Ever since that fateful day of June 4, 2003, when bombs which were designed to kill me and many others at DXND were discovered, I have jokingly told friends: “Ang gulay, lalo na pulang kamatis, pampahaba ng buhay.”
I was saved from a certain death that day because of the red ripe fruits of a wild tomato which grew among the Suntan flower hedges planted beside the DXND announcers’ booth.
(If you will closely look at the previous picture showing the Belgian bomb sniffer, you will see that in the background is the wilted tomato plant which was trampled upon by bomb experts, with one green fruit still clinging to the vine.)
DXND driver Toto Braga parked his OB Isuzu pickup beside the Suntan hedges and saw that the tomato had red ripe fruits. He was attracted by the red tomatoes and picked them.
That was when he noticed a black bag hidden among the Suntan hedges. Braga immediately called announcer Willamor Magbanua and reported his find.
Since bombings were common those days, Willamor called the police. Chief Supt. Alex Tagum arrived with his men and the bomb disposal experts along with the Belgian bomb sniffer.
The bombs were diffused.
That night, I realized that God had just shown me a miracle which I initially failed to appreciate.
Who made that lone tomato plant grow among the Suntan flowers?
Who made that tomato bear fruit?
Who made sure that the tomato’s fruits would be red ripe that fateful June 4, 2003 to attract the attention of Toto Braga which led to the discovery of the bomb?
Only God could have done things in perfect harmony and in perfect timing.
Until today, I call that Divine message “The Miracle of the Red Tomato.”
Many miracles are happening right before our very eyes. God make them happen to give us a message that He loves us.
When a child learns to walk, it’s a miracle. When the flowers’ bloom, it’s a miracle. When a new day dawns, it’s a miracle.
Sometimes we are just too busy and preoccupied with material things that we cannot appreciate the Divine message.
Most of the time, we rue over what we have failed to achieve rather than appreciate the many good things that we enjoy in life.
Let us count our blessings and thank God.
(Here is a picture of me showing to the media one of the bombs that missed me. Bomb experts said that had the three 81-mm. mortars exploded, it could have flattened that whole DXND building.)
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