For the faithful in Quiapo, miracles come in all shapes and sizes

Devotees blessed with sudden health, riches, and fame have led many to believe that the statue of the Black Nazarene is miraculous.

Every year, thousands of devotees attend the "Traslacion," risking life and limb to show their faith in the procession where devotees carry a replica of the statue across Manila.

According to Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio, former Rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, "Traslacion," in a way, is imitating the Calvary experience: the sacrifice and suffering that Jesus endured on the way to the cross.

"At its core, such devotion comes from a deep rooted personal experience with the Divine whereby a pilgrim undergoes a direct experience of the sacred, either in the material aspect of miraculous healing and acquisition of various temporal needs or in the immaterial aspect of inward transformation of spirit and personality," writes sociology professor Clifford Sorita in an explainer on GMA News Online.

Some devotees, in fact, see miracles in the smallest of things.

For 28-year-old Kim Bryan Friginal, the fact that he can afford some of the things he wants is already miracle.

Everyday, Kim sits in his wheelchair outside Quiapo Church selling sampaguita to church goers. With his meager earnings, he can only afford to buy things that he absolutely needs.

However, he found that praying helps him get what he cannot afford, he said.

"Sinasabi ko sa kanya, 'di ko po kayang bumili ng ganito," Kim tells GMA News Online. "Magugulat ako sa isang araw, binibigay na sakin."

Kim has been selling in Quiapo since October. He said he was excited for the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 because he's bound to get a lot of sales.

"Mahirap din magtinda," Kim says. "Pero dito sa Quiapo, 'pag marunong ka magtiyaga talagang kikita ka kahit naka-wheelchair ka."

Early in his childhood, Kim suffered from polio, leaving him without the ability to walk. Although he receives a lot of negative treatment due to his condition, Kim said he does not blame the Lord and that his faith remains steady. He has already accepted what he is, he added.

"'Di naman sinasabi natin na porket may kapansanan ka, dapat ikahiya mo 'di ba? Kailangan kahit may kapansanan ka ipakita mo sa mga tao na kaya mo maghanapbuhay sa sarili mo."

While he wheels around outside the church offering passers by flowers, Kim has half an ear on the novenas and mass inside.

And though he is still waiting for a real miracle, Kim said that he believes the Black Nazarene will deliver.

"Sabi nila nag-mimilagro daw yung Nazareno. Yung nahawakan ko yung paa ng Nazareno... parang ang lambot, parang totoo siya talaga. Parang kinikilabutan ako," he says.

Right now, Kim is praying for the safety of the devotees who will join the Traslacion from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church.

He shares that he was traumatized because when he joined the procession last year, he witnessed a person fall from the float of the statue. He also recalls an instance when someone lost his leg after the float ran him over.

For others, the miracles they claim to have received from the Black Nazarene were more dramatic.

Nelisa, 26, and Teresita, 67, both say they received the gift of health.

Nelisa was suffering from asthma and a bad knee before she started praying to the Black Nazarene 5 years ago.

"Madami akong sakit eh, di ako nakakalakad ng maayos," Nelisa says. "Mahina yung tuhod ko tapos lagi akong nasa ospital... lahat sila nagsabay-sabay."

The doctors used to tell Nelisa that she needed to either undergo surgery or live with crutches. In an act of desperation, Nelisa visited the Church of Quiapo and prayed.

"Every Friday at Sunday, nagdasal ako sa Nazareno, tapos ang laki ng improvement, hanggang ngayon," she says.

The effect was not instant, Nelisa adds. It took more than a year of praying — kneeling on the floor, or going up to the altar — before she realized that the pain lessened as she walked.

"Merong miracle dito sa simbahan na to, proven talaga," Nelisa swears.

Teresita, on the other hand, has always been a believer. She has been coming to the church since she was 12.

She tells GMA News Online that when her first-born was sick, a miracle saved her from dying.

"Nagkaroon siya ng tubig sa baga," Tereista begins. "Nagkaroon siya ng primary complex. Basta maraming complications... nagpalpitate puso niya, nagkaroon din siya ng complication sa atay, tapos mas marami yung white blood cells niya kaysa sa red blood cells."

Her daughter was six years old at the time, and she had to undergo a blood transfusion.

Before the procedure, Teresita prayed to the Black Nazarene.

"Lumuhod ako, naka-paa ako. Sabi ko, 'Kunin mo na lahat ng pera ko, wag lang anak ko,'" Teresita recalls with a tremor in her voice.

"Then after the blood transfusion... nagising siya tapos sabi niya 'Mommy pahinging tubig.' Doon ko nalaman na OK na siya," she adds.

Now, Teresita's daughter is 39, and has a husband and three children.

Everyone in their family are also devotees, never missing their weekly visit to the church.

Church volunteers Crisanta Sanchez, 68, and Melia Sy, 64, believe that their service to the Lord is what granted their miracle.

Crisanta has a problematic family -- all three of her children suffered from depression. They eventually recovered from it, but their trials didn't stop there.

"Nawala yung apo ko for TWO years," Crisanta says. "Hindi kami makatulog, iniisip namin baka namatay na."

"Tapos last year... wala akong hininging regalo kung hindi makita ang apo ko," she continues. "Kinabukasan, dumating siya sa bahay."

It turned out that her grandson, who was jobless amid the suffering of her mother due to depression, felt like he was dragging his family down. He left to find something that he could offer them.

He returned, not only safe and sound, but with a job as well, Crisanta says proudly.

"Siguro sa paglilingkod at panalangin ko," she said.

Like her fellow volunteer, Melia believes that God is guiding them because of their service to him.

Despite suffering from arthritis, Melia was determined to volunteer for the church.

"Milagro ang nangyari sa 'kin. Pagdating ng araw ng service ko, nakakalakad ako. Hindi siya makirot tulad ng dun sa bahay. 'Pag papunta ako sa kanya, pagdating ko sa kanya hindi ako hirap," Melia said.

It's a tedious daily commute from Laguna to Manila for Melia. Shockingly, her leg doesn't hurt during her trip to Quiapo.

"Siya ang gumagawa ng paraan," Melia says. "Ang inaalay ko sa Panginoon ang mga kakayahan ko."

Selling handkerchiefs on the streets of Quiapo is not a dream for most people, but for 43-year-old Sunny, it's his personal miracle.

An ex-convict does not have a lot of choices after getting out, but Sunny is particularly proud of his achievement.

"At least matino na hanapbuhay, 'di ba?" Sunny said.

Asked what his job was before, Sunny told GMA News Online that he was a hold-upper, which is what led to his being jailed for 12 years.

He is ashamed of his past, but does not shy away from thinking and reflecting on it. One of his realizations was that he should have picked better friends and stayed away from drugs — specifically, meth or shabu.

"Droga talaga ang sumira ng buhay ko," he says. "Lahat nawala sa akin dahil doon."

Shortly after being released from prison in 2009, Sunny sought Quiapo Church. He said it was the first destination he had in mind. Later, he got a job as a vendor.

His job as a street vendor is his first honest job, and this miracle not only allows him a decent living, but also gifts him a new beginning.

"Marami akong kailangan patunayan sa sarili ko," he says. "Kailangan ko patunayan sa sarili ko na 'di ako pilay, na kaya ko tumayo sa sarili kong paa."

He adds: "Magsisikap talaga ako. Para sa 'kin ito ang milagro." —JST, GMA News