Jan 13 2009
Celebration of Life: Remembering Arcelie Laoagan
It will be exactly a year on January 18th. How can we ever forget that day, when the chilling news of Arcelie’s death all gripped our hearts.
For me it was a call that I received from Lisa early in the morning. I was scrambling to get ready for work when the phone rang. If we get a call early in the morning at home, it must be something really urgent or something really serious. Lisa told me in a tearful and fearful voice, that she got a call from Arcelie’s friend telling her that Arcelie has not gone back to her house since Thursday evening, which was highly unusual for her. Lisa requested to pray for Arcelie’s safety and that everything was alright with her.
When I arived in the office, Tess e-mailed an article she came across in the online edition of Calgary Herald about an unidentified female found dead near the Grace Baptist Church. The article was quite vague in the description of the victim. I placed a call to the reporter who wrote the article to get more information. I was also getting frantic calls from members of our Bible Study group, everyone was confused and afraid of what may have happened to Arcelie. We were all hoping against hope that it wasn’t her, but at the back of our minds we were preparing for the worst. At noon, although the police did not confirm the identity of the victim (police did not confirm her identity until after a week later when her family positively identified her), we all knew it was her and our hearts were shattered! It was the most the devastating news for us.
One year has passed since then, we still have lots of questions in our mind, and the criminal case is still pending. But we would like to remember that day, not so much with sadness but with hope. Hope because Arcelie left behind a legacy of her great and unwavering faith in her personal Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Arcelie would have liked it that way: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2a)
There was a tremendous outpouring of love and support from Arcelie’s church family (Calgary Full Gospel Church), the Filipino community, people from other nations, and even complete strangers whose heart went out for this 41 year old mother whose dream to give a better life for her children was shattered when she was brutally murdered. Her death, though very tragic, brought an overwhelming response from Calgarians and from people all across Canada and even outside Canada. The generous response to the fundraising effort for her family left behind in the Philippines is a testament of that. Her death galvanized the city and the community into action to be more vigilant in ensuring that Calgary remain to be a safe place to live.
Through this website of the Filipino Bible study group of the Calgary Full Gospel Church, of which Arcelie was a faithful member, we would like celebrate the memories of Arcelie’s life every year on January 18th. It is our way of remembering a dear friend….
- Peace and comfort for the family, and the strength to attend the court hearings;
- Continued safety for the city of Calgary;
- For truth and justice to prevail, and then healing and forgiveness to take place;
- For God’s constant provision, comfort, favor, grace and salvation for her family here in Canada and the Philippines; and
- For Arcelie’s dream that her family (children and husband) to come to Canada be realized.
If you want to pray with us or share your thoughts and memories of Arcelie , please leave a comment on this page.
We have also posted below the video which was shown during the memorial service of Arcelie. We hope that we will be reminded of God’s love to us. Life on earth is short, but He gave as a chance to have an everlasting life with Him !!!
Arcelie Laoagan - Click here for this week’s top video clips
Filipino Bible Study Group :Calgary Full Gospel Church : Alberta, Canada
Please leave your comments or prayer request on this section. One year ago, we posted this same YouTube Video and we received a lot of comments in YouTube. We are going to re-post the same comments here and give a copy to the family of Arcelie.
Thanks a lot.
In Chist Alone,
Tess Rupprecht
May Arceli’s soul rest in Peace! And may God be with her family here on earth! She will always be remembere!
John 3:16 - Anumber of HOPE!
Love from the Kostamo Family
(Grace, Steven and kids)
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
This gives me chills!!! i hope arcelie’s death will find justice…
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
may her soul rest in peace and sana mabigyan nrin ng justice ung pagkamatay nya po..
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
TO hear a news like this makes me wonder why other people with evil deeds interffer with people having a big mission in life and loves their family and has a fear of GOD.BAYANI KA PARA SA AMIN
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
I just watched this youtube info video via TV Patrol and browse it right away. I feel for the families of Arcelie. Indeed life is a journey, being a pinoy in this foreign country we have to live and survive. Our loved ones left back home are the ones whose relying on us. I feel sorry for what happen. For Arcelie’s soul…may perpetual light shine upon her…may she rest in peace.
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
sana nalang maidala ang pamilya niya dito sa canada para sa kinabukasan ng kanyang pamilya..condelence to her family..tuparin sana ng consualate ang cinabi niya sa TV patrol…
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
May the Lord God Almighty be with the family of the late Arcelie. May the Lord comfort each and every member of her family. To the family of the late Arcelie, we offer you our prayers, our support, our love. One nation, One color, One God. from your fellow Filipinos here in Winnipeg. May God be with you as you go through this, our condolences, just always remember that you have a family here in WInnipeg. God bless you Laoagan Family
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
guidance for her family & hope will find justice
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
condolecence to the family of Arcelie.
may her soul rest in peace .
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
Condolence to arcelie..
may her soul? rest in peace..
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
Condolence…..
Napanood kasi namin sa? tv patrol ang nangyari.
Condolence to arcelie laoagan and family laoagan….
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
Condolencew to Arcelie Family…
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
condolence 2 laoagan family,may her soul rest in peace….frm san miguel family calgry canada.
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
condolence po sa family laoagan….
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
condolence 2 d laoagan family…r.i.p. ms. arcelie….
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
from red deer canada…
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
Condolence to arcelie’s family.
She’s with God’s custody now..
From: Are Family (napanood po nmin sa Tv Patrol)..
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
REST IN PEACE PO!
Note : Above comments were left at the youtube video posting
Miz u MA!