three to four hours drive from cebu city is a sleepy church half-squinting into the golden rays of the sun with wizened eyes sparkling with untold secrets of its youth. secrets that the century-old coral stones (or what’s left of it) continue to keep.

built on may 10, 1830, it wasn’t until 18 years later that the entire structure was finished, only to be gutted under the hands of filipino guerrillas in 1942 and by fire in 1955. as if the sporadic rages of time weren’t enough, in 2008 fire struck this church once again.

but still she soldiered on. no wonder this 182-year old church is so beautiful. her scars made her strong and her strength gave her the silent confidence that no matter what happens, hundreds of years later she would still be standing tall and proud before the majestic blue waters before her and the green mountains behind her.

which is why you’ll have to forgive her for the modernity of the walls inside. it’s not because she has abandoned her roots. that’s just her adapting to the circumstances.

something some of us should all learn to do too.