by Elder Aries de Vera
Reading for the day: Colossians 3:23-24
Growing up in Manila during the 90s was both challenging and exciting. My high school and college years were truly memorable, though not always easy. Life brought more than enough troubles. Power outages, brownouts, as we called them were common. The economic and political climate was unstable. And the traffic, even then, was unbearable, especially during the Christmas season. It wasn’t a place for anyone lacking patience or a steady temper. But we pushed through. Those experiences toughened us.
Among all the moments that shaped that decade of my life, one stands out above the rest: meeting my second father.
I was raised in a dysfunctional home, and I still carry vivid memories of the struggles that marked my childhood. Those hardships forged resilience and strength deep within me. I was young and naïve, clinging only to a dream of a better life, one with greater emotional and mental stability. Imagine bearing a truckload of burdens as a child. Had I not become who I am today, my life would have taken a far darker path.
Everything began to change during my sophomore year of high school, when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. I was baptized during the Good Friday service in Manila, and from that moment, my life transformed in ways I could never have imagined. The Word of God proved true, just as it promises in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
With that new beginning, my life finally gained meaning and purpose. The Church guided me away from the troubles, pressures, and dangers of teenage life. I felt genuine love, care, and the warmth of belonging to a family. And during those years, I looked up to a man whom I considered my second father, Bishop Osinando Quillao, or as I fondly called him, Pastor Osie.
I know I’m supposed to write an article about Christmas, but I can’t help expressing my deep appreciation for the person who shaped so much of who I am. Back home, the Christmas season always seemed to begin with celebrating Pastor Osie’s birthday. Whenever December approaches, he naturally comes to mind. December 4, his birthday, has become a part of how I mark the season.
Bishop Osie played a monumental role in my life. As a youth in the Church, his messages and personal guidance helped me understand the value of serving God and living rightly. He would visit our home, which was just two blocks from the chapel, to conduct Bible studies with my family, especially my grandmother. Listening to him brought comfort and relief amidst the chaos of life. He would share the teachings he received from the Goodman of the House, and I looked up to him the way a child looks up to a father.
Through his sermons, he corrected me. He rebuked my mistakes. He encouraged me, lifted me up, and helped me rise after every fall.
As a child, my dad would stand up for me when others hurt me. Growing in the faith, I witnessed Pastor Osie defend the Church, with the same fierceness a father protects his family. I saw him debate. I heard him speak on radio and television, standing firm against false preachers and those who maligned the Church. That is what fathers do: they stand for their children. That is what I saw in Bishop Osie.
Even as I graduated from high school and university, then settled into my career, my admiration for him never changed. As I grew both in my work and in my ministries, he remained a steady guide. He recommended me to serve as a national officer and later as an elder in the Church. He laid his hand on my back and prayed over me when I was given the opportunity to write and join the media ministry. None of that would have happened without his encouragement and push.
I became a better person because of him. As someone who was mentored by our late beloved Apostle Arsenio Tan Ferriol, he himself became an inspiration to many. And I am one of them.
Every Christmas season, I am reminded of the encouragement he gave us back in Manila whenever we entered the month of joyous sacrifice. He would tell us never to give up or abandon the mission of God, no matter what circumstances we faced. Whether in small tasks or great responsibilities, he urged us to give our very best for the work of the Lord. His words echoed the timeless reminder from Scripture in Colossians 3:23–24:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
I especially remember the last December I spent in Manila before settling in Toronto. That year, I had the privilege of writing and directing the program for his 55th birthday celebration. I’ve long stopped counting the years that have passed since then, but the memory of that day remains vivid and meaningful. It was a moment filled with gratitude, admiration, and love for a man who shaped my life in countless ways.
Today, even from across the world, that gratitude remains. His influence continues to guide not only me but my family as well.
From me, my family, and all of us here in Toronto – Happy Birthday, Bishop Osie!
Reflection: How has God used people—whether pastors, family, or friends—to guide you through difficult seasons of your life?
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