Childhood Memories

Guest Blogger: Imelda Quibin

This is an article written by one of the students at the International Biblical College Jerusalem. Imelda’s devotionals reflect her depth of Biblical understanding. When she presents devotionals, she sprinkles her lessons with humor and personal anecdotes. I asked her to contribute a blog and am pleased that she accepted the invitation. I edited it a little, since Tagalog is her first language, not English. (As a matter of fact, I think Imelda speaks at least three languages!)

Matthew 19:14 – But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

As Jesus said in this verse of Scripture, children are not exempt from His teachings. Childhood is a foretaste of Heaven. Pride, greed, and any flaws of sin are not dominant in their minds. What a nice promise from the Lord Jesus! I really enjoyed my childhood life.

THE CARIBOU
I enjoyed riding a caribou. At seven years old, rather than walk before or behind the caribou, my father taught me to ride it. If the terrain was going down I had to grab the tail immediately so that I would not slide down toward its horn. If the terrain was going up I would hold the hump at its back or hold the tail and the hump at the same time. When the caribou was free from farming and I was free from school I pastured it in the field until the sun rose hot and we went home for a rest.

While waiting for the caribou I used to lie down in the field far away from my caribou. I had an empty rice sack with me that I used to put at the back of the caribou when I rode. I would lie down in the field with my hands under my head as a pillow, and my legs crisscrossing each other. While laying down I saw the large sky and I kept wondering who made this huge object in the space. I would ask my mother, “Who made the sky and everything in it?” She just said, “It’s GOD!” “Where is the ending, Mother?” I asked. She could not explain it to me. She just said, “Study hard, pay attention to your teacher and you will learn.”

THE GOAT
I also had a goat. My father used to pasture it in the morning in the mountain. He instructed me to get it in the afternoon after school. There was something in the mountain that scared me. I did not have a chance to explain it to my father because one thing was for sure: he would not listen to me. I was so scared of snakes, because at an early age I knew that they lived in the mountains.

I used to play after school - I really enjoyed playing – and sometimes I forgot my duties. So one time I forgot my goat and I had to run to the mountain to take it home. My goat was very happy to see me and ran to meet me. But I had to remove the wood that was attached to the rope around its neck that we used to keep the goat from roaming around the mountain. My goat was so excited to go home because it was nearly dark. Goats get worried when they are not home before dark, and they make noises (meehk…meehk…). So we were running together, rushing home. This was my routine as a child living in the mountains and fields.

TURNING POINT
I did not have a firsthand teaching about God in my childhood since our parents raised us in the Catholic faith. We lived in a remote province in the Philippines with no electricity. (I was born in the year 1966.) I never read a Bible during my elementary and secondary school years.

When I moved to a city to continue my college studies, my friend, who was born again, invited me to a Bible study. I attended when I was not busy with school. I have no regrets for anything in my past. I only thank God for what I am now. I always thank the Lord for my parents. I love them, my brothers, sisters and friends and the rest of my relatives.

Search diligently for the LORD and He will show His righteousness to us.

I once read this: WITHOUT a meaningful spiritual experience within the established religious community of one’s birth, some people find a spiritual connection with God in their experience with nature.

Imelda’s article reminded me of the following verse: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” ( Romans 1:20).