. That same routine went every day until I graduated elementary and started high school.

The first 3 years of high school came and went fast. I met a lot of new friends, and did experiment on a lot of things. You know, typical teenager stuff. It was the life! 

Fourth year came and plans for college were all my friends and I ever talked about. I planned to take up electronics communications engineering. Early that year I was planning to tryout for our high school varsity basketball team. You know, good records for college. Unfortunately I had an accident during a practice game and had a very bad fall. I thought back then that it was just a fall and I could just shake it off, but I was totally wrong.

That accident totally changed my life. I started to lose my eyesight. I couldn’t go to school anymore. I couldn’t do all of the things that I used to do before. My family did their best to help me cope up with the situation. They took me to several eye specialists, who did several operation on my eyes in the hope of restoring my eyesight. The doctors told me that I would be out of action for at least 3 months, then 3 months became 6 months, and 6 months turned into a year, then 5 years. Unfortunately, or rather fortunately their best wasn’t good enough. I started to lose hope of ever seeing again. I even was contemplating on suicide to end it all, I couldn’t handle the pain, and the prospect of being in the dark for the rest of my life.

My parents took me to Manila to stay with my aunt and her family for a change from the monotony and probably from the boredom they were seeing in me, and possibly help me ease my situation. One of my cousins introduced me to the Word of God and asked me if I believe in Jesus Christ. Back then I couldn’t take what I was hearing. I’m losing my eyesight and this guy is talking about Jesus Christ? During those times I could not reconcile my situation with any meaning about putting faith in Jesus. Fortunately, my cousin did not give up on me and eventually I started obliging to bible lessons with him. But still I wasn’t ready to give my life to Him yet. I was still very much hurting from what has happened to me.

Fast forward to 2002, Resources for the Blind (RBI) invited me to join the annual summer camp. During one morning devotion towards the end, the speaker asked us if we want to make the decision to accept Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. That time, it dawned I was ready to accept Him into my heart. It was in that summer camp in May 2002 that I surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ my life and my personal circumstance.

Ever since that day I experienced a lot of wonderful things. Slowly but surely my life turned for the better. I started studying in the SPED Center near our house in Batangas. After that, I finished the remaining year of high school. The next year, my parents took me back to Manila and enrolled me on a training course on how to use the computer even if you're blind. After that it was straight to college, then work and the rest is history. 

Years passed and eventually I asked God for someone that I could be with for the rest of my life. He answered my prayer in the person of Jennelyn, and now we have been blessed with a son and we are a family, and together with the help and guidance of the Lord we will continue to grow spiritually.

Looking back to those years, if you ever ask at that time if I ever thought that all of these are possible? I would definitely answer you with a big NO! Back then I was contemplating on ending my life, because I had no hope left in me. Eventually, I encountered God, and in His love and compassion He gave me reason to continue living and gave meaning to life. He has been my constant guide, my everlasting companion, and with His help, even if I cannot see (and that's literally), the future is looking bright for me and my family.

In conclusion I want to share a verse from the bible, Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  All I’m saying is, just give all your trust and faith to God. Let Him be your guide in your life, He will always be there for you. Just trust Him with all your heart, pray to Him, talk to Him, read His word and you’ll never go wrong.

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A person in his circumstances, Joseph can utter those words. WOW. Honestly, if I were to be in his place, I cannot promise I can have such attitude of gratitude.

I have my own experience of severe affliction and the story of God's compassion on me restoring my health and my life. But still Joseph's words really hit me hard.

So let me quote 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Indeed, these words are very much alive in the life of Joseph. Amen.

21 July 2020