Pastor Reuben Madriaga Alavanza

dedicated to our papa or lolo Reuben Madriaga Alavanza. First of all, on behalf of our

family I want to sincerely thank everyone who participated and contributed to this

virtual program.

Pa was born on June 26, 1931, he grew up in a fishing town called Gemaylan,

Libertad, Misamis Oriental in the Northern part of Mindanao Philippines. Pa graduated

Elementary in Gemaylan and MMA High School in Manitcao. College in Cebu as well as

PUC. I first mentioned Gemaylan because that has always been his wish “to go back

home”. For the last two years Alzheimer’s robbed him of both short-term and long-term

memory, speech, and mobility, although when he would hear about Gemaylan it always

seemed to get his attention. Last year when my cousin Ema Fe Varona mentioned her

mom Eldora Nadal, pa’s older and only sister, he started crying. It was heartbreaking to

watch the sadness and homesick as he clearly missed home and all the loved ones

closest to him.

After college pa and ma became teachers and later pa work at Mindanao

Sanitarium and Hospital in Iligan City and eventually became a manager until 1974. No

wonder we have so many cousins, aunts, and uncles working in that hospital. Just stop

by at the cafeteria, a free snack will be on the menu. It’s also the place where all five of

us were born, Roger, Ruel, Ike, Daphne, Reuben Jr. Pa was hoping to have another girl,

but junior came instead. From Iligan pa was transferred to Davao Mission as an auditor

from 1974-1976. By the way, it took us one week to travel from Iligan to Davao traveling

on a mini jeepney and a bus that seemed to break down in every other town. We slept

on the side of the road, and I don’t remember if we even took a shower or bath you

have to have enough patience to survive that trip.

For ten months, between 1976-1977 pa was assigned at General Santos City as

Mission treasurer and then moved back to Davao Mission as a treasurer from

1977-1982. For the last time, he was transferred to Cagayan de Oro as an auditor

between 1982-1985 before we immigrated to California. During those mission

assignments, pa became a Pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He worked at

Loma Linda Medical Center from 1987 to 1999. Through out his service as a Pastor he

baptized many in the Philippines but in 2006 at Loma Linda University he baptized his

first granddaughter Mary Ellen. He last performed baptism in his hometown of

Gemaylan in 2008. We also had the honor of his prayer and dedication to our children.

I was asked to portray a life sketch of pa, however, most of you already know

him, but some may only know him in his later years specifically our kids his

grandchildren. You know pa or lolo grew up in a fishing village no wonder he loves to go

fishing. However, it’s ironic that none of pa’s children (your parents) knows how to

swim. Pa also learned how to sew and became a tailor to help support himself in college

and of course with the help of Auntie Dor and Uncle Jaime Nadal. However, it’s also

ironic that again none of pa’s kids (your parents) know how to sew or picked up tailoring

as a hobby. He majored in accounting so he is very good at math. No wonder he counts

every penny. It’s also the place where we all learned how to play the piano not by

choice thanks to ma. We also learn by self-taught growing up how to play wind

instruments thanks to pa and donors’ from the US.

Pa is also known to be thrifty or “kuripot” and generous at the same time.

Growing up there was no cell phone, tv, iPad, nor gaming console. We even had

to make a choice between a snack or pay for a bike ride to the University. All

parents want their kids to be better off than themselves and to our pa and ma, we

are forever grateful for the lessons and sacrifices.

Now for us, we remember him for what he taught us. Among many things is

patience, be patient, and then be patient some more. I never really liked arguing but

one time in the middle of a heated argument with my mom, I repeatedly heard him say

“pailob lang dong”, “hilum lang”. Of course, I didn’t listen to him. Looking back then

whenever they had a disagreement, it is no wonder I would only hear ma talking. In

other words, if you want your marriage to last always say “YES MOM” or nothing at all.

Now I can not guarantee this works for everyone else but certainly, it did work for pa

and ma who celebrated 58 years of marriage this last February.

Now being patient, you also have to be calm, under pressure, even under

threatening situations, or in the middle of the storm. My aunt Esther and my cousin

Edgar Nadal had mentioned that in their videos and I am sure as most of you know him

also had similar experiences with him as well. That may contribute to him being late on

important schedules like jumping onto a boat that was about to leave the dock, almost

missing a flight, almost being run over by a plane on the tarmac to name a few, and

being the last one to get ready-still taking a shower while everyone is in the car.

Our last model, advice, and charge to carry on Pa’s legacy is “pasensya”. Our

sister Joy had the privilege to care for our pa as we all work full-time and even out of

state. Salamat kaayo Joy, Joe, Mary Ellen, and Charlie because of your love and care for

our Pa he was well cared, loved, and comfortable allowing us to spend quality time with

our papa. The Friday before our beloved pa passed on Joy was changing him and turn

him from side to side. It was at this moment when pa uttered clearly the his last words

“Pasensya”.

I have mentioned patience many time now but how can you be patient when

there is nothing left, so I leave with 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is Patient, kind, does not envy , does not boast, is not rude, is not

self-seeking, is not easily angereed, keeps no record of wrong, does not delight in

evil, rejoices with the truth, always protects, trusts, hopes, and always perseveres,

LOVE NEVER FAILS be PATIENT.