Reaching The Hand Of Jesus

kamay ni hesus mountain

I haven’t got out of my town in my whole vacation, except from going back and forth to Manila and Mindoro. And I realized how sad it would be if I didn’t go somewhere because in the next five years, there will be no such thing as vacation in my life. My fellow Lasallians will understand the feeling. So gosh! I have to go somewhere even just for a day. So thanks to my parents for giving me and themselves a day to enjoy the month of May. Yes, a day! But even though it’s just a day, my vacation this 2015 was still memorable and spiritual because it is Kamay ni Hesus Shrine where we spent it.

Kamay ni Hesus

Kamay ni Hesus is a healing center located at Lucban, Quezon. According to its marker, it is Rev. Fr. Joseph “Joey” Ayala Faller who found Kamay ni Hesus Ministry Foundation Inc. I heard that he’s a well-known healing priest – one reason why his group made this healing center. But as you can see, it is not just as simple as it. I’m glad that they added Kamay ni Hesus shrine and other religious replicas here that made the place a tourist destination as well.

statues along the mountain

As what I’ve said, the place includes life-sized statues of the scenes from the bible. You can have the stations of the cross prayer there as you encouter the series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion. I remember someone saying that the Holy Week is not a period for away-from-home and traveling recreation. But spending your Lenten Season at Kamay ni Hesus will be more than acceptable. In fact, this place is a perfect venue to pray your Lenten Season station of the cross.

climbing on kamay ni hesus mountain

But hey! You wouldn’t see these religious replicas nearly without climbing the hill with hundred steps. Do you want to know the exact number of the steps? I do so I counted it myself but I lost it because it’s really high. The caretaker told us that it has 310 steps. 310 steps? Woah! It’s an achievement reaching the top of the hill with this number of steps for me. That sounds tiring but you would feel the opposite way when you climb it yourself because of the spirit encouraging you to do so.

kamay ni hesus shrine

Climbing the hill is one activity you shouldn’t miss but if you really got tired taking the steps, don’t worry because it will be paid off when you reach its peek. It’s one of the highlights of the visit – meeting the 50-foot statue of the Ascending Christ. I’ve heard that it’s currently the world’s third tallest Risen Christ Statue. What a rewarding and breathtaking experience that is! Apart from the view, praying beside it makes me feel blessed and glorified. I can’t explain how great our experience was.

chilling on the peak of kamay ni hesus

We wouldn’t let the time for climbing be longer than the time for staying on top. So after meditating, we decided to hang out here for a while as we took photos of the surprisingly impressive sceneries. I love staying beside the Ascending Christ statue because in addition to the affection that He’s with us, the wind gives a spiritually refreshing feeling. By the way, I have to share the sign I saw – Bawal magdate dito. I can’t stop hiding my smile when I read it. However, that’s true.

going down on kamay ni hesus mountain

We are about to go down when we noticed this spectacular view. Is this the town of Lucban? Oh yes, the bird’s eye view of the beautiful Lucban, Quezon. When i’m on top, I don’t really look down because of the you-know feeling. But I can’t help looking down as of this moment. I shouldn’t miss the greetings of this amazing sight. My brother also shouldn’t miss a shot of me with this sight so yeah, here it comes. Anyways, it’s time to go down because the gravity is pulling me.

garden of eden

The exit from the hill will lead you to this wonderful park which includes the Garden of Eden and Noah’s Ark. Noah’s Ark was constructed for people who wants to have a spiritual retreat, recollections and seminars for the families in need of spiritual and marital renewal. It is complete with conference hall, refectory and accommodation. I would love to invite my friends and come back here for a retreat. It would be great to experience it inside this ark.

kamay ni hesus church

I’m sorry for this stolen shot with the I’m-not-ready-yet look. Actually, I hesitated to post this photo here but chose to post it because it is the only photo I got that captures the Kamay ni Hesus chapel. As what I’ve said earlier, the place is originally a healing center and its founder is a healing priest. This means that this church is the venue where the healing mass takes place. The people there told us that mass are conducted everyday while the healing mass are only every Wednesday and Saturday morning.

luklukan ni maria or rosary hill

Other than the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine, Garden of Eden and Noah’s Ark and Resurrected Christ, Gallery of Saints, The Angels Hills and The Marian Park that I haven’t mentioned yet, the tourists can also visit another hill – the rosary hill, which is also known as the Luklukan ni Maria. If the Kamay ni Hesus hill has the stations of the cross, this hill has Mama Mary’s scenes from the rosary’s mysteries. Reaching the top of Luklukan ni Maria, you will witness her looking up at the Ascending Christ.

souvenir shops

what I bought

Another thing that we shouldn’t miss are the souvenirs! If there’s no camera, how can you prove that you really got to Kamay ni Hesus? Of course, we have to buy something in this line of stores inside the place. Rosaries, small statues, sculptures, frames, shirts, sweets and delicacies, biscuits, breads, pasalubongs – name it and they have it. For me, I bought two rosaries on top and different kinds of biscuits that I featured in Biscuits Made From The Philippines.

kamay ni hesus canteen

After a very long day, we deserve snacks. I’m glad that this place also have a space for food! A yay for that! These stalls are needed by the empty breadbasket of the tired climbers. Wait, what am I doing on the photo? Maybe, I’m picking a food at that time. Well, we ordered halo halo since it’s Summer when we visited Kamay ni Hesus. But we wish that we just had mais con yelo because the halo halo we ordered was bland. But I suggest that you try their famous Pansit Habhab.

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