Thank God It’s Wednesday

By Maria Solita Zaldivar-Guzman

Conversations can do a lot for people. Having a safe space where people are freely allowed to talk about their predicaments, doubts and anxieties while someone listens intently to them without prejudice, offers [un]solicited advice, and prays for their holistic healing is therapeutic. Sometimes all we need is to have our feelings validated, our thoughts articulated, and our actions understood.

So many individuals nowadays post suicidal thoughts online while there are those who are subtle about their depression that makes one wonder whether something is wrong or not. One can no longer distinguish who is in dire need of an emotional well-being check or mental health intervention. The signs and symptoms differ in every person and some are just too good at false pretense, playacting everything is okay when deep inside their world is crumbling and they have barely little sanity left in them.

It makes us ponder what happens when they become too overpowered by their problems? When the darkness lures the inner demons that they have kept a secret for so long? When the burden is too heavy to carry yet they do not know how and when to start unloading? That what if they simply need someone to remind them to be strong, and to pray for things to be okay instead of receiving shallow commiseration?

More often than not, it is not about being friends with someone or having a deep connection with them in order to care for them. With whatever amount of humanity is left in us, it is always best to give it to those who need the littlest ounce of it, even a stranger especially one who overtly talks about having suicidal tendencies on social media outlets. We may not know them personally, we may not be close with them on a particular level, but if we have the chance to show them that their lives matter, seizing the opportunity to save someone counts for everything.

Thank God It’s Wednesday (TGIW) is a project cum support group whose visionary is Bishop Roberto M. Labor of Glad Tidings New Life Kalibo. The vision was given hands and feet by Pastor Edwin Radones, Pastor Myrl Labor-Radones and their team. The main purpose of TGIW is to make people aware that there is a safe space for them to go to should they feel the need to talk about their difficulties, to seek spiritual healing, to ask to be prayed over for a desire or dream, and even to meditate by themselves—without judgment or pressure. The place is referred to as the ‘life house’ beside Aklan Inter Faith Academy and is open from 8:30AM to 10:30AM, and the volunteer group offers free bread and free coffee to anybody who comes.

TGIW was launched on May 10, 2023 and on its first day, many went to the life house albeit some were quite unaware of the purpose of why TGIW came about. When you are offered free conversation, it has this compelling notion that enthralls you to go there perhaps out of curiosity at first but through the course of the tête-à-tête, you realize its impact. It is not every day that we find people who are willing to give their time and share their resources to make others feel that they matter. TGIW, simply described, is selflessness, compassion and lifeline.

One of the staunch supporters of TGIW is Kalibo Councilor Matt Aaron Guzman, who aside from being close friends with Pastors Edwin and Myrl, have always been a strong advocate of mental health awareness. Through radio dialogues and his social media platform, he has helped spread the word and encouraged people to go to TGIW because it is a place where everyone is welcome regardless of.

Since the pandemic, Councilor Guzman has thought of organizing a conversing project over coffee to those who feel the need to disencumber themselves from toxicity and negativity. And as though with the intervention of God, he found himself visiting Pastors Edwin and Myrl who were already finalizing the preparations for TGIW and was set to launch in two weeks’ time.

Pastor Myrl affirmed in a radio interview that TGIW is a miracle in itself because God sent people who became catalysts in making their vision turn into a reality. For those who have attended TGIW, they felt an invigorating kind of feeling as though seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Many people are thankful for the life of such wonderful people like Pastors Edwin and Myrl and their community who are filled with kindness and compassion in their hearts, always willing to share their time and resources, and are faithful instruments of God’s love in uplifting the lives of others.

TGIW has been an avenue for individuals who are seeking conversation and for volunteers wishing to do good to find each other. Every Wednesday, more than a hundred people go to the life house for different purposes and they leave the place with a lighter heart, lesser burden, and rejuvenated spirit. Being able to converse helps them clear their minds, replenish their souls, and unburden their hearts.

We need to become a proactive and empathetic community with a sense of responsibility in the life and well-being of each other. It is not just enough to live—but what is more essential is being able to touch lives, save lives, and change lives.

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Hello there, someone who matters!

Life can be tough, even cruel, and sometimes it can feel like being trapped, asphyxiated, and there is no way out. But please know that there is always hope, and there are people who truly care about you. And the only way to keep going is to survive through it.

If you are struggling with any suicidal thoughts, please do not hesitate to reach out to someone for help. Whether it is a family member, a friend, or a professional, there are people you can trust and who want to support you and help you overcome this difficult time.

Remember, you are not alone in this because you have people who love you and care for you. There are millions of people around the world who have struggled with similar thoughts and feelings, and there are resources available to relieve you from the pain you are feeling. You are important and your life, regardless of how wrecked it may seem at the moment, has meaning and purpose.

So whenever you feel exhausted, just take a deep breath and reach out for help. You are worthy of love and support, and there are people who are ready and willing to be there for you. Do not give up on yourself because you deserve to live a happy and fulfilling life. You are capable of surpassing the ‘this too shall pass’. – Choose to L;ve Facebook Fan Page