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Aiko's story of faith and forgiveness

Aiko Melendez is sure more blessings will come her way after she learned to forgive those who wronged her/Contributed photo

Unto each life some rain must fall.

Aiko Melendez’s series of torrents came last year, when she least expected it.  She was taping a teleserye  when part of her left face got swollen – or distorted, as she puts it.

“Merong nasaksak na medicine sa face ko. Apparently, nag react ako. Nagkaallergy at namaga ang mukha ko.”

Lost teleserye

In her work where good looks is a premium, that was a no-no.

“I got a  memo from the network I was then doing the teleserye with, asking what I did to my face,” recalls Aiko. “Nawalan ako ng teleserye.”

She got a lot of bashing on Twitter.   

“Walang ginawa ang taong yon kundi siraan ako sa Twitter.”

Are you in trouble?’

Her health suffered. Aiko developed hypertension.  She was at the end of her rope.  When longtime friends like Carmina Villarroel invited her for special occasions, Aiko begged off.  Her swollen face made her insecure.  They cried with Aiko, but her insecurities persisted.

As she was about to close her Twitter account, Coney Reyes, who co-hosts “The 700 Club Asia” and is a leader of the Victory Christian Fellowship, sent Aiko a direct message.

Coney must have read Aiko’s mind. She asked,  “Are you in trouble?”

Aiko replied, “Yes, I’m going through something, Tita.”

Water baptism

Coney wasted no time.  She told Aiko that they must see each other.  They did, two days after. Coney prayed over Aiko.  And on Feb. 28, Aiko, with a smiling Coney standing beside her,  had her water baptism.

It was a milestone for Aiko.

“Thank you tita Coney this is the best decision I've made in life its by surrendering and trusting Jesus! Love you tita Coney,” Aiko posted on Facebook.

The baptism also made Aiko realize that material things are not everything.  The family breadwinner since she was that tall, muses, “All my life, it was all about how to provide for my kids, for my family. I realized that pwedeng  kunin ng Diyos lahat ng source of income ko. God can take away everything –your power, your money, beauty. But when you have Christ in your life, it doesn’t matter.”

Problems with former assistant

She has forgiven the doctor who 'distorted' her face and rediscovered the dermatologist who has been helping her since she was still single.  The good doctor patiently worked on Aiko’s swollen face until it returned to its normal, flawless look.

End of story?  No.  Aiko faced another trial when she discovered that the assistant she trusted for 13 years “stole money from me.”

“Half of my earnings walang dumarating sa akin. Hindi niya binabayad sa bank ang payables ko pero merong official  receipts.”

Aiko has  dropped the charges of qualified theft and estafa against her former assistant as part of her moving on.

Goodbye, cigarettes!

Blessing upon blessing has since come Aiko’s way.  She quit smoking after years of puffing one cigarette after another.  

“Pinagdasal ko na one day, I can do that. My daughter Marthena hated the cigarette butts in the CR at home. I asked Tita Coney if we can pray because I wanna quit smoking.  She replied by saying, “If you ask it from God  and if He sees you’re really sincere about quitting, He will take care of it.”

True enough, when Aiko asked her yaya to get the cigarette she was hiding from her children in the cabinet, things were totally different.

Online bag business

“Pagsindi ko, ang pangit ng lasa.   Sabi ko, baka stale.”

She asked her yaya to buy a stick from the nearest store.  It was the same story.  Aiko hated the aroma.

Today, Aiko has conquered smoking completely.  The star of the Cinemalaya film “Asintado” doesn’t light a single cigarette when taping and shooting become tense and hectic.

Aiko has opened an online business, where she sells high-end bags.  She has more time for her children, Marthena and Andrei.

Life is  good.  But Aiko knows it can only get better because she has surrendered her life to God.