Here is a moving expression of faith-based solidarity from Mrs. Edita Burgos to Melissa Roxas, and I was very touched and moved by it.  Edita is the mother of missing Filipino activist Jonas Burgos, about whom Anna Almendrala wrote a post last year.

My dear Melissa,

Praise be to God for He is good!

I am the mother of the missing/abducted activist Jonas Burgos.

We, my children and I, said prayers of thanks when we learned that you were returned and now are safe with your family.  Every time we hear of an abduction, we die all over again, thinking of Jonas.  But every time we hear about a victim of abduction being surfaced or found alive, even if it is in jail or elsewhere in captivity, we rejoice with the family and consider it a triumph of good over evil.

We are doubly thankful that you have remained firm and steadfast in exposing the evil done to you.  You cannot imagine how we, families of victims,draw hope from courageous exposés like yours.

We pray that abductions, tortures, and human rights violations would not happen to anyone, but that it has happened to you must be for a reason.

Please be assured of our prayers and if there is any way we can support you, please let us know.

We shall continue to pray for you and your family.  Do please pray for us too, for Jonas and all other victims of enforced disappearances.

In the love of Jesus and Mary,

Edith Burgos

Katrina Abarcar coordinates the work of Katarungan, which seeks to promote peace, justice, and human rights in the Philippines through research, education, and grassroots advocacy.