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by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
July 1, 2011
The next thing to take care of was the trusses and posts for the roof. Despite the prohibitive cost, given our shoe-string budget, we decided on steel trusses and posts for strength and durability.
And now the grass roof. Good quality cogon, a grass used as a roofing material, is not available in our area in Southern Luzon. Butch and Ezra drove twice to Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon to buy cogon. It was a back-breaking 6-hour drive, each way.
Our hard-working and loyal workers, Roming, Mamer, and Dennis, started the meticulous and tedious job of weaving the cogon grass on top of the steel trusses.
The estimated number of cogon bundles was inaccurate. The roofing work was stalled for several weeks as Butch and Ezra had other commitments and could not go to Nueva Ecija immediately.
On May 6, we decided to contract a professional landscape artist to complete the grotto. To make sure that the landscape artist would make accurate calculations, Butch transported the statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal from our home to the grotto site on May 13, 2011.
The landscaping work was begun on May 11 and was completed on May 19, 2011. Butch and Ezra supervised the work closely, making sure that every detail was as faithful as it could be to the vision which Ezra had on January 9, 2011.
On the evening of the 19th of May, we lighted candles at the Grotto and prayed the rosary. It was an amazing moment – listening to the cascading water, gazing at the luminous face of Our Lady, watching the flickering candle flames, praying the rosary, and being together as a family!
Bringing Mary to the World
We celebrated the gift of life by marking the first anniversary of Ezra’s surgery on May 21, 2011 with a small group of friends who have been supporting her as prayer warriors. We prayed the rosary at the Grotto, of course.
We are planning a simple blessing of the Grotto as soon as we are able to confirm a date with a priest. We are planning to open the Garden and the Grotto to the public as soon as we are a little bit more ready with amenities. We have many plans all aimed at bringing Mother Mary to the world.
May Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal be pleased with our thanksgiving offering of this humble grass-roofed grotto. May the Holy Trinity look kindly upon our puny efforts and bless us with the courage to keep the faith!