Witness.

I speak from the heart. And from what I actually saw. Others won't believe. May even laugh. But it actually happened.

The other day, we went to attend Fr. Fernando Suarez' healing mass at the Our Lady of Fatima Church in Makati. A friend who lives in the parish got us tickets to the mass.

Father Suarez "touched" all the people who attended. He even asked what ailed me, and when told I suffer from a right ear impairment due to bike accident, he blew into my ear, and now, my hearing has improved a lot.

But another GREAT miracle happened to Toys (not real name). As we were exiting the church area, I decided to buy rosaries which were hand-made by the children whom the Foundation was helping. I only had 150 Philippine money and American money in my wallet at that time, and the local money translated into three rosaries.

I wanted more to give to relatives. Toys gave another 100 pesos for two more rosaries. And Toys gave 100 pesos during the collection.

Going home, Toys got hungry and asked me to drive to Glorietta for lunch. At the Food Court, I told Toys I'd get money from the ATM; no credit card accepted at the food stall.

No, Toys said; she'd pay for lunch. But Toys needed to go to an ATM too as her wallet was almost empty of cash; we, people nowadays don't carry cash, do we?

Anyways, Toys just had enough cash for the lunch. And lots of coins in a sandwich bag. I saw her wallet as she was paying.

I drove Toys home. When it was time for me to collect the car from the parking lot, Toys opened her wallet and screamed " where did this money come from?"

I looked when she showed me the wallet. Right there, staring at us, were a bunch of bills, FRESH TWENTIES AND ONE HUNDRED BILLS! Six hundred in all when Toys counted.

All together, Toys spent 200 pesos during the healing mass, and me, 150 pesos. Three hundred fifty in all. Six hundred filled her wallet out of nowhere. So the money spent got doubled.

Until now, Toys has not told a soul of this heavenly incident; she feels people won't believe if she's the one to tell it. I told a sister. And wrote in this blog so people may know.

Toys gave me 120 Philippine money from that "miracle heap," and told me not to spend it. Of course, I won't. She's giving her daughter some, also as keepsake and good (GOD) luck.

We couldn't believe. Then, we believed. A miracle.

Toys was not praying for money. She has enough. So we were asking ourselves the meaning of the miracle. Before the mass, we were talking of each other's relatives - of aiding, of tough love, of teaching certain people how to fish instead of giving them fish.

Father Fernando's Foundation seeks to build a city-village to empower the poor through economic and spiritual renewal. I believe the multiplication miracle took place as an answer to our dilemma - do we actually help loved ones through dole outs or shall we teach them how to fish? The answer can be gleaned from one of the objectives of Father Suarez' Foundation and that is, to help the poor by teaching/training them in livelihood projects.

Toys is a most generous person in this planet. She gives. She feeds relatives. She was blessed again during the healing mass.

I already got money from the ATM; in Manila, you have to get from the machine almost everyday as money disappears almost the minute you take it out. But the "miracle money" is tucked - neatly folded - inside my wallet.

Multiplication of bread and fish. I witnessed it.