Inspiration -- Fr. Augustine Hoa

THE SHOES WE WEAR
by Marx Luther R. Rosario
Philippine Military Academy, Baguio City

While some men choose to lead lives fighting for their country, and some dedicate their lives in humble service to God and humanity, one man chose to walk these two paradoxical paths.

FATHER AUGUSTINE NGUYEN LAC HOA wore two different shoes – one, combat shoe and the other, pontifical shoe. Married to the vow of poverty, he literally had nothing he could call his own but was full and rich in love for man and humanity. He was an ordained priest, yet he earned the distinction of becoming a revered military man and tactician. He belonged to the powerful Chinese race, yet he was a wanderer in search of uncharted land where he could live peacefully with his flock.

When FATHER AUGUSTINE arrived at Binh Hung, South Vietnam in 1958, all he saw was wasteland. Seeing the need to pick up the pieces shattered by war, he established the formidable Sea Swallow Self-defense Corps. What was more fascinating was the fact that he accomplished this magnificent feat while maintaining an equilibrium between his moral obligation to the state and to the church. He was also able to impart to his subordinates the confidence they needed in order to survive, even though it was an evident fact that all they had was literally nothing compared to the odds they faced. It was because of his exemplary attitude that he was able to instill in the minds of his flock that tyranny could be resisted even without weapons - that a strong determination to survive is far more powerful that any bullet. He was also able to inculcate among his men that cooperation, coupled with a strong belief in God, could defeat even the strongest of armies all over the world. He showed that moral recovery was far more important than wallowing in misery over the damages brought by war.

Like FATHER AUGUSTINE who heeded his vocation of helping his fellowmen, I am called to do the same. A few years ago, I was lost in the middle of nothingness, trying to figure out how I could be of service to my country. I found the answer when I entered the Philippine Military Academy. Here, we are taught not just how to be soldiers, but more than that, we are molded to lead men and women. And most importantly, we are taught to defend our constitution against destructive forces.

As I look around, I have realized that our country is being attacked by overpowering enemies in varied forms. Foreign aggression is a night stalker that has come undetected, its savagery felt by our weakening peso. Internal conflicts have also taken their toll against our country, its vicious fangs adding misery to our nation and creating a divided country. With the nagging socio-political crisis in the South and the paralyzing economic crunch, peace, it seems, is elusive. And the task that remains now is for us to rebuild our nation, just like what FATHER AUGUSTINE faced. We might say that the resources for remedies are scarce and the odds far more overwhelming. Nonetheless, the solutions are just around the corner -- and may even be within ourselves.

With the current dilemma our nation is facing, we might as well consider ourselves as wanderers in a "virtual wasteland" in need of a leader who can steer our country and propel it to progress. Is the answer in our elders whose twilight time is nigh or in the unborn whose time is yet to come? Or is it in the youth on whose shoulders the torch of responsibility has been passed? Today, it appears that we are in a situation where we think we are not capable of accomplishing the grand task of nation-building. The task may seem daunting and overwhelming, a challenge that requires a lot of critical thinking, muscle stretching, and emotional stability. Eventually, we seem to give up the fight even before we start the battle. But think again. Remember FATHER AUGUSTINE. Remember his struggle. Think of the two different shoes he wore to bring his flock to victory. Think of all the opportunities that empower us to rise above our individual concerns. And think of all the shoes we can wear to build the Philippines anew.

Now that might appear improbable, but not impossible.

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