“God is so good to me!”  This is the testimony of a very contented person. Fr. Tex just came home from a 13-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  He was very happy sharing his journey to Egypt, Israel, Jordan and some places under Palestinian control such as Jericho and Bethlehem.

The trip was a wish come true and a very beautiful gift from God through his brother, Fr. Roel V. Buntol, SSJV, the Parish Priest of Eco-Church (St. Isidore Parish), Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, and the Pilgrimage Chaplain.

You can see the glowing face of Fr. Tex as he happily shared his beautiful experience in the Holy Land. He was able to visit different biblical places.  With his co-pilgrims, he made an early morning climb to the top of Mt. Sinai in Egypt, and a quick dip in the Dead Sea in Israel. With Fr. Roel, he concelebrated the Holy Mass in Capernaum, Cana, Gethsemani, Shepherds’ field, Mt. Scion, and renewed their baptismal vows in Jordan River. He was able to see as well the Silver Star which marks the place of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and the tomb of Jesus in Calvary. In Jordan, they climbed Mt. Nebo, the place where Moses died, and visited Petra (means rock), a beautiful rock formation and man-made treasury which ranks second after the Great Wall of China among the seven wonders of the world.

The long hours of walk and the few hours of rest were well worth the experience. It was something he had wished for as he celebrates the first decade of his priestly ministry; something he hoped but did not dare ask for.  According to him it was all God’s plan and precious gift to him.  The trip gave him also a time of unforgettable bonding with his brother. He said that though they serve the same God and the same Church they do not have the time to see and be together often and share life’s experiences since the communities they are serving are miles apart.