A Shower of Grace
The engineers who converted the World Trade Center into a COVID-19 facility faced dozens of challenges, but Someone had a Master Plan
Words by MARGA CONSTANTINO
It’s past noon, but once again Eden dela Cruz, 31, is still in the middle of another meeting. Her husband comes in carrying a tray with her lunch. He’s been bringing her all her meals since she started working on converting the World Trade Center (WTC) into a COVID-19 healthcare facility, and she could not be more grateful.
“Thank you,” she mouths at him, as he places the food on the desk that she hasn’t left in what feels like forever. He gives her a little smile and a look of encouragement before picking up the empty tray. Eden hasn’t been able to enjoy her food in days, but as she watches her devoted husband close the door silently behind him, she savors the grace that God has sent her way.
No materials, no contractors, no time
Eden is currently the head of Property Management of Manila Water, but because of her work experience in Ayala Land and her background as an engineer, her managers assigned her to head the construction of 37 shower facilities in the World Trade Center back in April 2020.
Eden had prayed for a chance to serve those in need, and knew that this was a God-given opportunity to make a difference. With the support of her supervisor, she jumped into the project wholeheartedly.
#AyalaCitizenDiary: To install showers in the WTC hall meant installing large water containers in temporary tents outside the WTC and then laying out a network of pipes going into the building to 27 pop-up shower cubicles inside the hall. For the medical staff, a container van with 10 shower stalls were provided outside the building.
Eden was the only female engineer in the team that visited the site for an occular, but this did not deter her from doing her best.
Eden spent the next two weeks orchestrating the construction from her desk at home—only standing up to look for a better signal for phone calls, and only sleeping three hours a night. This was the hardest she has pushed herself in her career, and it was prayer that sustained her.
Attention to details. Aside from a strong and steady flow of water, the shower stalls were also equipped with mats and heaters, which engineer Loyd Villanueva helped to install.
Her husband, the pastor
Eden was in the middle of completing her MBA thesis when she became involved in the construction of the WTC showers. Things were far from easy, and Eden would sometimes find herself stuck, not knowing what to do next. That’s when her husband, a pastor, would pray with her.
During these talks, he would give her words of encouragement. When she didn’t know what to do anymore, he assured her that God would help her get through this. He told her that with God’s grace, “Walang nasasayang na experience.”
Ask, and you shall receive. Whenever she felt overwhelmed, Eden and her husband would pray together—and she was always given enough strength and grace to get through the day.
God gave her strength, and God cleared the way. By some miracle, deadlines were moved, and her thesis requirements did not overlap with construction deadlines. She even found time to help her husband conduct online ministry on the weekends. She still doesn’t know how things worked out, and believes whole-heartedly that this was the power of prayer.
Eden says that even if she was very busy during that time, her relationship with her husband became even stronger. “I think yun yung pinaka-nakita ko noong time na yun: supportive talaga ng husband ko.”
Completing God’s Work. Eden believes she just allowed God to accomplish things through her. If it is His will, He will make a way.
Praying for stillness
Looking back at this experience, Eden realized the value of having and nurturing good relationships. She rediscovered friendships with former MDC colleagues who helped her with the WTC project. Working with friends, not just colleagues, made the project feel much, much lighter for Eden.
Most importantly, Eden deepened her relationship with God. With a lot of prayer, the team was able to complete the construction of all 37 showers and turned them over to the government ahead of schedule. She does not take credit for any of this. All she knows is that she was thrust into a difficult challenge where she had no control, and she chose to put herself completely in God’s hands and let Him accomplish things through her.
““God was using my work hindi lang para maka-provide ako for my family, but also as a chance for me na makatulong sa iba.””
Even when Eden felt tired or pressured, she never felt abandoned by God. She always knew that help was coming, so she did not pray for help. Instead, she prayed for stillness.
“God was using my work hindi lang para maka-provide ako for my family, but also as a chance for me na makatulong sa iba… So it’s really [about] serving the people lang, kasi kung pagod lang ang iisipin mo, nakakapagod, nakaka-drain. Pero thinking about the opportunity to help… maganda na siyang reward.” #
POSTED AUGUST 20, 2020
